$159.8k - $235k
lifetime deliveries. We’re focused on how to do the next 10B even better. About the Role We are looking for a Senior/Staff Embedded Software Engineer to lead the development and bring-up of ARM-based microcontroller plat…
Engineering & IT · San Francisco, CA
Embedded Engineer jobs in San Francisco, CA
Embedded engineers write the software that runs inside devices — from consumer gadgets to cars and medical equipment — working close to the hardware in C and C++ under tight resource limits.
1,161
Open roles today
$47–$118/hr
Typical pay range
$163k
Median, full-time
3
Fresh in this list
No email, no resume, no sign-up. Save any listing below and you start anonymously.
You're signed in. Saving a listing drops it straight into your pipeline.
01
Open embedded engineer roles
12 shown of 1,161 · sorted by freshness
$160k - $250k
and recovers predictably in safety-critical environments. The Embedded Platform team builds the middleware and infrastructure beneath... ...interfaces, and reliable integration for flight-software teams. Senior engineers…
$125k - $210k
principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds. About You and The Role Senior Embedded Software Engineer on the Long Range Platform (South San Francisco). You will own low-level a…
time. Most experimental systems fail when metabolic demands become too high. We are building systems that don’t — by combining engineered metabolic environments, sensing, control, and software into tightly integrated pro…
$41 - $47.5 per hour
scale energy storage and producing battery materials in the U.S. for the first time, all from batteries we already have. Embedded Software Engineering Intern We are at the precipice of a global energy transition. At Redw…
robotic systems that increase the speed and capacity of buildout, starting with data centers. About the Role At Watney, Embedded Engineers drive the fundamental capabilities of our robot systems. Working with our mechani…
$140k - $210k
scale our people. We're looking for a Lead People Technology Engineer to be the first dedicated AI engineer within our People... ...not just about applying AI it's about defining how AI becomes embedded into the employee…
$170k - $210k
Job Description Job Description Senior Embedded Software Engineer at unspun We are looking for a hands-on, execution-driven Senior Embedded Software Engineer to ship and sustain production-quality embedded and edge softw…
veterans and innovative thinkers. We don’t believe culture can be engineered – but when it falls into place, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime... ...Progress has never felt so present. Position Overview As an Embedded Engineer,…
Job Description Experience Level: Mid‑Senior Experience Required: 5 Years Education: Bachelor’s Degree Job Function: Engineering Industry: Defense & Space Recruiter Note Candidate must be comfortable completing an initia…
$160k - $220k
At Ouster, we build sensors and tools for engineers, roboticists, and researchers, so they can make the world safer and more efficient... ...company and need your help! As the Sr or Staff level for the Embedded Engineeri…
$160k - $200k
you’ll feel right at home. If you’re looking for something easier –this isn’t it. The Role Join our team as a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to help us bring current and next generations of the Pod and new hardware pr…
02
What embedded engineers earn in San Francisco
Hourly first — that's how the offer arrives
| Experience | Hourly | Annual, full-time |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $47–$66 | $98k–$137k |
| Mid level | $66–$91 | $137k–$189k |
| Senior | $88–$118 | $182k–$245k |
Adjusted for the San Francisco market from national ranges.
03
What employers ask for
The skills these listings keep naming
C and C++Microcontrollers (ARM Cortex-M)RTOS (FreeRTOS, Zephyr)Hardware protocols (SPI, I2C, UART)Reading schematics and datasheetsDebugging with scopes and JTAGMemory and power constraintsRust or Python (a plus)Version control and CI for firmware
04
Interview questions worth rehearsing
With the thing the interviewer is actually listening for
What does the volatile keyword do, and when do you need it?
Explain it prevents the compiler optimizing away reads/writes, with the classic cases: hardware registers and variables shared with ISRs. Precision matters here.
How do you debug a device that crashes intermittently in the field?
Talk about logging within constraints, watchdog data, reproducing environmental conditions, and instrumented builds. Field debugging method is a core competency.
Walk me through what happens from power-on to your main loop running.
Cover reset vector, startup code, memory initialization, and clock configuration. Comfort with the boot path signals genuine low-level experience.
How do you write an interrupt service routine safely?
Keep it short, defer work to the main loop or a task, protect shared data, and avoid blocking calls. Mention the race conditions you are preventing.
How do you handle a memory-constrained target — say 64KB of RAM?
Discuss static allocation, avoiding heap fragmentation, measuring stack usage, and linker-map analysis. Concrete numbers from a past project help.
How do you test firmware?
Unit tests off-target with mocked hardware, hardware-in-the-loop rigs, and on-target integration tests. Acknowledging what is hard to test is part of a good answer.
Tell me about a hardware/software interaction bug you solved.
The best stories involve a scope or logic analyzer and a datasheet detail everyone missed. Show the collaboration with hardware engineers.
05
Resume tips that move the needle
For embedded engineers specifically — generic advice costs you here
01
Name the microcontroller families, RTOSes, and protocols per project — embedded hiring screens on exact platform matches.
02
Describe the products you shipped and their constraints (battery life achieved, memory footprint, certification requirements).
03
Include debugging tooling experience — JTAG, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers — as it separates firmware engineers from application developers.
04
Mention safety or regulatory work (MISRA, ISO 26262, FDA) if you have it; those doors are hard to open otherwise.
05
Personal hardware projects with write-ups carry real weight in this field — link one if it is presentable.
06
Where this role goes
Typical progression
01
Junior Embedded Engineer
02
Embedded Engineer
03
Senior Embedded Engineer
04
Principal Firmware Engineer
Ten quiet minutes a day
Applying for embedded engineer jobs in San Francisco?
Robbi carries this page into your first day: your role, your city, your shift preference. Then it hands you a few small things each morning and keeps the pipeline honest.
Save what looks right here, then let Robbi hand you a few small things each morning and keep the follow-ups honest.
Start with this search
No email, no resume, no sign-up.
Open your tracker
Everything you saved is already there.