Firmware Engineer Jobs in San Francisco, CA
Firmware Engineer jobs in San Francisco concentrate in SoMa, the Mission District, and the Dogpatch, where hardware startups, semiconductor companies, and consumer electronics firms cluster. Employers hiring right now include Tacit, OpenAI, and Neuralink. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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The Role
You will be a key contributor to the embedded firmware design and implementation of all our hardware products: Spotter, Smart Mooring, next generation platforms and Sofar’s new open hardware connectivity stack — Bristlemouth https://www.bristlemouth.org. You thrive in small and collaborative multidisciplinary teams, and are eager to pitch in to debug and solve gnarly issues. You take pride in your craft. You strive to improve the health of our oceans and planet by shipping a cohesive, elegant and impactful product.
This role will be working onsite from our Pier 28 office at least 3 days per week and reporting to our Senior Engineering Manager.
Some projects you’ll be a part of:
Building new Bristlemouth integrations for Spotter and Smart Mooring and evolving the open source Bristlemouth core APIs
Collaborating cross-functionally to build new features on existing platforms
Developing next generation platforms
Advanced research and experiments with new and emerging technologies
Integrated system testing, open ocean deployments, and the occasional throwing of things out of airplanes to see what breaks
Responsibilities
Design and implement efficient and maintainable FreeRTOS firmware with automated unit and integration tests in a mix of C and C++
Break down complex efforts into parallelizable work streams for your team
Implement host-side test, analysis and automation tools in Python
Participate in code reviews, brainstorms and whiteboard sessions with your team
Write crystal clear specifications and documentation for both external users and internal colleagues
Work alongside electrical and mechanical engineers in designing, integrating, testing and debugging systems
Advocating for the highest leverage features and fixes in product prioritization conversations
Execute frequent releases for internal proprietary firmware as well as open source Bristlemouth firmware, following test plans, building installers, writing release notes, and announcing the releases in friendly and inviting communications for wide audiences
Minimum Job Qualifications
Excellent communication and collaboration skills
Strong systems thinking ability
Solid foundation of software architecture principles
At least 5+ years of professional embedded firmware/software experience
Prior experience as a tech lead for a firmware team
Fluent in embedded C and C++
Comfortable in Python
Experience with FreeRTOS
Breadth of technology experience including multiple embedded platforms
An understanding of common hardware peripherals and interfaces
Bonus Points
Experience with multiple forms of radio telemetry
Experience with IPv6 networking
Experience with ARM Cortex-M0, M4, and M33 cores
Past work in IoT, robotics, drones and/or automotive products
A passion for or connection to the ocean
Compensation Range: $147K - $200K
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Find Firmware Engineer JobsFirmware Engineer Job Market in San Francisco
Who's Hiring
- Tacit17
- OpenAI17

- Neuralink17

- Lyft8

- ARC ENT8A
Top Industries Hiring
- Science & Research42
- Technology & Software42
- Artificial Intelligence17
- Healthcare & Medical Services17
- Retail8
Firmware Engineer Jobs in San Francisco: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a firmware engineer job in San Francisco?
Focus your search on San Francisco's hardware and deep-tech startup ecosystem, particularly in SoMa, Dogpatch, and the adjacent East Bay corridors. Employers here hire most actively for embedded systems, IoT devices, and consumer electronics. Candidates who show hands-on experience with real-time operating systems and can demonstrate shipped products stand out in a market that values execution over credentials alone.
Which companies hire firmware engineers in San Francisco?
Employers hiring firmware engineers in San Francisco right now include Tacit, OpenAI, and Neuralink, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. The local market is anchored by hardware startups, medical device firms, and consumer electronics companies that maintain engineering offices in the city rather than the broader Bay Area suburbs.
Are there remote firmware engineer jobs in San Francisco?
Yes, though firmware engineering is less remote-friendly than most software roles because the work often requires physical access to hardware, lab equipment, and test benches. About 53% of firmware engineer openings tied to San Francisco are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those positions tend to cover architecture, code review, and documentation rather than hands-on bring-up or board debugging.
How can I get a firmware engineer job in San Francisco with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in San Francisco is targeting hardware startups in SoMa and Dogpatch that hire junior engineers willing to work across the full stack from day one. Contract roles at consumer electronics firms and internship-to-hire programs at IoT companies offer strong footholds. Building a portfolio of personal embedded projects and contributing to open-source firmware repositories gives local hiring managers something concrete to evaluate.
Which industries hire the most firmware engineers in San Francisco?
San Francisco firmware engineer roles concentrate in Science & Research, Technology & Software, and Artificial Intelligence, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. San Francisco's density of venture-backed hardware startups and its proximity to semiconductor design firms drives sustained demand across those sectors, particularly for engineers who can work from silicon bring-up through production release.
Related Jobs in California
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