Embedded Systems Engineer, Robotics Hardware
FieldAI· Engineering – Hardware Engineering
Irvine, CA$120k - $200kFull-timePosted 3mo ago
About the role
Embedded Compute Engineer on the Hardware Team focusing on architecture, configuration, and validation of compute systems for Field AI’s robotic platforms, spanning firmware, Linux, ROS data streams, and cross-domain collaboration for field-ready deployments in Irvine, CA.
Responsibilities
- Compute System Design
- Compute Architecture: Architect and configure embedded compute platforms (ARM/x86, SBCs) for robotic applications including evaluation, testing and selection.
- Firmware & Software: Set up and customize Linux environments (Ubuntu, Yocto, JetPack), middleware (ROS), and I/O interfaces.
- Systems Integration: Integrate compute with sensing and robotic systems. Analyze thermal, power, and bandwidth constraints to meet deployment and runtime requirements.
- Compute System Implementation
- Communications: Bring up sensors and peripherals using a range of protocols (USB, Ethernet, GMSL, I²C, SPI, CAN).
- Data Pipelines: Build and maintain drivers, ROS nodes, and data acquisition pipelines for new hardware components.
- Systems Configuration: Create configuration files, launch scripts, and firmware update workflows.
- Testing: Conduct system-level tests such as thermal profiling, latency measurement, and power draw analysis.
- Documentation & Budgets: Maintain flashing procedures, I/O maps, and debug kits. Manage compute and I/O budgets.
- Compute System Production & Servicing
- Build: Work with vendors to procure compute hardware. Develop QA checks for incoming units. Support payload integration and scaling.
- Debug: Support root-cause analysis for boot, connectivity, and throughput issues.
- Diagnostics Monitoring: Implement watchdogs, health checks, and other evaluation tools. Monitor compute system performance across CPU, GPU, memory, I/O, and networking.
Qualifications
- Education: B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Computer Engineering, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
- Experience Level: We are recruiting across a wide range of experience levels from entry level engineers to senior and staff engineers.
- Embedded Systems: Experience with embedded platforms (Jetson, Raspberry Pi, x86 NUCs, custom SBCs).
- Linux: Proficiency with Linux system configuration, scripting, and headless deployment tools.
- Firmware: Strong skills in firmware development for microcontrollers, including bare-metal and RTOS environments.
- Programming: Proficient in C++ and Python for embedded and application-level development.
- Communication Protocols: Experience with USB, Ethernet, I²C, SPI, CAN, GMSL, and similar interfaces.
- ROS Ecosystem: Familiarity with ROS, device drivers, TF, and data streaming/publishing.
- Debugging: Comfort with hardware/software debugging tools (oscilloscopes, logs, power monitors, analyzers).
- Systems Thinking: Ability to diagnose and optimize across compute, thermal, timing, and I/O layers.
Skills
Required:Compute architecture and configuration (ARM/x86, SBCs)Linux environment setup (Ubuntu, Yocto, JetPack)ROS and data pipelinesFirmware development (bare-metal/RTOS)C++ and PythonSensors and interfaces (USB, Ethernet, GMSL, I2C, SPI, CAN)ROS ecosystem
Nice to have:Debugging hardware/software tools
Benefits
- Base pay range: $120,000 - $200,000 per year (salary range in Irvine, CA)
- Salary range is generous and varies by role scope, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and market
Last updated Oct 22, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
About FieldAI
Robot intelligence built for the real-world.
FieldAI is the leader in deploying general-purpose robots in unstructured environments, providing a universal brain that works across many robots, and many tasks.
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