{"id":4210558,"url":"https://alion.io/job/vector-atomic-firmware-engineer","title":"Firmware Engineer","company":{"id":8424,"name":"Vector Atomic","domain":"vectoratomic.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/vectoratomic","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workable","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":95,"open_postings":11,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":155,"computed_at":"2026-11-12T10:38:37Z"}},"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":["Pleasanton, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":110000,"max":135000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":135000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"GitHub","optional":false},{"name":"IonQ","optional":false},{"name":"Perl","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"Assembly","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-12T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-12","last_verified_at":"2026-11-13T00:53:16Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":1,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":1},"description":"Vector Atomic is building quantum hardware to transform navigation, timing, geophysical exploration, and telecommunications. In 2025, we joined IonQ [NYSE: IONQ], the world’s leading quantum platform and merchant supplier - delivering integrated quantum solutions across computing, networking, sensing, and security.\nOur scientists, engineers, software developers, and operations professionals collaborate to deliver real-world solutions. We value ingenuity, diverse skillsets, and teamwork. Every team member can make an immediate impact while growing professionally. Join us to build breakthrough technology in a fast-paced, hands-on environment.\nWe are looking for a skilled Firmware Engineer to join a cross-functional team of physicists, electronics engineers, and firmware developers building next-generation quantum sensing instruments. In this role, you will design, implement, and verify embedded software for ST microcontrollers - including COTS devices and MCUs on custom ASICs - and develop the low-level control algorithms that make precision measurement possible. You will work closely with hardware engineers throughout the full product development cycle, from schematic review to board bring-up and production.\nLocation: This role is based onsite at our office in Pleasanton, CA\nRequirements\nKey Responsibilities:\nCollaborate with a cross-functional team of physicists, electronics engineers, and firmware engineers to design and deliver next-generation quantum instruments.\nWrite and verify embedded firmware for ST microcontrollers, including COTS devices and MCUs integrated into custom ASICs.\nImplement control algorithms critical to the operation of high-precision sensing instruments.\nDevelop peripheral drivers for mixed-signal and other devices, working directly from electronic schematics.\nPartner with hardware engineers to support board testing and hardware bring-up activities.\nContribute to continuous process improvement by authoring task tickets in GitHub and participating in code reviews, project reviews, and retrospectives.\nClearly document and communicate your work through written and verbal channels with coworkers and collaborators.\nBasic Qualifications:\nBachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science with substantial embedded systems coursework, lab, or internship experience; other technical degrees considered with 2+ years of directly relevant experience.\nDemonstrated ability to write production-quality C/C++ code for small embedded processors.\nProficiency writing interrupt service routines, peripheral drivers, and multi-threaded firmware for embedded MCUs using RTOSs and/or bare-metal environments.\nExperience developing scripts in Python, Perl, or similar languages.\nHands-on experience using test and measurement equipment (oscilloscopes, function generators, voltmeters) to validate firmware performance.\nProven ability to isolate and resolve bugs using debuggers and simulation tools.\nAbility to communicate effectively with coworkers and collaborators, both written and verbal.\nAbility to work independently on assigned activities while collaborating within multidisciplinary teams.\nTo comply with US export control laws, Vector Atomic employees must be U.S. citizens (born or naturalized), lawful U.S. permanent residents (i.e. green card holders), and certain categories of refugees and asylees.\nAbility to work onsite full-time at our office in Pleasanton, CA (SF Bay Area)\nPreferred Experience (several of the following):\nExperience designing and implementing control algorithms such as PID controllers.\nFamiliarity with fixed-point arithmetic and digital filter design for embedded applications.\nExperience interfacing with external devices via TCP, UDP, UART, SPI, I2C, or similar protocols.\nProficiency in assembly language programming for embedded targets.\nExperience implementing lightweight Ethernet stacks (e.g., lwIP) on small embedded systems.\nBackground working with SoC or FPGA devices.\nBenefits\nVector Atomic offers competitive compensation and benefits including:\nPlatinum-level family health coverage (medical, dental, vision)\nHealth and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)\nEmployer 401(k) contributions\n20 days of paid time off / 11 paid holidays\nPaid parental leave\nFully stocked kitchen\nPay Range\nThe base salary range for this position is $110,000 to $135,000 per year. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity and benefits. It's atypical to be hired at the top end of this range for the role, as actual pay is based on several factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience level.\nVector Atomic is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other classification protected by law.\nVector Atomic does not accept unsolicited resumes from individual recruiters or third-party recruiting agencies in response to job postings. No fee will be paid to third parties who submit unsolicited candidates directly to our hiring managers or HR team.","description_format":"text","description_chars":5212,"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":["Equity","Parental leave"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Sensors & Transducers","Test & Measurement Instruments"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-13T00:53:16Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":86,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.86,"p_room":1,"age_days":1,"expected_fill_days":155,"reasons":["conf:2","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-11-13T03:23:58Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":135000,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/vector-atomic-firmware-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/vector-atomic-firmware-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-13T03:23:58Z","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":7110,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-14T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"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":8424},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=8424"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fvector-atomic-firmware-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"free","price":{"credits":0,"usd":0},"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%2Fvector-atomic-firmware-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"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%2Fvector-atomic-firmware-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/vector-atomic-firmware-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fvector-atomic-firmware-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":4210558}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"vectoratomic.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":4210558},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. Docs: https://alion.io/developers"}}