Staff Software Engineer, Embedded Linux Platform
Full-time / Remote or San Diego office
Firestorm as a company grew out of the simple question: how does a US ally country with a relatively low defense budget deter an aggressor state entity with a vastly larger war chest? We’re building the very answer to that question, something we call “democratized deterrence.” Firestorm is a VC-backed, defense-meets-Silicon Valley technology company developing mission-adaptable aerial vehicles to put the power back into the hands of the operator. We aim to upend the current defense procurement cost paradigm by bringing world-class capabilities to bear at meaningfully lower costs.
We are looking for a highly skilled and motivated Staff Software Engineer, Embedded Linux Platform to join our team, either remotely or at our San Diego office. In this role, you will be responsible for customizing and optimizing Ubuntu or Debian-based embedded Linux distributions for high-performance, real-time autonomous systems. Your expertise with NVIDIA Jetson platforms and JetPack SDK will be crucial in adapting and customizing Board Support Packages (BSPs), drivers, and software components to ensure seamless operation of mission-critical applications. You will focus on kernel customization, device tree configuration, Linux packaging systems (deb, snap), creating and managing package repositories, and integrating advanced hardware components such as cameras, sensors, and radios. This position requires deep knowledge of embedded Linux systems, OS and BSP bring-up, and experience optimizing GPU-accelerated applications.
What You'll Be Doing:
Configure, patch, and optimize the Linux kernel for specific embedded hardware platforms, including applying real-time enhancements using PREEMPT_RT patches. Lead OS bring-up processes on new hardware platforms, including BSP development, hardware initialization, and low-level debugging.
Integrate and customize bootloaders (e.g., U-Boot, GRUB) to meet platform requirements, including secure boot mechanisms. Apply security best practices across the software stack, including encrypted storage and secure communication protocols, to ensure compliance with industry standards.
Develop and maintain Docker containers for application deployment, testing, and development environments. Ensure consistency and scalability across platforms, optimizing container performance for resource-constrained embedded environments.
Profile and optimize system performance to meet real-time, low-latency requirements. Implement multi-threading, CPU affinity, and interrupt handling optimizations. Utilize tools like perf, strace, and ftrace for system analysis.
Set up and maintain CI/CD pipelines using tools like Jenkins, Github Actions, or Azure DevOps for automated building, testing, and deployment.
Offer guidance and mentorship to junior engineers. Lead technical discussions, code reviews, and architecture design sessions, promoting best practices in coding, testing, and documentation.
Work closely with hardware engineers, system architects, and application developers to ensure seamless integration and operation of the embedded Linux platform. Participate in project planning and contribute to the technical roadmap.
Minimum Qualifications:
10+ years of experience in embedded Linux software development, focusing on OS customization, kernel development, and system integration.
Strong expertise with NVIDIA Jetson platforms and JetPack SDK, including adapting JetPack components, BSP customization, driver development, and optimizing GPU-accelerated applications using CUDA, cuDNN, and TensorRT.
Extensive experience with Linux packaging systems (deb, snap): creating custom packages, managing private APT repositories, and automating packaging and deployment processes.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in autonomous systems, robotics, or IoT, emphasizing real-time performance and reliability.
What Makes You a Good Fit:
Commitment to quality, with meticulous attention to detail in development, testing, and documentation.
Bonus Points:
Firestorm is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions. Our culture at Firestorm fosters collaboration, respect, and trust to empower passionate people to do their best work. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth.
As a Staff Software Engineer, Embedded Linux Platform, you will play a pivotal role in developing and enhancing our advanced autonomous systems, contributing directly to the capabilities of our current and next-generation platforms. If you are a seasoned professional with profound expertise in embedded Linux development, OS and BSP bring-up, and a passion for pushing the boundaries of real-time, high-performance computing, we invite you to join our team and contribute to our mission of redefining autonomous technology.
Salary range: up to $200,000.
To apply, please fill out the online application and attach your resume. Please include your LinkedIn profile link.
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