Firmware / Embedded Systems Engineer

San Mateo, United States
Full-time

About the role

We are looking for a Firmware / Embedded Systems Engineer with 3+ years of experience to develop and optimize firmware for BLDC motor control and real-time embedded systems powering the world's first general-purpose robotic intelligence. You'll work at the cutting edge of embodied AI, building the low-level software that brings robots to life across diverse hardware platforms.

What will you be doing?

  • Developing firmware for microcontrollers and embedded Linux environments, with a focus on BLDC motor control (FOC, PWM, current/position control)

  • Designing, debugging, and integrating low-level communication protocols (RS-485, CAN, UART, SPI)

  • Implementing and maintaining real-time systems using RTOS (FreeRTOS, RT Linux, VxWorks)

  • Collaborating with hardware engineers to bring up new PCBAs and integrate them into electromechanical systems

  • Integrating firmware into higher-level frameworks such as ROS/DDS for seamless robot communication

Key Requirements

  • Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or Mechatronics

  • Hands-on experience in firmware development for robotics, motor control, or embedded systems

  • Expertise in BLDC motor control including FOC and PWM techniques

  • Proficiency in C/C++ for embedded systems and familiarity with debugging tools

  • Experience with real-time embedded systems (FreeRTOS, RT Linux) and low-level communication protocols (CAN, SPI, RS-485)

About Skild AI

Skild AI is building the world's first general-purpose robotic intelligence — an omnibodied AI brain that can be deployed into any hardware platform, from humanoid robots to warehouse automation systems to quadrupeds. Founded in 2022 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, Skild AI takes a fundamentally different approach to the robotics race: rather than building a single robot, they've created a platform-agnostic foundation model that makes any robot a dramatically better version of itself.

The company operates at the intersection of massive-scale machine learning and physical robotics, believing that data-driven AI is the key to unlocking robust robotic intelligence that adapts to unseen scenarios without failing. Their customers include major technology companies like Amazon and NVIDIA, who integrate Skild's brain into their own hardware platforms.

With over $1.8 billion in funding from world-class investors including SoftBank, Sequoia Capital, NVIDIA, Bezos Expeditions, and Samsung, Skild AI has grown from a 12-person team to nearly 200 employees in under two years. The company also pursues strategic acquisitions — such as Fetch Robotics — to expand their hardware footprint and demonstrate the transformative power of their AI when deployed into existing platforms.

Skild AI fosters a fast-paced, high-ownership startup culture where team members work directly with founders and have outsized impact. The founding team emerged from CMU's robotics ecosystem, and the company values demonstrated ability and attitude over pedigree, welcoming individuals from new graduates to domain experts who are passionate about exploring uncharted territory in embodied AI.

Required skills

C
C++
FreeRTOS
RT Linux
VxWorks
ROS
DDS
CAN
SPI
RS-485
UART
PWM
FOC
Embedded Linux

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Job details

Salary

$100,000 - $300,000

Location

San Mateo, United States

Experience

3+ years

Company

NameSkild AI
Industryai, robotics, software_development, hardware
Team Size100

Funding

Total raised

$1.8B

Last stage

Series C

Investors

SSoftBank Group
Lightspeed Venture Partners
Sequoia Capital
NNVentures (NVIDIA)
Coatue

Founders

Abhinav Gupta

Abhinav Gupta

President & Co-Founder

LinkedIn
Deepak Pathak

Deepak Pathak

CEO & Co-Founder

LinkedIn

What happens next.

No applications, no recruiter spam. Just the intro.

01

Confirm the fit

A few questions to make sure this role is the right shape for you. Two minutes.

02

I pitch you to the company

I write the intro, send it to the founder, and handle the back-and-forth.

03

A meeting lands on your calendar

If they’re a yes, I book the chat. You show up — that’s the whole job-hunt.