Sr. Embedded Systems Engineer
Bright Silicon Technologies | Pleasanton, CA | Full time

Bright Silicon Technologies commercializes its Lightfield Directing Array (LDA), a semiconductor-scale micromirror platform for dynamically routing optical connections in AI, high-performance computing, and communications systems. Conventional electronic and optical networks are constrained by power consumption, switching speed, and scalability. Bright Silicon’s MEMS-based platform provides scalable, low-latency, high-mobility backbone networks for physical AI, autonomous systems, and robotics; supports the deployment of neutral atom quantum computing and networking; and enables massive GPU/TPU cluster size expansion.

About the Role

We are developing precision optical systems around our Lightfield Directing Array (LDA), a solid-state beam-steering technology. Our projects include OCTANE, a free-space laser communications terminal that connects moving platforms through high-data-rate optical links.

We’re looking for a Senior Embedded Systems Engineer with hardware/software co-design experience to help guide system architecture design for OCTANE. You’ll work with engineers across electronics, controls, communications, photonics, and software to define how processing, timing, data acquisition, and device interfaces come together in a reliable system.

This is a broad, hands-on role spanning architecture, firmware, embedded Linux, hardware bring-up, integration, and test. You’ll evaluate trade-offs between hardware and software, take technical ownership of embedded subsystems, and carry designs from early prototypes through validation and deployment. We’re looking for someone who can turn incomplete requirements into practical designs, learn unfamiliar technologies, and guide technical decisions through analysis and measurements.

What you’ll do

• Guide embedded system architecture design, including component selection, hardware/software partitioning, subsystem interfaces, and approaches for timing and synchronization.
• Work with electrical and FPGA engineers to define hardware requirements and interfaces. Evaluate trade-offs in performance, latency, reliability, development effort, and testability.
• Develop and debug C and C++ firmware and embedded software for device control, data acquisition, and communications.
• Lead hardware bring-up and investigate problems across electronics, firmware, and software. Use oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, debuggers, protocol analyzers, and targeted experiments to measure behavior and identify root causes.
• Partner with controls, integration, communications, and photonics engineers to deploy algorithms and connect subsystems on target hardware. Provide dependable device access, timing, telemetry, and diagnostic interfaces.
• Lead design and code reviews, share knowledge, and support other engineers through implementation and debugging. Document decisions so the team can build on each other’s work.
• Strengthen automated builds, hardware testing, and release practices. Make software configurations reproducible and failures easier to diagnose as systems move from the lab toward deployment.

What we’re looking for

• U.S. Citizen
• 7+yrs of professional embedded systems experience, including substantial hardware/software co-design work. You’ve helped define system architecture, made hardware/software trade-offs, and owned a subsystem through bring-up, integration, validation, and production.
• Experience building maintainable real-time applications in C/C++ and investigating problems on physical hardware.
• Experience with embedded Linux, an RTOS, or bare-metal firmware, and a strong understanding of concurrency, interrupts, memory management, and execution timing.
• Hands-on hardware and software debugging skills. You can read schematics and device documentation, plan useful measurements, and trace problems across subsystem boundaries.
• Experience implementing device interfaces and communications such as SPI, I2C, UART, or Ethernet, with the ability to reason about latency, throughput, synchronization, and failure handling.
• Sound engineering judgment and clear communication. You can explain trade-offs, work through uncertain requirements with other disciplines, and take responsibility for technical outcomes.
• A degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in optical communications or with mixed-signal systems, digital signal processing algorithms, or DSP processors.
• Experience configuring and maintaining embedded Linux build systems such as Yocto or Buildroot.
• Experience with Asymmetric Multiprocessing (AMP) architectures and defining software interfaces between different processing domains.
• FPGA RTL design, simulation, or hardware testing experience, or experience integrating processor–FPGA systems.
• Familiar with Python or other scripting languages for test automation and lab tools; familiarity with MATLAB-based algorithm development and the work needed to deploy algorithms on embedded targets.
• Hardware-in-the-loop testing, field diagnostics, or maintaining shared embedded components across multiple products.
• Experience leading engineers to deliver coordinated technical work through planning, interface definition, reviews, or mentoring.

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At BST we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Why BST

• Help shape the embedded software behind a new optical technology, with work spanning hardware bring-up, system integration, and deployment.
• Lead through hands-on engineering and collaboration with experienced colleagues in software, electronics, controls, precision mechanisms, and optics.
• Take meaningful technical ownership in an engineer-led company with competitive compensation, equity, and a sustainable approach to work.

Company Overview

At Bright, we build precision optical systems to guide data for a new era of communication. Our team combines precision engineering, optical design, and product development to commercialize the Lightfield Directing Array. Applications include laser communications, optical switching for data centers, lidar, and additive manufacturing.
Founded in 2020, Bright Silicon Technologies is building an enduring technology manufacturing company. You’ll contribute to the development, launch, and scaling of advanced optical products. We offer competitive salaries and equity incentives, and we value effective engineering alongside long-term work/life balance.
Our benefits include:

• Equity Incentive Plan
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, along with other voluntary benefits
• 3% employer contribution to employee 401(k)
• Development and career growth opportunities
• Generous paid time off and paid company holidays

Equal Employment Opportunity

Bright Silicon Technologies is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, association with a member of a protected class, bereavement leave, color, disability (physical, intellectual/developmental, or mental health/psychiatric), exercising the right to family care and medical leave related to serious health condition of employee or family member, child bonding, or military exigencies, engaging in protected activity, gender identity or expression, genetic information or characteristic, marital status, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristic), military and veteran status, national origin (includes language restrictions), pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions, Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL), race (includes hairstyle and hair texture), religious creed (includes dress and grooming practices), reproductive health decision making, sex/gender, and sexual orientation.

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