A shortlist typically within 72 hours, usually contributing inside two weeks, and 30-day replacement support if the fit is wrong (terms in your agreement).
Shortlist typically in 72 hours · 30-day replacement support · Month-to-month
Embedded software lives under constraints web developers rarely see: limited memory, real-time deadlines, hardware that misbehaves, and devices already in the field that are hard to update. A bug in firmware can mean a product recall instead of a quick redeploy.
A senior embedded engineer writes code with those constraints in mind, works comfortably with hardware teams and oscilloscopes as well as compilers, and builds update paths so field devices can be fixed safely.
Memory-safe patterns, static allocation and careful use of the heap.
FreeRTOS, Zephyr or similar, with tasks, queues and timing.
JTAG, logic analysers and oscilloscopes, not just print statements.
SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, BLE and others.
Yocto, Buildroot, device trees and kernel drivers.
Secure boot, signed images and OTA with rollback.
Field failures. Memory corruption, timing bugs and race conditions often appear only under real conditions.
Bricked devices. Update mechanisms without rollback can leave devices unusable.
Security exposure. Connected devices with weak authentication or unsigned firmware are easy targets.
Every engineer we put forward has at least five years of hands-on experience. Within that, here is how the levels differ.
Senior Engineer (5–8 years). Writes firmware in C and C++ for microcontrollers such as ARM Cortex-M, works with FreeRTOS or Zephyr, writes drivers for sensors and peripherals, and debugs on hardware.
Lead / Architect (8+ years). Owns firmware architecture, embedded Linux platforms, secure boot and over-the-air updates, and works closely with hardware design teams.
Firmware development. Microcontroller firmware with RTOS, drivers and communication protocols
Embedded Linux. Yocto or Buildroot images, board bring-up and device drivers
IoT connectivity. BLE, Wi-Fi, LoRa or cellular connectivity with secure cloud communication
OTA and security. Secure boot, signed firmware and safe over-the-air update systems
Week one. They review the firmware architecture, toolchain, build and test setup, and known field issues.
Weeks two and three. First fixes or features tested on real hardware, with clear notes for the hardware team.
Week four. A written list of reliability, security and update risks, ranked by impact.
Hiring application C++ developers. Embedded work needs experience with hardware, memory limits and real-time constraints.
No hardware-in-the-loop testing. Tests on real hardware catch problems simulators miss.
Leaving updates for later. Design the OTA and rollback path before the first device ships.
Rates depend on seniority, platform and engagement length. See the cost guide for market ranges, or tell us the role and we will give you a firm number.
Tell us the role and we will typically send a shortlist within 72 hours.
Tell Us the RoleTell us the role. Three to five profiles, typically within 72 hours.