Firmware Engineer

Firmware Engineer

BTR Controls, Inc. — Elgin, IL

Build the Future of Industrial Controls

BTR Controls designs and manufactures innovative industrial control solutions used in demanding real-world applications. As we continue to grow and expand our product portfolio, we are looking for a highly capable Firmware Engineer to join our engineering team and help drive the development of next-generation embedded products.

This is a hands-on engineering role focused on embedded firmware development across the full product lifecycle, from concept and architecture through implementation, validation, and production support. You will work closely with hardware, manufacturing, and product teams to develop reliable, maintainable, and scalable systems for industrial environments.

We are looking for an experienced engineer who enjoys solving complex technical challenges, taking ownership of products, mentoring others, and contributing directly to engineering excellence within a growing company.

What You’ll Do

• Design, develop, test, and maintain embedded firmware for industrial control products
• Participate in product definition, requirements gathering, and system architecture discussions
• Develop scalable and reusable firmware using modern embedded software practices
• Bring up prototype hardware and support development environment and toolchain setup
• Debug and troubleshoot firmware and hardware interactions at both the system and component level
• Support existing products through maintenance updates, enhancements, and issue resolution
• Collaborate closely with hardware, manufacturing, quality, and product management teams
• Create and maintain technical documentation including specifications, test plans, and engineering change documentation
• Participate in design reviews, code reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Help improve firmware development processes, testing methodologies, and CI/CD workflows
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to a strong technical culture

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for an experienced embedded engineer who is comfortable working across both firmware and hardware domains in a collaborative engineering environment.

Core Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years of experience developing embedded firmware for commercial or industrial products
• Strong hands-on experience with modern embedded C/C++ development practices
• Experience designing firmware for ARM Cortex-M or similar microcontroller platforms
• Comfortable working close to hardware using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, debuggers, and other embedded development tools
• Experience developing reliable real-time or event-driven embedded systems
• Strong understanding of embedded architectures, communication interfaces, and system-level debugging
• Experience contributing to products through the full development lifecycle, from prototype through production release and long-term support
• Experience working within collaborative engineering teams using Git-based workflows and code reviews
• Ability to balance technical depth with practical decision making in a fast-moving development environment
• Strong communication skills and the ability to mentor or guide less experienced engineers

Experience That Would Be Valuable

• Experience developing firmware for motion control systems, motor drives, or power electronics applications
• Familiarity with motor control concepts such as PWM control, feedback systems, current sensing, encoder interfaces, or closed-loop control
• Experience with RTOS platforms such as FreeRTOS or Zephyr
• Experience with communication interfaces such as UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, Ethernet, or BLE
• Familiarity with distributed embedded systems and connected devices
• Experience with automated testing, unit testing, or CI/CD workflows
• Experience using Python for scripting, tooling, or test automation
• Familiarity with IoT technologies and connectivity methods
• Knowledge of functional safety standards such as IEC 61508
• Experience within industrial automation, controls, or related industries

We do not expect candidates to have experience in every area listed above. A strong engineering foundation, practical embedded experience, and a willingness to learn are most important.

Why BTR Controls?

At BTR, engineering plays a central role in product innovation. We offer an environment where engineers have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions, influence product direction, and work closely with cross-functional teams throughout the entire development process.

We offer:

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Collaborative and supportive engineering culture
• Opportunities for technical growth and leadership
• Exposure to the full product development lifecycle
• A fast-moving environment where your contributions matter

Location

This position is based in Elgin, Illinois.

Apply

If you are passionate about embedded systems and excited about developing innovative industrial products, we’d love to hear from you.

Pay: $90,000.00 - $140,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) 3% Match
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person