Aspinity
Staff Firmware Engineer
"The United States Air National Guard's 131st Rescue Squadron recently relied on Somewear's ATAK integration to coordinate a civilian rescue 1,200 miles off the U.S. Pacific coast. Because our platform provided consistent communications and situational awareness across air, ground, and medical teams, the mission wrapped up in half the expected time — and lives were saved." At Somewear Labs, that's the kind of impact our technology delivers. We support those who venture beyond the limits of cellular connectivity with a satellite-enabled platform built for the world's most demanding environments. Our customers include helicopter paramedics, backcountry explorers, wildland firefighters, and U.S. Special Forces operators. We're looking for a
Staff Firmware Engineer
to define the technical vision for our embedded systems and lead us in pushing the boundaries of what's possible in off-grid communication. You'll architect critical systems at the intersection of custom hardware, satellite technology, LTE, Bluetooth, sensors, and mesh networking — building software that directly powers life-saving missions in the field while setting the technical direction for the entire firmware organization. Why this role matters
Firmware is the beating heart of our platform. Every architectural decision you make and technical strategy you define helps ensure critical information reaches the right people at the right time, even in the harshest environments. As a staff-level technical leader at a Series A company, you'll set the technical vision, drive cross-functional initiatives, mentor senior engineers, and shape our products and engineering culture for years to come. What you'll do
Define technical vision and strategy
for firmware architecture across our entire product portfolio
Architect and own complex embedded systems
in C, C++, and Rust targeting Zephyr RTOS, setting patterns that scale across the organization
Drive company-wide technical decisions
around system architecture, performance optimization, power management, and technology selection
Lead cross-functional initiatives
that span firmware, hardware, mobile, and backend teams—translating business goals into technical roadmaps
Own end-to-end technical delivery
of critical features from concept through production deployment on custom hardware
Set the standard for board bring-up and hardware validation , establishing processes that electrical and firmware teams follow company-wide
Architect robust communication protocols
and device drivers for power-constrained, safety-critical environments
Define and evolve system-level protocols
in partnership with hardware, mobile, and backend engineering teams
Champion engineering excellence
by establishing standards, best practices, and tooling that elevate the entire engineering organization
Mentor and develop senior engineers , conducting design reviews and systematically raising the technical capabilities across the team
Evaluate emerging technologies
and drive strategic build vs. buy decisions with company-level impact
Influence product and company strategy
by identifying technical opportunities, constraints, and competitive advantages
Represent firmware engineering
in executive-level technical discussions and company-wide planning
Solve the hardest technical problems
that require deep expertise and novel approaches
What we're looking for
10+ years
of firmware development on resource-constrained embedded systems
Proven track record
of defining technical vision and strategy for embedded systems in production environments
Expert-level proficiency
architecting and shipping complex, safety-critical embedded systems at scale
Deep expertise
with wireless protocols (WiFi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Thread, LoRa, mesh networking) and proven ability to design novel protocols
Strong understanding
of cellular technologies (LTE, 5G, NB-IoT), satellite communications, and RF system design
Mastery
of RTOS internals (Zephyr, FreeRTOS, or similar) and hardware interfaces (UART, SPI, I²C, USB)
Advanced debugging skills
with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG debuggers, and power profiling tools—able to solve issues others cannot
Demonstrated experience
optimizing for power consumption, memory footprint, and real-time performance in production systems with measurable impact
Proven track record
of leading multi-team technical initiatives, driving consensus on complex architectural decisions, and delivering company-critical projects
Strong leadership skills
with experience mentoring senior engineers and elevating technical capabilities across organizations
Exceptional collaboration skills
working across hardware, mobile, backend, and product teams at all levels of the organization
Strategic thinking
with ability to balance technical excellence with business priorities and time-to-market constraints
A passion for building technology where reliability, security, and safety are non-negotiable
Willingness to dive deep across the stack and take ownership from concept to deployed product, while also operating at strategic altitude
Comfort with ambiguity
and ability to define technical direction when the path forward is unclear
Bonus points for
Deep experience
with secure boot, cryptographic implementations, firmware security, and threat modeling
Background in RF systems, antenna design, or wireless system optimization
Significant contributions
to open-source embedded projects with demonstrated community impact
Proven experience
designing and implementing FOTA (firmware over-the-air) update systems for constrained devices
Hands-on experience
with regulatory compliance (FCC, CE, safety certifications) and guiding products through certification
Experience architecting systems for defense, aerospace, or other safety-critical industries
Published research, patents, or industry recognition in embedded systems or wireless communications
What you'll love about Somewear
Mission-driven work : your technical vision and decisions directly impact life-saving operations worldwide
Strategic ownership : define technical strategy and architecture with significant autonomy and company-wide impact
Challenging problems : from ultra-low-power firmware to resilient off-grid protocols at scale—solve problems others can't
Close-knit, ambitious team : collaborate with engineers who are motivated, curious, and fun to work with
Technical leadership opportunity : shape engineering culture, set technical direction, mentor leaders, and influence company strategy
Direct impact : regular access to executive leadership and meaningful influence on product roadmap and technical strategy
Growth potential : as we scale, grow into broader technical leadership roles
What we offer:
A competitive and equitable compensation plan. This is a full-time, salaried position that includes significant equity.
Physical well-being including health, dental and vision benefits.
Focus Days: No meetings every Monday to allow you to focus and operate at your best!
Unlimited PTO
Flexible parental leave
Remote employee equipment stipend to create a great remote work environment.
An authentic investment in you as a human being and your career as a professional.
