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Firmware Engineer – Hands

Apptronik· Software Engineering
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Hybrid (Austin, TX)full-timePosted 3w ago

About the role

Firmware Engineer to develop firmware for the dexterous hands of humanoid robots, collaborating with hands firmware team to implement, test, and debug embedded software for motor control, sensor integration, and real-time communications; involved from prototype to production with HIL/SIL testing, telemetry, diagnostics, and field reliability for fleets of hands.

Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with the hands firmware team to develop, deploy, and maintain firmware for in-house dexterous hand designs, including motor control, sensor I/O, and real-time communications.
  • Work closely with mechanical engineers as the hand design evolves; ensure firmware tracks the mechanical design and exposes the right interfaces for tuning and validation.
  • Contribute to motor control firmware for small motors driving the hand, including current control and basic position/torque loops.
  • Develop firmware for distributed embedded networks that connect multiple MCUs.
  • Help shape and execute the Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) testing strategy to validate hand performance, safety, and reliability at scale.
  • Help drive firmware quality, reliability, and field performance for fleets of hundreds of hands deployed in production humanoid robots, including telemetry, diagnostics, and root-cause analysis of field failures.
  • Work with cross-functional engineering teams to bring up hand hardware from prototype through production.
  • Participate in code reviews, design reviews, and pair debugging, learning from and contributing alongside senior engineers.
  • Contribute to discussions on tooling, processes, and patterns, with guidance from more experienced engineers.

Qualifications

  • Experience with humanoid robotics, prosthetics, dexterous manipulation, or other compact electromechanical systems.
  • Experience with EtherCAT for real-time embedded communications.
  • Experience developing in C and C++ for TI C2000 microcontrollers.
  • Familiarity with safety-critical embedded system design standards, including MISRA C and ISO 26262.
  • Exposure to Agile workflows, including sprint planning, design reviews, and code reviews.
  • Experience integrating tactile, force, or position sensors into embedded systems.
  • Familiarity with model-based design tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink) for control design and code generation.
  • Contributions to firmware tooling, build systems, or developer infrastructure.
  • Familiarity with real-time embedded firmware concepts and an eagerness to develop hard real-time skills.
  • Familiarity with motor control concepts for BLDC motors (e.g., field-oriented control, current control, or position control).
  • Familiarity with distributed embedded networks where multiple MCUs cooperate over real-time buses.
  • Exposure to deploying firmware to embedded devices through internships, projects, or coursework.
  • Strong hardware debugging skills using oscilloscopes and logic analyzers.
  • Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics (Altium Designer preferred) and hardware datasheets.
  • Experience with embedded communication protocols such as SPI, UART, RS485, and CAN.
  • Demonstrated ability to work closely with mechanical engineers on tightly integrated electromechanical assemblies.
  • Eagerness to learn, take feedback, and grow technically within a collaborative team setting.

Skills

Required:Firmware development for embedded systemsC/C++ programmingEtherCATSafety-critical embedded systemsHardware debuggingEmbedded protocols (SPI, UART, RS485, CAN)
Nice to have:Model-based design (MATLAB/Simulink)
Last updated Oct 11, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About Apptronik

One Platform for the Future of Work

Apptronik designs humanoid robotics platforms with mobility, manipulation, and human-centered interaction to support people in the workplace.

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