Engineering Manager (Embedded)

DS creates systems that power the next generation of radio spectrum intelligence. We collect radio data from all over the world, train neural networks to decipher it, and run them on the smallest chips we can. We’re solving a new, technically hard problem where nothing from other fields works out of the box, and along the way, we’ve built our own stack from scratch, including entirely new embedding model architectures, custom GPU kernels, and much more.

Joining DS means owning major parts of a fast-growing AI research organization, joining a collaborative, talent-dense team with decades of experience in probabilistic ML, accelerated computing, embedded systems, and signal theory, and growing your career in the areas that interest you. You’ll fit in if you want to come to work for the problem itself and don’t want to choose between technical rigor, business value, and real-world impact.

We work with high ownership and trust.

The Role

We are hiring an Engineering Manager (Embedded) to lead the team that builds the software running on our sensors. This is the team accountable for everything that happens on the device: the embedded Linux platform, the interfaces to our hardware, the runtime that executes our models on the smallest chips we can, and the reliability of every unit we have deployed in the field.

This is a people-leader-first, technically-deep role. You are not expected to be writing production code day to day. You are expected to be technical enough to own the architecture alongside your team, review a design and find the thing that will break in the field, hold a line on a decision about memory, timing, or hardware interaction, and be trusted by your engineers as a technical peer rather than a coordinator.

Our product operates where embedded systems, machine learning, and hardware meet the real world. Decisions about memory, power, thermal budget, timing, and connectivity surface directly in what the customer experiences. There is no clean separation between the device and the product, and the constraints of the sensor are the constraints of the business. This is an on-site role with our in-person NYC team.

What You'll Own

• The embedded and edge software platform: embedded Linux, the build and image toolchain, service orchestration, and the software running on every sensor we ship

• The hardware and software boundary: board bring-up, driver and interface work, and the path from a new hardware revision to shipping software

• On-sensor model deployment: the runtime, tooling, and pipeline that get our models onto constrained compute and keep them fast

• Field and deployment reliability: OTA updates, fleet health, and what actually happens on hardware nobody can physically touch

• The embedded roadmap and its execution, tied to annual company goals

• A team of embedded software engineers you will coach, develop, and hire

How You'll Lead

• Own the roadmap and delivery for embedded, and turn broad direction into clear objectives your team can execute against

• Hold the technical bar: review architecture, ask the question nobody else is asking, and surface the right tradeoffs to our Head of Engineering.

• Coach engineers on technical judgment and ownership, not just execution

• Hire and interview embedded and systems engineers as the team grows

• Partner with ML, RF, hardware, and mission operations so the device, the model, and the customer deployment stay in sync

• Own company goals and drive execution through ambiguity

What Success Looks Like

• Software that behaves predictably on hardware in the field, under real power, thermal, and connectivity constraints

• A shorter, more repeatable path from a new hardware revision to shipping software

• Updates that reach deployed sensors without a person on site and without anyone holding their breath

• Engineers who are growing in technical judgment and ownership

• Embedded decisions that hold up as the fleet, the team, and the product grow

About You

You are someone who:

• Has led embedded, firmware, or systems engineers, and wants to keep leading them

• Came up as a strong embedded or systems engineer and never lost the instinct

• Thinks in systems, not just frameworks, and knows how the OS, memory, hardware, and network interact

• Can hold a technical position with a senior engineer without writing the code yourself

• Has shipped software onto hardware that lives somewhere you cannot reach

• Is comfortable with hardware timelines, board revisions, and problems that are still bein defined

• Is eligible for a United States Security Clearance

Technical Background

You've worked meaningfully with:

• Embedded Linux (kernel space and user space) or real time operating systems

• C, C++, and Python

• Yocto, Buildroot, or other embedded Linux toolchains

• Docker, systemd, or other service orchestration mechanisms

• IP networking fundamentals and system-level debugging on constrained devices

• Communication protocols such as SPI, I2C, UART, and Ethernet

• Build systems, packaging, OTA and deployment, and CI/CD for hardware targets

You understand:

• How hardware and software interact in embedded systems, and how to run that boundary with a hardware team

• How systems fail under memory, power, thermal, and networking pressure

• How to design software that cannot assume constant connectivity

• What it takes to update, debug, and trust a fleet you cannot physically touch

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience with software that takes advantage of hardware accelerators (FPGA, DSP, GPU)

• Experience deploying machine learning models to constrained edge compute

• Familiarity with Rust, Golang, or Systemverilog

• Familiarity with the fundamentals of signal processing, machine learning, computer vision, or related disciplines

• Experience with Electronic Warfare Systems, Radar, Software Defined Radio, or related domains

• Possession of a US Secret or higher clearance

This Role is Likely Not For You If...

• You want to stay a full-time individual contributor

• Your leadership experience is entirely in cloud or application software and embedded constraints would be new to you

• You have managed embedded teams as a coordinator without owning technical direction

• You need a stable hardware platform and a finished roadmap to manage against

• You prefer narrowly scoped ownership over end-to-end responsibility

• You are uncomfortable leading in environments where the problem is still being defined

Who Thrives at Distributed Spectrum

• Fast learners over specific backgrounds - We care more about how quickly you can pick up new skills than where you’ve worked before.

• Intellectual honesty - The right answer matters more than being right. You challenge assumptions, test ideas, and pivot when needed.

• Adaptability - We’re organized, but sometimes things change quickly. You find a way to make it work and balance short-term deliverables with long-term goals.

• Ownership of outcomes - You optimize your own time, focus on what matters to deliver quickly, and cut out inefficiencies.

• Not building in a vacuum - You stay connected to the rest of our teams and our customers to make sure all the pieces fit together.

What We Offer

• Above-market salary, equity, and benefits package.

• Early Series A Equity

• Excellent health, dental, and vision coverage

• 401(k) match - up to 4% of your salary

• Flexible PTO

• Daily office lunches in NYC

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.