Join us to make an impact Note: U.S. Persons ONLY. Please only apply if you meet this requirement. Work from our San Francisco HQ or Chicago office, or remotely.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
"The United States Air National Guard's 131st Rescue Squadron recently relied on Somewear's ATAK integration to coordinate a civilian rescue 1,200 miles off the U.S. Pacific coast. Because our platform provided consistent communications and situational awareness across air, ground, and medical teams, the mission wrapped up in half the expected time — and lives were saved." At Somewear Labs, that's the kind of impact our technology delivers. We support those who venture beyond the limits of cellular connectivity with a satellite-enabled platform built for the world's most demanding environments. Our customers include helicopter paramedics, backcountry explorers, wildland firefighters, and U.S. Special Forces operators. We're looking for a
Staff Firmware Engineer
to define the technical vision for our embedded systems and lead us in pushing the boundaries of what's possible in off-grid communication. You'll architect critical systems at the intersection of custom hardware, satellite technology, LTE, Bluetooth, sensors, and mesh networking — building software that directly powers life-saving missions in the field while setting the technical direction for the entire firmware organization. Why this role matters
Firmware is the beating heart of our platform. Every architectural decision you make and technical strategy you define helps ensure critical information reaches the right people at the right time, even in the harshest environments. As a staff-level technical leader at a Series A company, you'll set the technical vision, drive cross-functional initiatives, mentor senior engineers, and shape our products and engineering culture for years to come. What you'll do
Define technical vision and strategy
for firmware architecture across our entire product portfolio
Architect and own complex embedded systems
in C, C++, and Rust targeting Zephyr RTOS, setting patterns that scale across the organization
Drive company-wide technical decisions
around system architecture, performance optimization, power management, and technology selection
Lead cross-functional initiatives
that span firmware, hardware, mobile, and backend teams—translating business goals into technical roadmaps
Own end-to-end technical delivery
of critical features from concept through production deployment on custom hardware
Set the standard for board bring-up and hardware validation , establishing processes that electrical and firmware teams follow company-wide
Architect robust communication protocols
and device drivers for power-constrained, safety-critical environments
Define and evolve system-level protocols
in partnership with hardware, mobile, and backend engineering teams
Champion engineering excellence
by establishing standards, best practices, and tooling that elevate the entire engineering organization
Mentor and develop senior engineers , conducting design reviews and systematically raising the technical capabilities across the team
Evaluate emerging technologies
and drive strategic build vs. buy decisions with company-level impact
Influence product and company strategy
by identifying technical opportunities, constraints, and competitive advantages
Represent firmware engineering
in executive-level technical discussions and company-wide planning
Solve the hardest technical problems
that require deep expertise and novel approaches
What we're looking for
10+ years
of firmware development on resource-constrained embedded systems
Proven track record
of defining technical vision and strategy for embedded systems in production environments
Expert-level proficiency
architecting and shipping complex, safety-critical embedded systems at scale
Deep expertise
with wireless protocols (WiFi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Thread, LoRa, mesh networking) and proven ability to design novel protocols
Strong understanding
of cellular technologies (LTE, 5G, NB-IoT), satellite communications, and RF system design
Mastery
of RTOS internals (Zephyr, FreeRTOS, or similar) and hardware interfaces (UART, SPI, I²C, USB)
Advanced debugging skills
with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG debuggers, and power profiling tools—able to solve issues others cannot
Demonstrated experience
optimizing for power consumption, memory footprint, and real-time performance in production systems with measurable impact
Proven track record
of leading multi-team technical initiatives, driving consensus on complex architectural decisions, and delivering company-critical projects
Strong leadership skills
with experience mentoring senior engineers and elevating technical capabilities across organizations
Exceptional collaboration skills
working across hardware, mobile, backend, and product teams at all levels of the organization
Strategic thinking
with ability to balance technical excellence with business priorities and time-to-market constraints
A passion for building technology where reliability, security, and safety are non-negotiable
Willingness to dive deep across the stack and take ownership from concept to deployed product, while also operating at strategic altitude
Comfort with ambiguity
and ability to define technical direction when the path forward is unclear
Bonus points for
Deep experience
with secure boot, cryptographic implementations, firmware security, and threat modeling
Background in RF systems, antenna design, or wireless system optimization
Significant contributions
to open-source embedded projects with demonstrated community impact
Proven experience
designing and implementing FOTA (firmware over-the-air) update systems for constrained devices
Hands-on experience
with regulatory compliance (FCC, CE, safety certifications) and guiding products through certification
Experience architecting systems for defense, aerospace, or other safety-critical industries
Published research, patents, or industry recognition in embedded systems or wireless communications
What you'll love about Somewear
Mission-driven work : your technical vision and decisions directly impact life-saving operations worldwide
Strategic ownership : define technical strategy and architecture with significant autonomy and company-wide impact
Challenging problems : from ultra-low-power firmware to resilient off-grid protocols at scale—solve problems others can't
Close-knit, ambitious team : collaborate with engineers who are motivated, curious, and fun to work with
Technical leadership opportunity : shape engineering culture, set technical direction, mentor leaders, and influence company strategy
Direct impact : regular access to executive leadership and meaningful influence on product roadmap and technical strategy
Growth potential : as we scale, grow into broader technical leadership roles
What we offer:
A competitive and equitable compensation plan. This is a full-time, salaried position that includes significant equity.
Physical well-being including health, dental and vision benefits.
Focus Days: No meetings every Monday to allow you to focus and operate at your best!
Unlimited PTO
Flexible parental leave
Remote employee equipment stipend to create a great remote work environment.
An authentic investment in you as a human being and your career as a professional.
Join us to make an impact Note: U.S. Persons ONLY. Please only apply if you meet this requirement. Work from our San Francisco HQ or Chicago office, or remotely.
#J-18808-Ljbffr