{"id":787809,"url":"https://alion.io/job/umbra-embedded-systems-engineer","title":"Embedded Systems Engineer","company":{"id":58866,"name":"Umbra","domain":"umbra.space","url":"https://alion.io/company/umbra-space","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workable","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":86,"open_postings":8,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.375,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":63,"computed_at":"2026-10-17T05:46:00Z"}},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":null,"employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Santa Barbara, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":150000,"max":180000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":180000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"Agile","optional":false},{"name":"CI/CD","optional":false},{"name":"Embedded C","optional":false},{"name":"Git","optional":false},{"name":"RTOS","optional":false},{"name":"Rust","optional":false},{"name":"C","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-04-03T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-04-03","last_verified_at":"2026-10-17T17:08:41Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":197,"trust":{"level":"stale","repost_count":0,"flags":["stale"],"days_open":197},"description":"Umbra is an American space technology company delivering advanced systems, from sensors to spacecraft, that empower customers worldwide with unmatched access to critical information from space. Our mission is simple and ambitious: redefine space-for people, systems, and missions in every domain. Umbra’s ecosystem operates through three business units: Remote Sensing (the data), Space Systems (the components), and Mission Solutions (the platforms).Together, our teams develop capabilities that deliver persistent access, resilient performance, and mission-ready solutions, advancing U.S. space leadership while keeping the world safe and informed.\nAbout the Team\nSpace Systems - The Components\nSpace Systems is where Umbra turns hardware and software designs into on-orbit realities; developing, implementing and iterating mission-ready core technology, while simultaneously advancing the next generation of our own satellite constellation. Space Systems is vertically integrated across the satellite architecture, thus the team designs, builds, and tests an array of critical components and subsystems, including power systems, communications, control systems, deployment hardware, avionics, and payloads, as well as the flight software, firmware and digital design solutions to support the entire hardware stack. Our focus is on first principles engineering, and our mandate is simple: it has to work when it counts. Every bolt, board, and binary is proven on our own SAR constellation, ensuring flight-proven reliability where failure is not an option.\nIf you want to work on cutting edge space technology while maintaining the highest standard for innovation and mission ready performance, you belong here at Umbra.\nAbout the Job\nUmbra is seeking an Embedded Systems Engineer with a strong firmware background to support development of mission-critical satellite systems. This role focuses on bare-metal embedded development, system integration, and hardware bring-up, with opportunities to contribute across the full lifecycle-from prototype to flight-ready systems.\nYou will work closely with electrical, software, and systems engineers to build and validate embedded solutions on real hardware. This role is ideal for someone who can take well-defined problems, execute quickly, and contribute to improving firmware infrastructure, tooling, and system reliability.\nThis position is based on-site in our Santa Barbara/Goleta, CA office.\nKey Responsibilities\nDesign, implement, and debug low-level drivers (SPI, UART/RS-485, GPIO, timers, interrupts).\nParticipate in code reviews and MR support, ensuring code quality and maintainability.\nContribute to architecture/design documentation (e.g., RFCs, ADRs, timing diagrams, interface definitions).\nDevelop embedded firmware in C and Rust for bare-metal and RTOS-based microcontroller systems. \nBring up and debug hardware systems, including board-level validation and peripheral integration.\nSupport system integration and verification across avionics, radios, and other spacecraft subsystems.\nDefine and execute test plans for firmware and hardware validation.\nTroubleshoot issues across firmware, hardware, and system interfaces.\nContribute to shared firmware infrastructure, including HALs, drivers, and reusable libraries. \nImprove development workflows through contributions to repository structure, CI/CD, and test infrastructure. \nCollaborate cross-functionally with electrical, systems, and flight software engineers.\nDocument designs, test procedures, and debugging processes to ensure repeatability and reliability.\nSupport test campaigns and mission-critical milestones as needed.\nRequirements\nRequired Qualifications\nBachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.\n5+ years of professional experience in embedded systems or firmware development.\nExperience developing and debugging embedded communication and control interfaces, including SPI, UART/SCI (e.g., RS-485), and GPIO/interrupts.\nStrong proficiency in embedded C and/or Rust programming.\nExperience working with bare-metal microcontrollers.\nHands-on experience with hardware bring-up and debugging on physical systems. \nAbility to read and interpret electrical schematics and data sheets.\nExperience with debugging tools such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and debuggers (e.g., JTAG/SWD).\nExperience with system integration and verification.\nExperience with version control systems (e.g., Git) and collaborative development workflows.\nStrong problem-solving skills and ability to execute independently.\nEffective communication and ability to work in a cross-functional team environment.\nDesired Qualifications\nExperience with RTOS-based embedded systems.\nFamiliarity with hardware/software integration at the system level. \nExperience contributing to CI/CD pipelines or automated test infrastructure for embedded systems. \nExperience developing or maintaining HALs, drivers, or shared firmware libraries.\nBackground in aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability environments.\nComfort working in a fast-paced, hardware-centric development environment.\nDemonstrated ownership of projects from concept through validation.\nExperience working in Agile/PI planning environments.\nExperience supporting system-level testing or qualification efforts.\nBenefits\nFlexible Time Off, Sick, Family & Medical Leave\nMedical, Dental, Vision, Life, LTD, STD (employer funded)\nVol Life, Critical Illness, Accidental, Hospital Indemnity, Pet Insurance (employee funded)\n401k with 3% non-elective company contribution\nStock Options\nFree Parking\nFree lunch in office daily\nUmbra is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.\nEmployment Eligibility Verification\nIn compliance with federal laws, all hired persons will be required to verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States by completing the required Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) upon hire.\nITAR/EAR Requirements\nThis position may include access to technology and/or data that is subject to U.S. export controls pursuant to ITAR and EAR. To comply with federal export controls, all persons hired must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee or asylee as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3), or must otherwise be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or U.S. Department of Commerce as applicable.\nPay Transparency\nThis job posting may cover multiple career levels. To ensure greater transparency, we provide base salary ranges for all roles, regardless of location. Our standard pay ranges are based on the role’s function and level, benchmarked against similar growth-stage companies. Compensation may vary based on geographical location, as certain regions may have different cost-of-living factors. The final offer will also be influenced by the candidate's skills, responsibilities, and relevant experience.\nCompensation Range\nThe Compensation Range for this role is $150,000 - $180,000 DOE.","description_format":"text","description_chars":7287,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["401k plan","Flexible time off","Stock options"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Electrical & Electronic Engineering","Space & Aerospace","Earth Observation"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-12T02:26:29Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":12,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.335,"p_room":0.35,"age_days":197,"expected_fill_days":63,"reasons":["conf:1","velocity","win:tail"],"computed_at":"2026-10-17T05:46:00Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":180000,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/umbra-embedded-systems-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/umbra-embedded-systems-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-17T19:44:48Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":3246,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-18T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":58866},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=58866"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fumbra-embedded-systems-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fumbra-embedded-systems-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fumbra-embedded-systems-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/umbra-embedded-systems-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fumbra-embedded-systems-engineer"}]}