Job Title: Embedded Systems Engineer
Job Description
The Embedded Systems Engineer will design, develop, and maintain firmware that powers small unmanned aircraft systems and associated ground equipment for demanding mission applications. You will work across flight-controller integration, battery management, motor control, lighting systems, and communication links, covering the embedded stack from bootloaders and device drivers through control loops and PX4 integration. This role offers the opportunity to see your firmware operating on real aircraft within weeks, with direct exposure to the full product lifecycle including design, electronics, assembly, production, and flight testing, and a high level of technical ownership over assigned systems and components.
Responsibilities
Develop, test, and maintain embedded firmware in C and C++ for STM32 and similar ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers.
Integrate with and extend a PX4-based flight-control stack to support small unmanned aircraft systems.
Design and implement device drivers and control loops using SPI, I2C, UART, and CAN communication interfaces.
Build robust embedded communication links using MAVLink and DroneCAN/UAVCAN protocols.
Support board bring-up and hardware verification in close collaboration with the electronics engineering team.
Implement secure boot, cryptographic signing, signed firmware updates, and field-update mechanisms to enhance system security and reliability.
Debug, profile, and harden firmware to ensure reliable operation under real-world field conditions.
Develop production flashing, testing, and provisioning tools to support manufacturing and deployment workflows.
Participate in aircraft flight testing and conduct post-flight log analysis to validate performance and identify improvements.
Collaborate closely with electrical, manufacturing, and flight-test personnel throughout the product-development lifecycle.
Troubleshoot issues across embedded software, electronics, communications, and system-level integration.
Contribute to board bring-up activities and system testing, working hands-on with custom PCB hardware.
Participate in PCB design reviews by reading and interpreting electrical schematics and providing firmware-focused feedback.
Essential Skills
3+ years of professional embedded C/C++ development experience with firmware that has shipped in a product.
Strong proficiency in C and C++ for embedded systems and firmware development.
Experience developing on STM32 or similar ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers.
Bare-metal and RTOS development experience with NuttX, FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or similar real-time operating systems.
Experience implementing and troubleshooting SPI, I2C, UART, and CAN communications.
Hands-on hardware debugging experience using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG/SWD tools.
Strong understanding of microcontroller architecture, including interrupts, DMA, and timing.
Ability to troubleshoot issues across embedded software, electronics, communications, and system-level integration.
Understanding of the interaction between firmware and custom PCB hardware.
Ability to work collaboratively during board bring-up and system testing.
Strong ownership mentality and willingness to work across traditional engineering boundaries.
Comfort working in a hands-on, product-focused startup environment.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
Direct PX4 development experience or experience with ArduPilot.
Experience with STM32 HAL/LL and NuttX.
Experience with MAVLink and DroneCAN/UAVCAN communication protocols.
Experience implementing secure boot, cryptographic signing, signed firmware updates, or anti-tamper mechanisms.
Ability to read electrical schematics and participate effectively in PCB design reviews.
Experience with board bring-up and hardware verification.
Experience developing production flashing, testing, and provisioning tools.
Flight testing and post-flight log analysis experience.
Interest in working closely with engineers who design and build the physical product, from electronics through assembly and flight testing.
Work Environment
This role is primarily on-site in a temperature-controlled office and warehouse environment. You will work in a hands-on, product-focused startup setting with direct access to aircraft, electronics labs, and test equipment. The environment supports close collaboration among firmware, electrical, manufacturing, and flight-test teams, providing visibility into the entire product lifecycle from design through production and flight testing.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Auburn Hills, MI.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $60.00 - $70.00/hr.
Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.
Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: - Medical, dental & vision - Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital - 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available - Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) - Short and long-term disability - Health Spending Account (HSA) - Transportation benefits - Employee Assistance Program - Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Auburn Hills,MI.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Sep 30, 2026.
About Actalent
Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.
The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.
If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.
San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that you
