Senior Firmware Engineer

Location

This position is on site in Mooresville, NC just north of Charlotte, NC Position: Full-time Salary: $100,000 - $180,000 per year depending on experience Work Status: US citizen only IST Precision develops custom scientific instruments, automation platforms, advanced 3D imaging and space-grade sensing systems.

This is a hands-on firmware position focused on deterministic real-time behavior on custom electronics not a web, application, or high-level Linux software role. The engineer will design and debug RTOS and bare-metal firmware on ARM microcontrollers and SoCs, implementing timing-critical control loops, high-speed communication interfaces, and synchronization systems.

Daily work involves oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and debugging newly assembled hardware during bring-up. Ideal candidates have experience writing firmware that interacts with real physical systems (motors, sensors, ADCs, timing sources), and software running on an RTOS, Linux or Windows.

IST Precision Inc. is an advanced R&D engineering firm specializing in high-precision instrumentation, sensors, actuators, and diagnostics. For over 25 years, our team has provided engineering services focused on precision systems and automation equipment used across telecommunications, space, life science, automotive, and medical industries.

With more than 30 engineers and technicians, IST integrates mechanical, electrical, and software expertise with in-house manufacturing and assembly to deliver turnkey systems from concept to commissioning. We are seeking a firmware engineer to join our growing team and contribute to next-generation precision systems from molecular imaging and space-based data acquisition to advanced automation and inspection platforms.

This role involves close collaboration with electronics, mechanical, and software teams to design, implement, and test both real-time embedded code and application-level software in a hands-on, hardware-driven environment.

Learn more about our firmware engineering capabilities and the types of systems we build: https://istprecision.com/engineering-services/software-engineering/ Responsibilities Develop and maintain firmware for ARM-based microcontrollers and AMD/Xilinx SoCs with multiple processing cores. Implement embedded code for data acquisition, real-time control, and high-speed communication interfaces (SPI, I²C, UART, LVDS, SERDES).

Design and implement signal-processing and control algorithms, including digital filters (FIR/IIR), motion and laser control (PI/PID), phase locking for interferometry systems, and timing synchronization. Implement high-speed communication protocols for inter-processor data exchange and between processors and devices.

Collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary engineering team — including electronics, mechanical, and software engineers — to design, integrate, and test complex embedded and application-level systems. Work under the guidance of a Principal Software Engineer on architecture, code reviews, DevOps and overall software direction. Design embedded firmware for reliability and maintainability.

Python and C#/.NET experience is a plus.

Required Qualifications

• US Citizenship required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 5+ years developing embedded firmware for hardware integrated systems with a focus on real-time embedded systems.
• Proficiency in C++ for embedded systems.
• Professional experience designing multi-threaded applications using real time operating systems, including performance analysis, memory analysis, and debugging of synchronization errors.
• Professional experience developing firmware for ARM-based microcontrollers implementing interrupts, DMA, GPIO and SPI or I2C to satisfy functional requirements.
• Experience decoding and encoding serial protocols for data transfer between processors and, or subsystems.
• Experience writing firmware to interface with peripherals based on schematic diagrams.
• Strong understanding of signal processing, control systems, and timing synchronization concepts.
• Extensive experience with hardware bring-up using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and communication interfaces to verify and troubleshoot new hardware designs.
• Strong analytical, experimental, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience assisting hardware engineers with MCU and peripheral components selection.
• Experience developing firmware on AMD/Xilinx SoCs.
• VHDL experience is a plus but not required.
• Familiarity with digital filter design and control algorithms.
• Experience developing Linux applications and maintaining Linux-based development environments.
• Knowledge of structured software design, version control (Git), and Azure DevOps.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams on high-precision, hardware-integrated systems.
• General Competencies Hands-on experience diagnosing and problem-solving electronic systems.
• Highly innovative, self-motivated, and able to conduct research independently.
• Flexibility and adaptability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience interacting with personnel in research and manufacturing environments.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving with strong attention to detail.
• Affinity for technology and technical understanding.
• Comfortable ramping up effort to meet critical project milestones.
• Initiative and ability to operate independently.
• Culture & Benefits IST Precision Inc. offers a competitive salary and benefits package, as well as the opportunity to work with a talented team of over 30 engineers, make a real impact on the company and its customers, and work in a fast-paced and challenging environment.
• We are now accepting resumes for a full-time position.
• Competitive salary and benefits package will depend on skill level and educational background.
• Read why IST is a great workplace. https://istprecision.com/what-makes-ist-precision-a-great-workplace/ Follow us on linkedin and youtube to review a few industries that we serve. https://www.linkedin.com/company/ist-precision/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC--3ZgNdcZ8R3lZKgt3JLJg Benefits: Compensation range: $100,000 - $180,000 per year End of year bonus 401(k) 401(k) matching Profit sharing bonus Dental insurance Excellent Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance