Firmware Engineer - Rust

Proception Inc · Palo Alto, CA, US · In-office · Posted 1mo ago

$100k - $180k

Making humanoids dexterous enough to thread a needle

Join our embedded systems team to build the real-time firmware, drivers, and hardware-level infrastructure that power our next-generation robotic hands. You will work at the bleeding edge of robotics—developing low-latency motor control firmware, bringing up custom electronics, integrating advanced sensors, and ensuring highly reliable operation across our robotic platforms.

🎯 Role Overview

You will be responsible for writing low-level embedded firmware, performing driver bringup across a range of sensors/actuators, and building the real-time control pipelines that enable human-level dexterity. This role is hands-on and hardware-close: oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, DMA registers, and data sheets will be part of your daily workflow.

🛠️ Key Responsibilities

Embedded Firmware & Driver Development

• Bring up custom embedded boards (STM32H7 etc.) from scratch • Implement low-level drivers for sensors, actuators, communication buses, and custom peripherals • Develop high-reliability firmware using Rust (Embassy) and C, optimized for tight timing budgets • Build DMA-based and interrupt-driven interfaces for high-rate data pipelines

Motor Control & Real-Time Systems

• Implement and tune real-time control loops (position, torque, impedance, velocity) • Develop high-frequency motor control firmware (100 Hz – 5 kHz loops) • Integrate motor drivers, current sensors, and high-bandwidth servo feedback

Sensor Bringup & Integration

• Integrate and calibrate: • Force & tactile sensors • Multi-axis IMUs • Encoders (magnetic, optical, and high-resolution absolute encoders) • Build sensor fusion pipelines optimized for low latency and noise robustness

System Infrastructure & Safety

• Develop robust real-time safety systems: watchdogs, brownout detection, error monitors • Implement fail-safe behaviors and safety interlocks for robotic manipulation • Build bootloader/OTA systems for distributed firmware updates

Hardware-Software Integration

• Validate new PCB revisions with bringup tests and driver diagnostics • Work closely with mechanical/electrical teams to characterize hardware performance • Collaborate with AI/control teams to optimize firmware performance for higher-level policies

⚡ Requirements

Must-Have

• Pursuing a BS/MS in Robotics, Electrical/Computer Engineering, Mechatronics, or related fields • Strong Rust + Embassy and modern C experience in embedded development • Experience with real-time systems and RTOS-based development (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or bare-metal) • Strong Python skills for test automation, HIL testing, and hardware validation • Hands-on experience with embedded peripherals: SPI, I2C, UART, CAN/CAN-FD, PWM, ADC, DMA • Solid understanding of: • Real-time control loops • Timing constraints & scheduler design • Interrupt latency and determinism

Nice-to-Have

• Experience with Linux-based real-time controllers (PREEMPT_RT) • Familiarity with EtherCAT or high-speed robotic communication buses • Experience with motor drivers (BLDC, servo motors), Hall sensors, or current sensing • Exposure to ROS/ROS2, machine learning, or robotic control stack development • Experience building bootloaders, OTA systems, or secure firmware signing • Familiarity with JTAG/SWD debugging, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers

PLEASE ALSO APPLY DIRECTLY: https://www.proception.ai/careers/8d804396-4489-4d74-8a82-6050792148a2

Apply on Proception Inc's site