Apply on Employer Site

Boston Engineering · 10 hours ago

Technical Lead, Software Engineering

Waltham, MA

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$150K/yr - $175K/yr

7+ years exp

Boston Engineering is a technology-driven consulting firm that provides innovative engineering solutions to commercial and government clients. The Technical Lead role involves hands-on technical leadership primarily focused on embedded and firmware systems, ensuring correct system architecture, risk identification, and team support.

Industrial EngineeringMechanical EngineeringRoboticsSoftware

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Leading the design, development, and optimization of embedded and firmware systems for robotics, autonomous, or maritime platforms

Streamlining and documenting software processes to accelerate projects and ensure repeatability, while maintaining high-quality standards

Architecting and implementing firmware tightly integrated with custom hardware, sensors, and control systems

Writing and reviewing RTOS-based firmware (FreeRTOS, ROS2, Zephyr), including task design, synchronization, memory management, and timing analysis

Reviewing schematics and PCB layouts to identify firmware impacts, integration risks, and potential design issues early in the development cycle

Debugging complex system issues using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and other bench tools, and determining root cause across software, firmware, and hardware

Building and maintaining benchtop development setups (“roadkills”) to enable early firmware development prior to final hardware availability

Ensuring firmware meets real-time performance, reliability, and mission-critical requirements

Leading technical design reviews, architecture discussions, and roadmap planning with a focus on system-level risk and feasibility

Clearly communicating technical concepts, tradeoffs, risks, and status to both engineering and non-engineering stakeholders

Anticipating and addressing technical bottlenecks that span firmware, hardware, and system integration

Acting as the technical escalation point when embedded or system-level issues block progress

Mentoring and coaching engineers on embedded firmware architecture, debugging techniques, and best practices

Writing high-quality, maintainable, and well-documented firmware and low-level software

Developing and maintaining embedded system software, including firmware, device drivers, and communication stacks

Performing thorough testing and debugging to ensure system functionality, reliability, and safety

Proposing and implementing technical solutions that improve system robustness, debuggability, and performance

Breaking down ambiguous or novel problems into executable engineering plans, including scope, risk, and estimates

Supporting software configuration management and repeatable development workflows

Working across R&D and product environments with an understanding of long-term maintainability and transition to production

Qualification

Embedded firmware developmentRTOS experienceCC++ proficiencyDebugging skillsSystem architectureTechnical leadershipCollaboration with teamsDocumentation skillsMentoring engineersProposal developmentAgile methodologiesCommunication skillsOrganizational skills

Required

BS (acceptable) or MS (preferred) in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field

7+ years of experience in embedded/firmware development, including 3+ years in a senior or technical lead role

Fluency in C and C++ for embedded systems, as well as Python for tooling and testing

Hands-on experience with RTOS environments (FreeRTOS, ROS2, Zephyr, or similar)

Experience developing software on embedded targets such as STM32, ARM-based MCUs/SoCs, x86, PIC32, or similar

Experience with I2C, SPI, UART, Ethernet, GPIO, and low-level hardware interfaces

Familiarity with cloud and/or other networks/servers for data offload, analysis, and management

Experience debugging networking stacks and board-level communication issues is a strong plus

Experience authoring and reviewing software requirements, specifications, and design documentation, and leading effective design reviews

Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines for embedded systems

Familiarity with ISO 9001 and CMMI quality frameworks is desirable

Experience with maritime systems, robotics, uncrewed systems, or military platforms is highly desirable

Exposure to navigation, localization, sensor fusion, or autonomy systems is a plus

Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

Strong organizational skills and clear written and verbal communications

Proven ability in leading the design, development, and optimization of embedded and firmware systems for robotics, autonomous, or maritime platforms

Proven ability in streamlining and documenting software processes to accelerate projects and ensure repeatability, while maintaining high-quality standards

Proven ability in architecting and implementing firmware tightly integrated with custom hardware, sensors, and control systems

Proven ability in writing and reviewing RTOS-based firmware (FreeRTOS, ROS2, Zephyr), including task design, synchronization, memory management, and timing analysis

Proven ability in reviewing schematics and PCB layouts to identify firmware impacts, integration risks, and potential design issues early in the development cycle

Proven ability in debugging complex system issues using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and other bench tools, and determining root cause across software, firmware, and hardware

Proven ability in building and maintaining benchtop development setups ('roadkills') to enable early firmware development prior to final hardware availability

Proven ability in ensuring firmware meets real-time performance, reliability, and mission-critical requirements

Proven ability in leading technical design reviews, architecture discussions, and roadmap planning with a focus on system-level risk and feasibility

Proven ability in clearly communicating technical concepts, tradeoffs, risks, and status to both engineering and non-engineering stakeholders

Proven ability in anticipating and addressing technical bottlenecks that span firmware, hardware, and system integration

Successful candidates must have demonstrated success and capability in acting as the technical escalation point when embedded or system-level issues block progress

Successful candidates must have demonstrated success and capability in mentoring and coaching engineers on embedded firmware architecture, debugging techniques, and best practices

Successful candidates must have demonstrated success and capability in writing high-quality, maintainable, and well-documented firmware and low-level software

Successful candidates must have demonstrated success and capability in developing and maintaining embedded system software, including firmware, device drivers, and communication stacks

Successful candidates must have demonstrated success and capability in performing thorough testing and debugging to ensure system functionality, reliability, and safety

Successful candidates must have demonstrated success and capability in proposing and implementing technical solutions that improve system robustness, debuggability, and performance

Successful candidates must have demonstrated success and capability in breaking down ambiguous or novel problems into executable engineering plans, including scope, risk, and estimates

Successful candidates must have demonstrated success and capability in supporting software configuration management and repeatable development workflows

Successful candidates must have demonstrated success and capability in working across R&D and product environments with an understanding of long-term maintainability and transition to production