J-1 Visa Firmware Engineer Jobs
Firmware Engineer roles in the United States are accessible to international professionals through the J-1 visa under the Trainee or Research Scholar program category, depending on your career stage. Designated sponsor organizations issue your DS-2019 and provide sponsorship, while your host employer provides the hands-on engineering environment.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Figure is an AI robotics company developing autonomous general-purpose humanoid robots. The goal of the company is to ship humanoid robots with human level intelligence. Its robots are engineered to perform a variety of tasks in the home and commercial markets. Figure is headquartered in San Jose, CA.
We are looking for an Firmware Engineer Intern for Summer 2026 to support the implementation and test of key aspects of our Humanoid software.
Responsibilities
- Deliver high quality C/C++ code in a real-time embedded environment.
- Bring up, debug, and validate firmware on the Humanoid hardware platform, such as actuators, sensors, power distribution system.
- Optimize performance of firmware to meet product requirements.
- Develop test scripts in Python to support test automation or robot calibration.
- Work cross functionally with System Integration, Software Test, and Embedded Software teams to successfully and autonomously ship new features.
- Contribute to the integration of projects into the Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) infrastructure.
- Support hardware/software integration in the lab.
REQUIREMENTS
- Graduate student, senior student, or recent graduate in Computer Engineering or related field.
- Minimum 10 weeks internship, 1 to 2 terms preferred.
- Ability to showcase extra-academic activities working on hardware/software projects.
- Fluent with C/C++ and Python.
- Good knowledge of computer architecture and real-time operating systems.
- Familiar with communication buses and protocols like CAN, SPI, I2C, UART etc.
- Comfortable using lab instruments (Oscilloscopes, logic analyzers…) and debugging tools.
BONUS QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience with low level communication protocol driver development, Ethernet and CAN preferred.
- Demonstrated taking features or products from cradle to grave with high levels of ownership.
- Experience with motor control systems.
- Experience with the Bazel build system.
- Experience with Docker containers.
INTRODUCTION
Figure is an AI robotics company developing autonomous general-purpose humanoid robots. The goal of the company is to ship humanoid robots with human level intelligence. Its robots are engineered to perform a variety of tasks in the home and commercial markets. Figure is headquartered in San Jose, CA.
We are looking for an Firmware Engineer Intern for Summer 2026 to support the implementation and test of key aspects of our Humanoid software.
Responsibilities
- Deliver high quality C/C++ code in a real-time embedded environment.
- Bring up, debug, and validate firmware on the Humanoid hardware platform, such as actuators, sensors, power distribution system.
- Optimize performance of firmware to meet product requirements.
- Develop test scripts in Python to support test automation or robot calibration.
- Work cross functionally with System Integration, Software Test, and Embedded Software teams to successfully and autonomously ship new features.
- Contribute to the integration of projects into the Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) infrastructure.
- Support hardware/software integration in the lab.
REQUIREMENTS
- Graduate student, senior student, or recent graduate in Computer Engineering or related field.
- Minimum 10 weeks internship, 1 to 2 terms preferred.
- Ability to showcase extra-academic activities working on hardware/software projects.
- Fluent with C/C++ and Python.
- Good knowledge of computer architecture and real-time operating systems.
- Familiar with communication buses and protocols like CAN, SPI, I2C, UART etc.
- Comfortable using lab instruments (Oscilloscopes, logic analyzers…) and debugging tools.
BONUS QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience with low level communication protocol driver development, Ethernet and CAN preferred.
- Demonstrated taking features or products from cradle to grave with high levels of ownership.
- Experience with motor control systems.
- Experience with the Bazel build system.
- Experience with Docker containers.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Firmware Engineer
Document your embedded systems project portfolio
Compile a portfolio showing firmware projects you've owned end-to-end, including hardware platforms, real-time operating systems, and communication protocols. U.S. host employers evaluate these specifics when assessing whether your background fits their training plan requirements.
Distinguish Trainee from Research Scholar eligibility
The Trainee category suits engineers within five years of graduation or with five-plus years of field experience. Research Scholar applies if your role involves academic or institutional research. Applying under the wrong category can delay or invalidate your DS-2019 issuance.
Target host employers with active training plan infrastructure
Search for Firmware Engineer roles at companies that already structure international development programs. Use Migrate Mate to filter for U.S. employers whose open roles align with J-1 sponsorship pathways, saving time you'd spend cold-screening job postings.
Verify your role qualifies under OFLC Wage Search
Your host employer must pay the prevailing wage for your occupation and region. Cross-reference your offered role against the OFLC Wage Search before accepting an offer to confirm the position meets DOL wage requirements for your specific work location.
Clarify the two-year home residency requirement early
Firmware Engineers sponsored under Research Scholar or Government Visitor categories may be subject to the two-year home residency requirement before changing to certain other visa statuses. Confirm this with your designated sponsor before signing any offer letter.
Align your training plan to your firmware specialization
Your DS-2019 training plan must map directly to your technical focus, whether that's bootloader development, RTOS configuration, or hardware bring-up. Vague plans citing general software engineering are flagged by designated sponsors and can delay program approval.
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Find Firmware Engineer JobsFirmware Engineer J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits a Firmware Engineer role?
Most Firmware Engineers use the Trainee category, which is designed for foreign nationals gaining practical experience in their professional field within five years of completing a degree, or with five-plus years of relevant industry experience. If your role is based at a university, national lab, or research institute and involves original research, the Research Scholar category may apply instead. The host organization and your designated sponsor determine which category governs your DS-2019.
Who actually sponsors my J-1 visa as a Firmware Engineer?
Your visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, not your employer. Organizations like CIEE, Cultural Vistas, or AIPT issue your DS-2019 form, administer your training plan, and maintain compliance with State Department regulations. Your host employer, the company where you perform firmware engineering work, is the host, not the sponsor. Conflating the two is a common source of confusion during offer negotiations.
How do I find U.S. employers open to hosting J-1 Firmware Engineers?
Most standard job boards don't filter by J-1 compatibility, which makes the search inefficient. Migrate Mate lets you search for Firmware Engineer roles at U.S. employers whose positions align with J-1 sponsorship pathways, so you're not manually screening postings that will never lead to a valid host arrangement. Focus your outreach on employers who already have experience working with designated sponsors and structured training plans.
Does my firmware engineering training plan need to list specific technical tasks?
Yes. Your designated sponsor will require a detailed training plan that maps your day-to-day activities to concrete learning objectives. For firmware roles, this means specifying the hardware platforms, firmware development environments, debugging tools, and communication protocols you'll be working with. Generic descriptions citing broad software skills are routinely flagged. The more precisely your plan reflects embedded systems work, the smoother the DS-2019 approval process tends to go.
Can I switch host employers mid-program if a better firmware role comes up?
Changing host employers during an active J-1 program is possible but requires your designated sponsor's approval and typically a new or amended DS-2019 and training plan. Your J-1 status is tied to the approved host organization, not just the visa category. If you accept a new role without following this process, your J-1 status can be terminated. Notify your designated sponsor before making any employer change, not after.
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