About this opportunity
Mind Robotics lists this Firmware Engineer opportunity in palo alto, California. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
The Role
At Mind Robotics, we're building generalized physical AI — robotic systems capable of dexterous, adaptive, and reasoning-intensive work in real-world industrial environments. Firmware is the connective tissue between intelligence and action; the layer where commands become motion.
We're looking for a Firmware Engineer to own the embedded software that brings our robots to life — from low-level motor control and real-time scheduling to the communication buses that tie the whole system together.
Responsibilities
Write, test, and maintain production-quality firmware in C/C++ or Rust for microcontrollers and embedded processors across the robot
Implement and debug embedded communication protocols — CAN, EtherCAT, I2C, SPI, UART — across distributed hardware nodes
Configure and manage microcontroller peripherals — GPIO, ADC, PWM, timers, and DMA — to interface with sensors, actuators, and power electronics
Integrate sensors (encoders, IMUs, torque sensors, force/torque arrays) into the robot's real-time pipeline
Work closely with electrical engineers on board bring-up, pinout definitions, and hardware-software interface design
Develop and tune real-time control loops for motors, actuators, and other physical systems under hard timing constraints
Build tooling to support firmware validation, regression testing, and hardware-in-the-loop systems
Triage and debug complex interactions between firmware, hardware, and higher-level software during development and field deployment
Qualifications
Technical degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent
Demonstrated experience (through work, research, or projects) building firmware for real physical systems — robots, motors, power electronics, or similar
Deep fluency in C/C++ and/or Rust for embedded targets; comfort reading datasheets and writing drivers
Hands-on experience with RTOS environments (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or similar) — task scheduling, priority management, and real-time guarantees
Strong working knowledge of embedded communication protocols: CAN, EtherCAT, I2C, SPI, UART
Direct experience configuring microcontroller peripherals (GPIO, ADC, PWM, timers, DMA) and understanding their impact on system timing and performanceExperience integrating sensors and actuators at the firmware level — not just using libraries, but understanding the hardware underneath
Proven ability to debug across the hardware/software boundary with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG
You are comfortable with ambiguity, move fast, and have an "engineering curiosity" that drives you to understand how the entire system works, not just your part
Nice to Have
Experience with safety-critical or deterministic real-time systems (IEC 61508, ISO 26262, or similar)
Familiarity with field-oriented control (FOC) or other motor control algorithms
Experience with Linux-based embedded systems and the boundary between RTOS and application layers
Python scripting for test automation, data logging, or hardware validation
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Worksite address
palo alto, CA, 94306, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.