[Hiring] Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer @Very

Role Description

We are seeking a senior firmware engineer with 5–8 years of professional embedded development experience who has strong experience building production embedded systems on modern wireless MCU platforms such as Espressif ESP32. In this role, you’ll work hands-on across the device firmware stack, from schematic review and board bring-up through production firmware, OTA, and certification.

What You’ll Be Working On:

• Developing production-grade firmware for connected devices from bring-up through production deployment and ongoing maintenance.
• Developing firmware across the full device lifecycle, including:
  • Schematic review
  • Board bring-up
  • Driver integration
  • BLE provisioning
  • Cloud connectivity
  • OTA updates
  • Certification readiness
• Participating in hardware debugging and validation using tools such as JTAG/SWD, logic analyzers, and protocol sniffers.
• Collaborating closely with hardware engineers, contract manufacturers, and cross-functional teams to deliver production-ready devices.
• Debugging complex, real-world interoperability issues across connected-device ecosystems.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain production firmware for ESP32-based connected devices using ESP-IDF.
• Bring up new hardware and integrate drivers for sensors, actuators, LEDs, and other peripherals.
• Implement BLE provisioning, Wi-Fi connectivity, and secure cloud communication with AWS IoT Core over MQTT.
• Build and maintain reliable OTA update mechanisms, including rollback and staged rollouts.
• Debug and resolve issues across firmware, hardware, wireless, and cloud layers, from development through production.
• Partner with hardware engineers and contract manufacturers on factory flashing, device provisioning, and production readiness.
• Support certification (e.g., FCC) and hardware build phases (EVT/DVT/PVT).
• Collaborate with mobile and backend teams on device data models, telemetry, and device-to-cloud interfaces.
• Contribute to firmware CI/CD, test tooling, and technical documentation.

Qualifications

• 5–8 years professional embedded/firmware engineering in C/C++.
• Significant experience with Espressif ESP32 platforms using ESP-IDF, including RTOS-based development, OTA update mechanisms, low-level driver integration (I2C, SPI, UART, ADC, GPIO), and production firmware deployment.
• Direct, demonstrable experience developing connected-device firmware on modern wireless platforms such as ESP32, including Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi-Fi, and related connectivity technologies.
• Hands-on experience with wireless communication stacks such as BLE and Wi-Fi at the firmware level.
• Experience debugging protocol-level communication issues, wireless connectivity problems, device provisioning flows, and interoperability challenges in connected-device ecosystems.
• Experience connecting devices to cloud IoT platforms such as AWS IoT Core using MQTT over TLS, including certificate-based authentication and device state synchronization.
• Experience integrating sensors, actuators, and peripherals such as RFID readers, accelerometers, motion sensors, LEDs, and pumps.
• Comfortable reading technical specifications and translating them into production-quality firmware implementations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Contributions to open-source ESP-IDF or nRF Connect SDK project.
• Background in adjacent protocols — Thread, Zigbee, Z-Wave, BLE Mesh.
• History of working in a consultancy or product development firm where they've shipped across multiple product lines.
• Comfort with hardware debug toolchains — JTAG/SWD, logic analyzers, protocol sniffers.
• Experience standing up CI/CD for firmware builds and automated test harnesses.
• Experience with Nordic nRF-series platforms using nRF Connect SDK.
• Familiarity with embedded security concepts such as secure boot, flash encryption, key management, device attestation, and secure firmware updates.
• Experience designing OTA update strategies with rollback and staged rollouts.
• Experience working with contract manufacturers on factory flashing, device provisioning, and production readiness.
• Experience supporting hardware through EVT/DVT/PVT builds and FCC certification.
• Familiarity with Protocol Buffers or similar serialization formats for device messaging.
• Python scripting for test tooling and device automation.

Skills

• Client Obsessed: Ensures clients always have the right information, context, and confidence in delivery.
• Communicates Clearly: Translates complexity into clarity for both internal and external stakeholders.
• Thrives in the Grind: Finds satisfaction in the details that make complex work run smoothly.
• Learns Relentlessly: Grows fast, asks good questions, and applies lessons quickly.
• Brings Structure: Creates order and clarity in dynamic, technical environments.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Compensation: $126,500 CAD, commensurate with experience.
• Variable Compensation: Up to 10% annual performance bonus.
• Group RRSP match (Employer contributes 4% of your annual income).
• $150 USD/mo cell/internet stipend.
• $600 USD/yr home office equipment stipend.
• Extended healthcare, dental, and vision insurance.
• Professional development stipend.
• Loaned MacBook Pro.
• Annual team retreat.