Senior Software Engineer (Embedded Runtime Infrastructure)

Location: Must be based in or able to work from Pittsburgh, PA, Palo Alto, CA, or Dearborn, MI. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis.

Salary: $179,200 - $268,800 USD

Company

A Ford Motor Company subsidiary developing automated driving technology at the speed of a startup.

What you will do

• Design and develop high-performance software from application-level runtime down to safety-critical firmware.
• Configure and harden RTOS-based runtimes on automotive SoCs, focusing on memory protection and deterministic boot behavior.
• Diagnose timing, memory, and concurrency issues using hardware debuggers and on-target tracing tools.
• Maintain low-level system artifacts including linker scripts, startup code, and memory maps.
• Collaborate with simulation teams to ensure runtime systems are accurately tested in virtual and HIL/SIL environments.
• Participate in system-wide software and safety architecture development, including freedom-from-interference strategies.

Requirements

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering field and 4+ years of experience (or Master's/PhD with 2+ years).
• Proven experience developing embedded/firmware software on resource-constrained platforms.
• Experience with RTOS (e.g., SafeRTOS, FreeRTOS, QNX) on ARM Cortex-R or Cortex-M cores.
• Proficiency in C++11 or newer in a systems or embedded programming role.
• Working knowledge of low-level topics like MPU/MMU configuration, cache coherency, and interrupt handling.

Nice to have

• Experience with automotive SoCs like TI Jacinto, NXP S32, or NVIDIA Orin.
• Familiarity with ISO 26262 (ASIL B/D) safety standards.
• Experience with Bazel, ROS, or publish/subscribe communication models.
• Experience implementing memory firewalls or hypervisor-based partitioning.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive compensation with annual bonus and equity programs.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance with HSA options.
• Employer-matched 401(k) retirement plan with immediate vesting.
• Unlimited vacation policy and 15 paid holidays.
• Professional development reimbursement and monthly wellness stipends.
• Support programs including parental leave, backup child/elder care, and adoption assistance.