Robotics Software Engineer, Embedded Systems

Shift Robotics•Austin, TX

About The Position

We are making the world a more walkable place. Through intuitive personal mobility, we make walking faster, more efficient, and more accessible, empowering people to choose walking over sitting in traffic. Our flagship product, Moonwalkers, are the world’s fastest robotic shoes, augmenting natural walking with intelligent locomotion assistance. By giving people the ability to Moonwalk, we believe the path toward a more human-scale future can be reached on your own two feet. We are covered in Wired, CNET, Gizomodo, PCMag and many other tech press. The Role We are building the next generation of Moonwalkers and are looking for engineers who thrive in fast-paced environments where hardware, software, and human motion intersect. As a Robotics Software Engineer for our Embedded Systems team, you will play a critical role in designing, prototyping, and testing the reliable, innovative hardware and software systems that power our mobility solutions.

Requirements

Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, with 3+ years of embedded software development experience.
Programming: High proficiency in C/C++ and Object-Oriented Design for embedded systems.
Embedded Platforms: Hands-on experience with Microcontrollers/Microprocessors, particularly ARM Cortex-M series and ESP32.
RTOS & Architecture: Strong understanding of RTOS concepts, multi-tasking software development, and multi-core/multi-processor systems.
Hardware Knowledge: Ability to read electronic schematics and deeply understand chip architecture (instruction optimization, memory access, fixed-point math, and pipelining).
Protocols: Familiarity with communication protocols (SPI, UART, CAN, I2C, Ethernet).
Tools: Proficiency with hardware debugging tools (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers) and engineering tools (Git, Git workflows).
Soft Skills: Strong logical analysis, systematic thinking, and a self-motivated initiative to get things done with minimal supervision.

Nice To Haves

Robotics/Wearables: Experience developing firmware for wearable robotics, consumer electronics, or high-volume manufacturing products.
Test Automation & DevOps: Experience with DevOps pipelines for robotics, CI/CD, and designing automated test architecture.
IDEs & Environments: Experience with ESP32 development environments and IDEs like Keil uVision, STM32 CubeIDE, or PSOC Creator.
Advanced Hardware Skills: Knowledge of microcontroller I/O, A2D, power configurations, memory-mapped peripherals, and RF communications.
Tooling Development: Experience in Windows/Linux tools development to support testing and diagnostics.
Motor Control: Deep knowledge of BLDC Motor Control (FOC and/or Trapezoidal, sensored/sensorless) and the ability to tune control logic for specific use cases.

Responsibilities

Embedded Development: Design, develop, and maintain embedded software for wearable robotics, including system software, RTOS, bootloaders, and Built-In Self-Test (BIST) software.
System Architecture & Coding: Lead the system architecture design of the overall product firmware, write core code, and ensure the delivery of high-quality, safety-critical software solutions.
Hardware Integration: Collaborate tightly with hardware engineers to integrate software with complex hardware components, including motor controllers, sensors, and communication interfaces.
System-Level Validation: Design and build advanced test frameworks and use cases to verify hardware/software integration. Implement rigorous test plans across all phases of the software development lifecycle to identify and resolve complex system defects.
Code Quality & CI/CD: Organize and lead code reviews, manage merge conflicts, and maintain repository health. Implement and optimize CI/CD pipelines and automated testing.
Production Support: Architect and maintain production-line testing software. Optimize mass-production test workflows and provide software-perspective insights to hardware teams during cross-departmental troubleshooting.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Documentation: Work seamlessly with mechanical engineers, algorithm developers, and product managers. Create comprehensive technical documentation, including design specs, test plans, and user manuals, ensuring smooth knowledge transfer.