Senior Embedded Systems & Software Engineer
Role summary
A US-based engineering company specializing in mission-critical seismic and structural monitoring systems is seeking a Senior Embedded Systems & Software Engineer. This remote role involves end-to-end ownership of advanced seismic data acquisition systems, from sensors and ADCs to embedded Linux, networking, and data quality. The engineer will act as the go-to expert, shaping new products and evolving existing ones. Responsibilities include diagnosing complex hardware/firmware issues, developing automation for field-deployed systems, integrating with modern platforms, and mentoring other engineers. The ideal candidate has 10+ years of experience in embedded systems, strong proficiency in C/C++, Embedded Linux, RTOS, Bash scripting, and hardware debugging tools.
Senior Embedded Systems & Software Engineer
Mission‑Critical Seismic Systems (Remote US / Pasadena)
If you’re the kind of engineer who loves owning an entire system – from sensors and ADCs through to embedded Linux, networking and data quality – this is that role.
A long‑established US engineering business in the seismic and structural monitoring space is looking for a
Senior Embedded Systems & Software Engineer
to take stewardship of industry‑leading seismic acquisition products and help develop the next generation of platforms. Their systems sit in nuclear plants, LNG facilities, critical infrastructure and advanced civil structures when these systems fail, it actually matters.
The opportunity
- Own the embedded architecture and firmware behaviour of advanced seismic data acquisition systems
- Step into a succession role, becoming the internal go‑to expert over time
- Blend embedded Linux, real‑time C, hardware bring‑up and tooling in a single remit
- Shape new products as well as evolve a respected existing product line
- Work closely with seismologists, structural engineers and operations teams on real‑world deployments
What you’ll be doing
- Acting as the in‑house expert for embedded architecture, firmware behaviour and system interfaces for cutting‑edge seismic acquisition systems
- Diagnosing and resolving complex issues across microcontrollers, ADCs, timing systems and real‑time data acquisition pipelines
- Building tools and utilities for configuration, monitoring, diagnostics and automated testing
- Developing automation for large‑scale, field‑deployed systems: remote updates, health monitoring and data quality checks
- Integrating data acquisition systems with internal/external APIs and modern platforms
- Supporting seismic data formatting and metadata pipelines (e.g. MiniSEED, StationXML)
- Mentoring other engineers and acting as the escalation point for high‑impact operational issues
- Contributing to long‑term architecture planning for seismic monitoring and structural health infrastructure
What we’re looking for
- 10+ years in embedded systems, instrumentation or real‑time data acquisition
- Strong proficiency in:
- Embedded C/C++
- Embedded Linux and RTOS environments
- System‑level Bash scripting
- Hardware debug tools (oscilloscopes, logic analysers, JTAG, etc.)
- Networking (TCP/IP, NTP/PTP, VPN, serial, etc.)
- Proven track record troubleshooting complex interactions between hardware, firmware and software
- Comfortable in the lab as well as in the code: sensors, ADCs, low‑level interfaces, timing and noise
- Experience in one or more of: seismic/structural monitoring, medical devices, aerospace/defence, utilities, geophysical networks or other rugged, mission‑critical systems
- Bonus points for:
- Seismic data formats (MiniSEED, StationXML)
- Bootloaders, secure real‑time data transmission, OTA updates
- I2C, SPI, I2S, USB, SD and similar low‑level interfaces
- Spectral analysis / signal processing exposure (FFT, PSD, transfer functions)
Who this will suit
- A systems thinker who sees the whole pipeline, not just “their” driver
- Someone happy in ambiguity, able to figure things out when documentation is thin
- A hands‑on tinkerer type – comfortable with bench gear, experiments and iterating
- An engineer who wants to be the person everyone calls when something strange happens in the field
Location, travel and package
- US‑based, happy with remote candidates who can collaborate across time zones
- Occasional travel to key engineering locations
- Base salary around 200k USD, with flexibility up toward ~220–250k for an exceptional profile
If you’d like to own a mission‑critical embedded system end‑to‑end and step into a genuine succession role, send a message with your résumé or profile and a brief note on a system you’ve built that combined hardware and software.
