Embedded Software Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Nov 13, 2026. First seen by Alion on Nov 13, 2026.
About us
Salience Labs is developing optical circuit switching technology for AI infrastructure, aimed at significantly reducing latency and cost in data centre networks. As we move towards real-world deployment, you’ll have genuine ownership of your area, working alongside a highly technical team of physicists, engineers and software specialists on one of the hardest problems in AI infrastructure.
Job Overview
As an Embedded Software Engineer at Salience Labs, you’ll be right at the centre of our photonics product development. This role spans low-level firmware, rapid prototyping, and systems integration, giving you the chance to influence everything from proof-of-concept devices to our commercial platforms. You’ll collaborate across hardware, photonics, and FPGA teams to ensure smooth, efficient embedded software development, right down to the register level and all the way up to application-facing tools.
This is a full-stack embedded role, where versatility and curiosity are just as important as technical depth. We’re looking for engineers who enjoy working close to the metal, but can just as easily contribute to user-facing tools and test infrastructure. You’ll be part of a small, fast-paced team where autonomy is encouraged and impact is tangible.
What you’ll be doing
Design, implement, and document embedded software across a variety of project scales
Work closely with hardware and FPGA teams to build robust embedded systems
Use off-the-shelf development kits for rapid prototyping and system testing
Select, tailor, and integrate open-source applications and embedded frameworks
Collaborate with the Systems Test team to support test automation and data capture
Develop internal tools and test benches for the photonics and hardware teams
What we’re looking for
4+ years of hands-on experience developing embedded software in C or C++
Proven ability to own software modules from design to delivery
Comfortable using Python and modern tooling (Git, Confluence, Jira)
Strong problem-solver with clear analytical thinking and communication skills
Flexible team player, able to switch between solo work and close collaboration
Even better if you
Can read schematics or interpret RTL, particularly helpful for supporting hardware teams
Have experience developing for ARM-based embedded platforms
Know your way around I2C, SPI, PCIe, and embedded driver development
Understand networking concepts
Are comfortable becoming a domain expert in unfamiliar tools or technologies
This is a high-impact role for someone who thrives on building, testing, and iterating in real hardware environments. If you’re looking for a deeply technical role where you can have influence across the full product stack, and you like the sound of building the software brains of next-gen optical systems, then we’d love to hear from you.