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- Tasks: Lead innovative firmware projects that empower individuals with disabilities.
- Company: Join Smartbox, a leader in assistive communication technology.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, private medical insurance, and wellness perks.
- Why this job: Make a real difference while working on cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in embedded software development and strong problem-solving skills.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to inclusivity and sustainability.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Join us at Smartbox as a Senior Firmware Engineer! Are you a passionate Firmware Engineer wanting to make a real impact by giving a voice to those without speech? Smartbox is looking for a dedicated individual to help improve the lives of people with disabilities.
Your Impact
- Technical Project Delivery: Deliver multi-disciplinary projects, meeting scope, time, budget and quality requirements, and coordinating others as needed.
- Firmware Architecture and Lifecycle: Develop reliable, portable firmware with a long-life cycle.
- Firmware Development: Design, develop and maintain embedded firmware in C for Zephyr RTOS and Embedded Linux, including board bring up, drivers and HALs.
- Code Quality and Standards: Set and uphold coding, documentation and review standards, ensuring best practices in architecture, modularity, fault tolerance and testability.
- Test strategy and Automation: Apply strong automated testing practices following the Test Pyramid, including unit, component, contract and hardware in the loop tests, with CI automation to prevent regressions.
- Test Software and Tooling: Build and maintain automated test harnesses, GUIs and utility tools (e.g. Python, C#) to support development, validation and manufacturing.
- Libraries and Developer Experience: Create libraries and demo applications in C compatible languages (C#, C++) to support subsystem validation and cross team integration.
- Verification and Validation: EAD verification through lab testing, user trials and real world use, ensuring documentation supports regulatory compliance.
- Quality Assurance: Analyse and resolve quality issues promptly, feeding insights back into designs and processes to drive continuous improvement.
- Technical Strategy: Contribute to strategy for reliable, mission critical firmware, clearly communicating trade offs and enabling strong decision making.
- Mentoring and Leadership: Mentor Engineers, provide coaching and support, and help foster a positive, collaborative team culture.
Essential Qualifications / Skills / Experience:
- Degree or equivalent experience in an engineering subject (Electronics, Computer Science, Software), Physics, Mathematics, or another scientific subject.
- 8+ years of experience in embedded software development in C.
- A strong knowledge of Computer Science fundamentals in data structures, algorithm design, problem-solving, and complexity analysis.
- A strong grounding in embedded software architecture, with a focus on maintainability, modularity, fault-tolerance and testability.
- Confident and experienced with automated testing, including unit, integration and system tests, mocking and automation frameworks.
- A strong understanding of API design and the creation of clear, stable abstractions for hardware / firmware interaction.
- Skilled at debugging in constrained environments and using hardware / software debugging tools.
- A proven track record of innovation and quality software development throughout the entire software product lifecycle.
- Ability to solve complex technical problems in elegant and maintainable ways, demonstrating systems thinking across hardware, firmware and application layers.
- Experience with embedded platforms (for example: Embedded Linux, Arduino, STM32, Nordic, Zephyr RTOS).
- A passion and drive for excellence in software craftsmanship.
- Linux, Bash / shell, CI (Continuous integration) experience.
- Ability to read electronics schematics and collaborate effectively with Hardware Engineers during bring-up and debugging.
- Technical leadership through influence - able to guide architecture and standards, mentor others, and improve team-wide practices.
- Practical, proactive mindset - comfortable taking initiative and working through ambiguity in a fast-moving team.
- Proven experience in people or team management, with the ability to lead, motivate, and develop others.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive working relationships at all levels.
- Proven ability to foster high performing, engaged, and collaborative teams.
About Smartbox
Smartbox is a leader in assistive communication technology, with products used globally by people with diverse needs. Our values, passionate, caring, empowering, achieving together and enabling change, guide everything we do.
Our Inclusive Culture
We believe in giving everyone a voice. Joining Smartbox means joining a diverse, collaborative team and supporting a community that relies on our technology.
Our Commitment to Sustainability
We prioritise sustainability, aiming to reduce our environmental impact. By joining us, you'll help support a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Our D&I Commitments
We are a Disability Confident Employer and a Founding Partner of Purple Tuesday. Our recruitment practices are inclusive and barrier free, with adjustments available throughout the process and your career. We believe in adding to our culture. Our diverse team shapes products that reflect our users.
Rewards and Benefits
Explore competitive salary, private medical insurance, hybrid working, wellness benefits and paid volunteering days.
Agencies
Please respect that at this current time, we wish to recruit directly and are not seeking agency support.
Senior Firmware Engineer employer: Smartbox Assistive Technology
Contact Detail:
Smartbox Assistive Technology Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Firmware Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend meetups, and engage with online communities. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your best projects, especially those related to embedded firmware development. This gives potential employers a tangible sense of what you can do and how you can contribute to their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on common technical questions and coding challenges. Practice explaining your thought process clearly, as communication is key in collaborative environments like ours at Smartbox.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our mission to empower those without speech.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Firmware Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Firmware Engineer role. Highlight your experience with embedded software development in C, and don’t forget to mention any projects that showcase your skills in firmware architecture and automated testing.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Share your passion for assistive technology and how your background aligns with our mission at Smartbox. Be sure to mention specific experiences that demonstrate your technical leadership and mentoring abilities.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: In your application, be clear about your technical skills, especially in areas like Zephyr RTOS, Embedded Linux, and automated testing practices. We want to see how you’ve applied these skills in real-world scenarios, so don’t hold back!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at Smartbox!
How to prepare for a job interview at Smartbox Assistive Technology
✨Know Your Firmware Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your embedded software development skills, especially in C and the Zephyr RTOS. Be ready to discuss your past projects and how you've tackled challenges in firmware architecture and lifecycle management.
✨Showcase Your Testing Expertise
Prepare to talk about your experience with automated testing practices. Highlight specific examples where you've implemented unit, integration, or system tests, and be ready to explain how you ensure code quality and prevent regressions.
✨Demonstrate Your Leadership Skills
As a Senior Firmware Engineer, mentoring is key. Think of instances where you've guided junior engineers or improved team practices. Be prepared to share your approach to fostering a collaborative team culture.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Strong communication is crucial, especially when discussing technical concepts. Practice explaining complex ideas simply and clearly, as you'll need to build positive relationships with both technical and non-technical team members.