Firmware Engineer

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Principal Firmware Engineer to manage a talented team while remaining a highly hands-on technical contributor. You will lead the design, development, and optimization of highly secure embedded systems. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in Secure Boot, attestation schemes such as SPDM, secure provisioning, cryptographic firmware signing, and key/certificate revocation mechanisms, alongside strong knowledge of RTOS, Linux kernels, device drivers, and bus protocols.

Key Responsibilities

• Team Management & Hands-On Contribution: Lead, manage, and grow a team of firmware engineers while remaining a core individual contributor. Dedicate a significant portion of your time to writing code, conducting code reviews, and resolving low-level technical challenges.
• Security Architecture & Boot Flow: Architect, develop, and optimize embedded software solutions with a primary focus on end-to-end platform security, including Secure Boot, hardware Root of Trust (RoT), and verified boot pipelines.
• Protocols & Provisioning: Implement and manage attestation schemes such as SPDM for device authentication and remote measurement, alongside secure factory and field secure provisioning workflows.
• Firmware Signing & Lifecycle Management: Design and maintain cryptographic firmware signing infrastructure, secure update pipelines, and robust revocation mechanisms.
• Debugging & Security Analysis: Diagnose and resolve complex hardware/software and cryptographic failure modes using advanced debugging tools (JTAG, GDB, logic analyzers).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with security experts, hardware engineers, and system architects to define roadmaps and deliver scalable embedded security solutions.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Cybersecurity, or a related field.
• Experience: 20+ years of experience in embedded software development, featuring a strong foundational background in C/C++.
• Team Leadership: Proven track record of managing and leading engineering teams while maintaining an active, hands-on role in software development and system architecture.
• Security Expertise: Proven experience with Secure Boot, Root of Trust (RoT), and cryptographic security principles. Hands-on implementation experience with SPDM. In-depth knowledge of secure provisioning methodologies, HSM integration, and secure key storage. Robust understanding of firmware signing workflows and lifecycle revocation architectures.
• System Software & Hardware: Extensive experience with RTOS, Linux kernel, device drivers, and hardware bring-up using Board Support Packages (BSPs).
• Protocols & Interfaces: Strong grasp of peripheral interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, USB) and bus protocols (PCIe, Ethernet), with PCIe root port and SR-IOV knowledge being a strong plus.
• Toolchains & Build Systems: Familiarity with Linux build frameworks such as Yocto and Buildroot, alongside low-level debugging via JTAG and GDB.
• Preferred Domains: Experience with Baseboard Management Controllers (BMC) and hardware security accelerators.

Additional Information

Axiado is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining the highest caliber talent in a diverse and multifaceted environment. We are headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Axiado is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.