Embedded Firmware Engineer Embedded Firmware Engineer (Mid-Level) Company: Vatn Systems Location: Bristol, RI Type: Full-time (Onsite) About Vatn Systems: Vatn Systems is an innovative startup at the forefront of designing and manufacturing autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Our mission is to revolutionize underwater security, exploration, research, and operations through cutting-edge technology and unparalleled engineering. Our AUVs are defining the next generation of underwater autonomy. The Role We are looking for a talented and motivated Embedded Firmware Engineer to join our growing team. In this role, you will design, develop, and maintain the firmware that runs our AUVs — from bare-metal on embedded microcontrollers to system software on embedded Linux boards. You'll write C, C++, and Go across the stack, bring up new hardware, and own the low-level software that keeps our vehicles running reliably in demanding maritime conditions. The ideal candidate is a proactive engineer who enjoys working close to the metal and thrives at the hardware/software boundary. What You'll Do • Design, build, and maintain efficient, reliable firmware in C and C++ for embedded microcontrollers (bare-metal and RTOS). • Develop system-level software and services in Go, C, and C++ on embedded Linux boards. • Bring up new hardware: board bring-up, bootloaders, device drivers, and board support packages. • Implement and debug communication between subsystems over interfaces such as UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, and Ethernet. • Integrate sensors, actuators, and peripherals, and implement real-time control and telemetry paths. • Optimize firmware for performance, memory footprint, and power. • Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, and autonomy engineers to translate system requirements into robust embedded solutions. • Write and maintain unit and integration tests, and support hardware-in-the-loop testing. • Participate in code reviews, providing and receiving constructive feedback to improve our engineering practices. • Troubleshoot, debug, and upgrade existing firmware, including on-vehicle and field debugging. What You'll Need Required Qualifications: • Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience). • 3–5 years of professional embedded software/firmware development experience. • Strong proficiency in C and C++ for embedded microcontrollers (bare-metal and/or RTOS). • Hands-on experience developing firmware for STM32 microcontrollers (e.g., STM32CubeMX/HAL, LL drivers, or bare-metal register-level programming). • Experience developing on embedded Linux platforms. • Solid understanding of hardware/software integration: reading schematics and datasheets, and debugging with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG/SWD. • Experience with embedded communication protocols (e.g., UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, Ethernet). • Familiarity with real-time constraints, interrupts, DMA, and low-level memory management. • Experience writing firmware for power-constrained and/or resource-limited systems (battery power budgets, tight memory/timing footprints). • Proficiency with version control systems, specifically Git. • Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively in a team environment. • United States Citizen or Permanent Resident. • Ability to gain a security clearance. Nice-to-Haves: • Experience with cross-compilation, build systems (e.g., CMake, Make, Yocto/Buildroot), and toolchains for embedded targets. • Experience developing with Go. • Experience with serialization protocols like Protobufs, DDS, etc. • Familiarity with robotics middleware or modern robotics frameworks (e.g., ROS 2). • Experience with CI/CD pipelines for embedded software and automated hardware testing. • Knowledge of containerization and deployment on edge devices. • Experience with maritime sensors, underwater acoustics, or subsea systems. • Familiarity with functional safety or safety-critical software development practices. Ready to build the future with us? Apply today!