Lead Firmware engineer
About the role
Lead Firmware Engineer
Experience
12+ Years
Employment Type
Full-Time
Work Location
Pune
Work Mode
Hybrid (4 Days Work from Office | 1 Day Work from Home)
---
About the Role
We are looking for a highly skilled and hands-on Lead Firmware Engineer to lead our Embedded Firmware and Embedded Hardware engineering teams while actively contributing to architecture, design, development, debugging, and technical problem-solving.
This is a technical leadership role, not a pure people management position. The ideal candidate will take end-to-end ownership of embedded firmware and hardware development for industrial products such as Servo Drives, Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), Motion Controllers, Safety Drives, and Industrial Automation Solutions. The candidate should be passionate about mentoring engineers, driving engineering excellence, and delivering high-quality embedded systems while remaining deeply involved in hands-on technical work.
---
Key Responsibilities
Technical Leadership & Architecture
Lead the technical direction, architecture, and execution of embedded firmware and hardware projects.
Own the embedded electronics architecture covering MCU/SoC hardware, firmware architecture, RTOS, drivers, middleware, and communication interfaces.
Define technology roadmaps for embedded hardware platforms, microcontrollers, firmware frameworks, RTOS, and development toolchains.
Drive architectural decisions by balancing performance, reliability, manufacturability, cybersecurity, quality, and cost.
Act as the primary technical escalation point for complex cross-functional engineering challenges.
---
Hands-on Engineering
Actively participate in hardware architecture, schematic, and PCB layout reviews.
Perform firmware architecture discussions, code reviews, and contribute to critical Embedded C development when required.
Support hardware bring-up and prototype debugging.
Perform debugging using Oscilloscope, Logic Analyzer, JTAG, and SWD tools.
Lead root cause analysis for hardware, firmware, EMC, reliability, and performance-related issues.
Ensure high-quality, maintainable, and scalable firmware design.
---
Embedded Hardware
Review PCB layouts with emphasis on Signal Integrity (SI), Power Integrity (PI), EMC, and EMI considerations.
Support component selection, reliability analysis, lifecycle management, and manufacturing readiness.
Oversee hardware verification, validation, and environmental testing activities.
---
Embedded Firmware
Lead development of Embedded C firmware for real-time embedded systems.
Design and review low-level drivers, peripherals, RTOS/bare-metal applications, bootloaders, and firmware update mechanisms.
Develop and review industrial communication stacks such as EtherCAT, CAN, PROFINET, and IO-Link.
Implement secure boot, secure firmware update mechanisms, cryptography, and cybersecurity best practices.
Ensure firmware quality through modular design, maintainability, and structured software engineering practices.
---
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Collaborate closely with Controls, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Quality, Functional Safety, Cybersecurity, and System Architecture teams.
Work with controls engineers on PWM, ADC timing, and real-time system requirements.
Support product certifications, customer escalations, and technical audits.
Ensure alignment between hardware, firmware, and system-level requirements.
---
Team Leadership
Lead, mentor, and technically coach Embedded Hardware and Firmware engineers.
Drive technical excellence through design reviews, code reviews, knowledge sharing, and engineering best practices.
Support hiring, onboarding, capability development, and team growth.
Build a collaborative, high-performance engineering culture while remaining hands-on.
---
Process & Quality
Establish and maintain structured development processes, documentation, configuration management, and traceability.
Drive engineering best practices for design reviews, verification planning, and continuous improvement.
Promote firmware and hardware verification methodologies and support industrialization activities.
---
Mandatory Skills
Embedded Firmware
12+ years of Embedded Firmware development experience.
Strong expertise in Embedded C programming.
Real-Time Firmware development using RTOS or Bare-Metal architecture.
Bootloader development and Firmware Update mechanisms.
Strong debugging and root cause analysis skills.
---
Embedded Hardware
Hands-on experience with MCU/SoC-based hardware design.
Strong understanding of Analog and Digital Circuits.
Power Management and Sequencing.
PCB Design Flow and PCB Layout Reviews.
EMC/EMI fundamentals and debugging.
---
Hardware Debugging
Hands-on experience with:
Oscilloscope
Logic Analyzer
JTAG
SWD
Hardware Bring-up
Prototype Debugging
---
Industrial Communication Protocols
Hands-on experience with one or more of the following:
EtherCAT
CAN
PROFINET
EtherNet/IP
IO-Link
---
Domain Experience
Mandatory experience in one or more of the following:
Servo Drives
Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)
Motion Controllers
Motion Control Systems
Power Electronics
---
Leadership Experience
Currently working as a Technical Manager, Technical Lead, or System Architect.
Managing a team of 4–6 engineers while remaining technically hands-on.
Experience in architecture reviews, design reviews, and code reviews.
Experience working with European and/or US customers and stakeholders.
---
Qualifications
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field.
---
Core Competencies
Strong technical leadership and mentoring skills.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Self-driven with a proactive and ownership-oriented mindset.
Ability to collaborate across multiple engineering disciplines.
Passion for engineering excellence, innovation, and continuous learning.
---
Preferred Skills
Secure Boot
Cryptography
IEC 62443 Cybersecurity
Functional Safety (SIL2/SIL3)
Automated Testing
Continuous Integration (CI)
Scripting and Test Automation
Agile Development Methodology
---
What We're Looking For
A hands-on technical leader with deep expertise in embedded firmware and embedded hardware development.
Strong experience leading engineering teams while actively contributing to design and development.
Proven expertise in industrial communication protocols, embedded debugging, and firmware architecture.
Experience in industrial electronics, motion control, servo drives, VFDs, or power electronics is mandatory.
Excellent communication skills with experience collaborating with global stakeholders.
Stable employment history, with a minimum of 3 years in at least one organization, is preferred.
Candidates based in Pune or willing to relocate to Pune are preferred.
Immediate to 30 days' notice period is preferred. Candidates serving up to a 60-day notice period may also be considered.
---
Why Join Us?
Opportunity to work on cutting-edge industrial automation and embedded technologies.
Lead the development of next-generation embedded products.
Hybrid work model with excellent work-life balance.
Collaborative engineering culture with global exposure.
* Long-term career growth in a high-impact technical leadership role.
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Pune, Maharashtra (Pune, Raigad District)
Questions about this role
Want AI Applyd to auto-apply to roles like this?
We tailor your resume per posting, fill the forms, and track replies for you.