Firmware Engineer (Bare-Metal / RTOS)

About the Role

At Harbinger, we are redefining the performance of electric vehicles. We are seeking a highly skilled Firmware Engineer to design and implement the bare-metal and RTOS-based firmware that drives our advanced motor control systems. In this role, you will work at the intersection of hardware and software, squeezing every cycle out of the microcontroller to ensure nanosecond-level determinism, safety, and efficiency in our EV powertrains.

What You’ll Do

Firmware Architecture & Development: Design, implement, and maintain highly deterministic embedded firmware for advanced EV motor control systems operating in bare-metal and RTOS environments.

BSP & Driver Configuration: Configure and optimize vendor Board Support Packages (BSPs) and write low-level hardware drivers to ensure optimal performance of application software.

Algorithm Implementation: Deploy, tune, and optimize complex control algorithms, including high-frequency Field-Oriented Control (FOC).

System Optimization: Relentlessly enhance CPU efficiency, reduce interrupt latency, optimize memory footprints, and ensure the system meets strict performance and safety goals.

Testing & Validation: Perform rigorous testing, debugging, and validation using real-time simulation and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) environments.

Cross-Functional Integration: Work closely with hardware, application software, and power electronics teams to seamlessly integrate firmware with the broader motor control system.

Documentation: Create and maintain clean, comprehensive documentation covering firmware design, architecture, and testing methodologies.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related technical field.

Experience: 3+ years of professional experience in embedded firmware development.

Language Proficiency: Strong proficiency in C/C++ specifically tailored for resource-constrained embedded systems.

Hardware Experience: Hands-on experience developing for ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers or equivalent embedded platforms.

Domain Knowledge: Solid foundational understanding of motor control algorithms, digital signal processing (DSP), control theory, and PID tuning.

Communication Protocols: Familiarity with standard embedded communication interfaces (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART).

Debugging Skills: Hands-on proficiency with standard lab tools, including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and debuggers.

Preferred Qualifications

Advanced Degree: Master’s degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering with a focus on control systems.

Industry Experience: Direct experience developing firmware for electric vehicle (EV) powertrains or automotive motor controls.

Advanced Motor Controls: Hands-on experience implementing sensorless control techniques.

Complex Peripherals: Deep knowledge of complex timer units and cross-triggering peripherals, such as eTPU and GTM.

Advanced Validation: Proven experience setting up, maintaining, and running Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing environments.

Key Benefits & Perks:

• Comprehensive Health, Dental & Vision (HDV) – 100% employee covered
• Early-stage Stock Options
• Robust Retirement Savings (401k, HSA, FSA)
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) & Parental Leave
• Annual Vacation Bonus
• Wellness & Fertility Benefits
• Cell Phone Stipend
• Complimentary Meals & Stocked Kitchens

California Pay Range

$130,000—$160,000 USD

Candidate Data Privacy

Harbinger may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes (“Candidate Personal Data”). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Harbinger may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) recordkeeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.