# **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)
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# **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.
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# **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.
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## **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.
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## **Embedded Hardware**
* Guide embedded hardware design involving MCU/SoC interfaces, analog and digital circuits, power management, monitoring, and protection.
* 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.
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## **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.
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## **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.
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## **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.
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## **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.
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# **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.
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## **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.
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## **Hardware Debugging**
Hands-on experience with:
* Oscilloscope
* Logic Analyzer
* JTAG
* SWD
* Hardware Bring-up
* Prototype Debugging
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## **Industrial Communication Protocols**
Hands-on experience with one or more of the following:
* EtherCAT
* CAN
* PROFINET
* EtherNet/IP
* IO-Link
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## **Domain Experience**
Mandatory experience in one or more of the following:
* Servo Drives
* Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)
* Motion Controllers
* Motion Control Systems
* Power Electronics
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## **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.
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# **Qualifications**
* Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field.
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# **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.
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# **Preferred Skills**
* Secure Boot
* Cryptography
* IEC 62443 Cybersecurity
* Functional Safety (SIL2/SIL3)
* Automated Testing
* Continuous Integration (CI)
* Scripting and Test Automation
* Agile Development Methodology
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# **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.
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# **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)
