Firmware Engineer

Full-time
On-site · Palo Alto, CA, US
$140 - $190 · 0.25% - 0.75% equity

Posted November 2, 2026

Role: Engineering / Embedded systems
Experience: 3+ years
Visa: US citizen/visa only
Skills: C++, Firmware

Edgerun's mission is to remove civilization-level physical constraints limiting the human body. We believe a future where humans keep pushing into the unknown is far better than one where we send machines in our place. That starts on the battlefield, doubling what a soldier can carry and how far they can carry it. Read more about our mission here.

Firmware Engineer

As a Firmware Engineer, you will be responsible for writing the code that runs on the world's most advanced powered exoskeleton, worn by soldiers in active combat. You will work alongside our Principal Engineer of Embedded Systems on real-time control, sensing, and the data collection that drives every design decision we make. You should thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where you adapt quickly and love to solve hard problems.

You will see your own code running on hardware worn by an operator within weeks of joining.

Responsibilities

Implement control algorithms and the sensing that feeds them
Write and debug firmware for motor control, sensors, and communications
Build the data collection that turns every session in the field into engineering data
Support testing and debugging on real hardware, including field tests

Turn what breaks in the field into a fix quickly

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or another engineering discipline
2+ years of embedded firmware experience on hardware that shipped or was used in the field
Proficiency in embedded C or C++ and real-time systems

Preferred Skills and Experience

FOC or closed loop motor control
Encoder processing and sensor fusion you have implemented yourself
CAN as a comms backbone
Firmware on physical robots, autonomous systems, or other devices that move under their own power
Comfortable picking up complex work quickly and executing without every detail specified
Straightforward to work with, and honest when something isn't working
Things you build outside work: robots, motor controllers, embedded projects

How We Work

Hardware on real operators in real field conditions within weeks of concept, not years
Firmware ships over the air every one to two weeks
Small team, one owner per category, nobody owning a slice of someone else's problem

Additional Requirements

Full time and in person in Palo Alto
Travel to field tests, including overseas
Must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed

Apply for the Job

To apply for this role, provide us with the best evidence of your ability to execute. We would like to see what you have designed, built, and tested, so please include links, video, and photographs. A resume is welcome but not required. None of this has to be a perfect match. We care more about raw ability than a checklist, so if that's you, reach out.

Source: Y Combinator job 109349. Listed on YC when retrieved 2026-11-02.

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Firmware Engineer

Responsibilities

Basic Qualifications

Preferred Skills and Experience

How We Work

Additional Requirements

Apply for the Job