Embedded Software Engineer
First seen by Alion on Nov 2, 2026.
Job Description:
The Embedded Software Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining software that operates directly on hardware systems. This role involves working closely with hardware engineers to ensure seamless integration and optimal performance of embedded systems.
The candidate should have strong experience with:
- Embedded C (mandatory)
- Bare-metal and RTOS-based firmware
- ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers
- Interrupt-driven architectures
- DMA, timers, watchdogs, GPIO, UART, SPI, I2C
- Bootloaders and firmware update systems
- Debugging with J-Link/SWD/GDB
- Low-power firmware design
The Silicon Labs EFR32 family is ARM Cortex-M33 based, so Cortex-M experience matters directly.
Wireless Protocol Expertise (Critical)
This is where average embedded developers get separated from actual RF/wireless experts.
Required Wireless Experience
You should strongly prefer candidates with experience in:
- Z-Wave
- Proprietary sub-GHz protocols
- Mesh networking
- Low-power wireless sensor networks
- RF coexistence
- OTA firmware updates over wireless
Especially valuable:
- Experience with Silicon Labs wireless SDKs
- Experience modifying MAC/PHY behavior
- Experience implementing custom protocol layers
Silicon Labs / Z-Wave Specific Skills
Because this is not just generic embedded work.
Strongly Preferred
Experience with:
- Simplicity Studio
- Silicon Labs Gecko SDK
- Silicon Labs wireless stack APIs
- Z-Wave 700/800 series
- SmartStart
- S2 security
- OTA DFU mechanisms
- Zniffer packet analysis
- PTI packet tracing
Security Skills (Increasingly Important)
Modern wireless products require serious security awareness.
Required or Preferred
- Secure boot
- Firmware signing
- Key provisioning
- Encrypted OTA updates
- Secure pairing/authentication
- Replay protection
- Secure storage of credentials
Especially important if:
- HVAC
- industrial
- smart home
- access-control
- infrastructure markets
Strongly Preferred
- Modular firmware architecture
- State-machine design
- Event-driven systems
- Git workflows
- CI/CD for firmware
- Automated testing
- Hardware abstraction layers
- Documentation discipline
Need experience working on wireless communication experience, e.g. RF/Sub GHz/ Z-wave