$184k - $287.5k
establish metrics, develop evaluations, measure precision/recall tradeoffs at each stage of the funnelWork closely with GPU SW kernel engineers to pinpoint high-impact automation opportunities and convert domain knowledg…
Engineering & IT · San Jose, CA
Embedded Engineer jobs in San Jose, 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.
663
Open roles today
$47–$116/hr
Typical pay range
$161k
Median, full-time
8
Fresh in this list
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01
Open embedded engineer roles
12 shown of 663 · sorted by freshness
$174k - $252k
Experience with Linux or BSD kernels.Demonstrated knowledge of embedded systems development, RTOS concepts, device drivers and... ...Linux.Extensive knowledge of Android or WebKit.Google's software engineers develop the…
We are looking for an experienced Hardware Engineer with strong expertise in high-speed hardware design, networking products, board bring-up, hardware validation, and failure analysis. The ideal candidate will have hands…
$108k - $162k
progress by making them smarter, faster and more efficient.Job Summary & ResponsibilitiesThe core responsibilities of the Systems Engineer are to support development of new optical metrology technologies, to optimize the…
$152k - $241.5k
We are looking for a Senior System Software Engineer to develop low-level software for NVIDIA NVLink Fusion, a high-bandwidth, low-latency... ...systems. You will design and implement kernel-mode drivers and embedded fir…
$104.9k - $174.7k
across production environments.Develop, prioritize, and track corrective and preventive actions through completion.Follow up with engineering, development, security, support, and business stakeholders to ensure timely re…
$144.73k - $198.99k
everyone's life.Build the future nobody’s dreamed of yet... are you ready to rethink the impossible?As a Staff Software/ Firmware Engineer in our Research & Development team, you'll have the opportunity to merge creativi…
$193.3k - $261.5k
The AWS BIOS Engineering team creates and maintains custom firmware solutions for Amazon's innovative server platforms. Our BIOS/UEFI implementations... ...mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team- 4+ years of em…
$73.15k - $174k
inclusive world. Location Palo Alto, California About the job you’re considering: We are looking for a Senior/Lead Embedded Software Engineer to drive the iRDK bring-up and platform enablement on MediaTek C-X1 SoC platfo…
$73.15k - $174k
Location: Palo Alto, California About the job you’re considering: We are looking for a Senior DSP & Audio Embedded Software Engineer to support the bring-up, integration, and validation of the DSP and Safety Processor su…
$130k - $175k
fiber-class internet speeds worldwide, bridging the digital divide in ways previously thought impossible. As a Senior Embedded Software Engineer , you will work in a team whose primary responsibility is to bring up and m…
Technologies At Arycs Technology, we believe AI infrastructure must scale within realistic power and integration limits. Our systems are engineered for deployment in real networks — not theoretical environments. We prior…
02
What embedded engineers earn in San Jose
Hourly first — that's how the offer arrives
| Experience | Hourly | Annual, full-time |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $47–$65 | $97k–$135k |
| Mid level | $65–$89 | $135k–$186k |
| Senior | $86–$116 | $179k–$241k |
Adjusted for the San Jose market from national ranges.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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Where this role goes
Typical progression
01
Junior Embedded Engineer
02
Embedded Engineer
03
Senior Embedded Engineer
04
Principal Firmware Engineer
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