Optical Firmware/Software Engineer (Tech Lead)

Quick Facts

• Title: Optical Firmware/Software Engineer (Tech Lead)

Description

Lead design, development, and validation of embedded firmware and supporting software for next-generation optical products. Own optical firmware architecture and implement real-time control, calibration, telemetry, diagnostics, and high-speed link optimization across optical engines and optical modules. Drive production readiness through bring-up, automated testing, and disciplined engineering practices.

Responsibilities

• Architect and develop production-quality embedded firmware for optical engines, PIC/EIC platforms, and optical modules
• Implement embedded software in C on embedded processors (bare-metal or RTOS)
• Develop Python scripts and tools for unit testing, configuration, automation, manufacturing test, characterization, and data analysis
• Develop control algorithms for modulator operation, automatic power control, temperature compensation, calibration, and link adaptation
• Implement telemetry, diagnostics, monitoring, and fault-handling for optical-link health and reliability
• Optimize firmware for latency, power efficiency, control stability, and performance
• Lead firmware and hardware bring-up (board initialization, peripheral integration, lab debugging, root-cause analysis)
• Integrate firmware with photodetectors, TIAs, ADCs, DACs, sensors, drivers, DSPs, and I2C/SPI hardware interfaces
• Partner with optical, electrical, DSP, systems, and validation teams to characterize, tune, and qualify products
• Establish unit-testing strategies and maintain automated tests to improve coverage and release confidence
• Apply version control, code review, documentation, and release practices throughout development

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related technical field
• 5–8 years of experience developing embedded firmware or software for optical, photonics, communications, semiconductor, or other high-reliability products
• Strong programming skills in C and Python; experience developing software for microcontroller platforms
• Experience with RTOS-based embedded development, embedded programming methods, hardware interfaces, and low-level device control
• Proven experience with unit testing, version control, debugging, and hardware bring-up
• Ability to analyze and resolve complex problems across firmware, hardware, optical control algorithms, and system-level behavior

Benefits

• Salary range: $160,000–$200,000 depending on experience, level, and business need
• May be eligible for discretionary bonus, incentives, and benefits