Thorlabs · 13 hours ago
Firmware Engineer II
Lafayette, CO
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$84K/yr - $111K/yr
5+ years expThorlabs is a company dedicated to advancing photonics technologies that improve the world. They are seeking an experienced Firmware Engineer II to design and implement real-time firmware for sophisticated hardware, including quantum photon sources and precision lasers.
Health CareManufacturing
Responsibilities
Develop real-time firmware to control and synchronize complex optical, mechanical, and electrical subsystems in high-precision environments
Translate optical and electro-mechanical requirements into robust firmware architectures, and transition prototype code into stable, production-ready solutions
Lead proof-of-concept testing and feasibility evaluations to inform future technology decisions, including microcontroller and FPGA-based designs
Produce and maintain comprehensive technical documentation, including firmware operations, SDK specifications, and revision tracking
Design and execute rigorous test protocols, qualification procedures, and custom fixtures to validate system performance
Manage project milestones and deliverables while maintaining ultra-low-noise performance standards
Conduct root-cause analysis on complex electronics and firmware issues, delivering solutions for both R&D and production
Develop manufacturing test fixtures and serve as the primary technical escalation point to support production quality and yield
Qualification
Required
5-10 years of professional experience with embedded systems
Bachelors or Masters in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or similar from an ABET accredited institution
Expert-level C/C++ for embedded systems across MCU, MPU, and heterogeneous architectures, with experience in high-reliability control and data acquisition
Strong applied math skills in firmware, including PID control and DSP techniques (e.g., spectral analysis, modulation/demodulation)
Hands-on expertise with real-time interfaces such as I2C, SPI, and USB, plus strong debugging skills
Proficient with electronics lab tools (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters) and capable of interpreting schematics and datasheets for board bring-up
Strong commitment to code quality using Git, documentation best practices, and structured release management
Self-driven, adaptable engineer able to communicate complex findings clearly in a fast-paced R&D environment
Preferred
Experience with Verilog or VHDL for FPGA/CPLD-based signal processing
Benefits
Medical, dental and vision insurance
Company paid life insurance
A generous PTO package
A 401(k) plan
Tuition reimbursement
Company
Thorlabs
Thorlabs is a privately held optical equipment company.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Thorlabs has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (11)
2024 (8)
2023 (2)
2022 (8)
2021 (6)
2020 (3)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Peter Heim
Chief Technology Officer & General Manager
Larry Wineberg
CFO
Recent News
2026-01-15
2026-01-14
2025-12-10
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