An Embedded Software Engineer is a professional who specializes in designing, developing, and testing software systems that are integrated into hardware devices. These engineers possess a unique skill set that combines programming expertise with a deep understanding of hardware components and systems. In this blog post, we will delve into the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for Embedded Software Engineers.

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Main Responsibilities of an Embedded Software Engineer

The following list describes the typical responsibilities of an Embedded Software Engineer:

Adhere to

Adhere to project schedules and meet project deadlines.

Advocate

Advocate and demonstrate programming best practices.

Analyze

Analyze and optimize system performance, memory, and power consumption.

Apply

Apply principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis.

Assess

Assess third party and open source software.

Assist in

• Assist and lead in some early product demonstrations to customers.

• Assist in the selection and evaluation of hardware components.

• Assist with system integration, verification and validation, and effectiveness analysis.

Automate

Automate tests so they can be run regularly as part of continuous integration.

Build

• Build a common firmware platform for all of Square's hardware products.

• Build, manage, and maintain a distributed test network.

• Build new tools for performance testing, debug, and benchmarking.

• Build reliable tools to support firmware development and product debugging.

Carry out

Carry out in reading and debugging source code in C.

Collaborate with

• Collaborate well in a team environment.

• Collaborate with Architects and Marketing on product requirements and deployment scenarios.

• Collaborate with co-workers and external hardware developers to shape our next great product.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure software-hardware compatibility.

• Collaborate with external partners and universities as needed.

• Collaborate with hardware engineers to define system requirements.

• Collaborate with hardware, platform, safety, performance and algorithmic teams.

• Collaborate with product managers to define software requirements.

• Collaborate with quality assurance teams to ensure software reliability.

• Collaborate with vendors and suppliers to acquire necessary software resources.

Commit

Commit to the product and ensure maximum quality for your deliveries.

Communicate

• Communicate results to customers, suppliers, team members, and other business units.

• Communicate well and work well in a small cross-functional team.

• Communicate with leadership on status, issues, milestones, and successes.

Complete

Complete systems integration and software requirements.

Conduct

• Conduct code reviews and ensure compliance with coding standards.

• Conduct feasibility studies and risk assessments for software projects.

• Conduct hardware-software integration testing.

• Conduct performance analysis and optimize embedded systems.

• Conduct system-level testing and validation of embedded software.

• Conduct technical investigations into software and system level defects and problems.

Contribute

Contribute to the development of EMVCo Layer 2 payment software in Square's hardware products.

Coordinate

Coordinate and participate in architecture, requirements, design, code, and test case reviews.

Craft

Craft and develop software written in C / Python for embedded microservices.

Create

Create development libraries for use by customers as part of their system integration.

Debug

Debug and troubleshoot embedded software issues.

Defect

Defect tracking and metrics.

Define

Define test cases and write test automation which effectively validates module designs.

Deploy

Deploy outsourced software development efforts via external partners and subcontractors.

Design

• Design and develop automation software written in Python for Networking features.

• Design and develop L2 protocols like LAG, CFM and R-APS.

• Design and Develop medical device.

• Design and develop software for embedded Linux systems.

• Design and implement embedded software architectures.

• Design and implement embedded software for mobile telematics.

• Design and implement product features.

• Design – Identify and scope the required task, organize and build detailed plan and design.

• Design systems and components that meet needs and requirements.

Determine

Determine new product requirements to determine required data structures and behaviors.

Develop

• Develop and facilitate software requirements and test procedures.

• Develop and maintain embedded software applications.

• Develop code and test sequences for early prototypes, pre-production and production samples.

• Develop code for control algorithms and communication.

• Develop common platform software in C / C for line system products in Linux.

• Develop customer requirements for new products.

• Develop, design and test the firmware for the new robotic product.

• Develop documentation of a given design and give technical presentations to peers / managers.

• Develop embedded software in support of wall controls, thermostats, and embedded equipment controls.

• Develop high-quality software design and architecture.

• Develop / modify embedded C software for MDPS real-time control systems.

• Develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures.

• Develop Positioning Algorithms and Software Modules.

• Develop productive internal / external working relationships.

• Develop requirements, development plans, test plans and risk management solutions.

• Develop software skills to design, develop, validate and detail the Platform bringup process.

• Develop software test procedures, software programs, and related documentation.

• Develop software validation plans and test cases.

• Develop, test and debug firmware for state-of-the art embedded systems.

• Develop test plans to validate the SW before releases in the V-Cycle.

Document

Document and repair errors related to software.

Do

• Do desk and field research to generate and validate requirements.

• Do PCB bring-up, testing, debugging and solving complex multi-disciplinary issues.

Draw up

• Draw up personal schedules and reports on progress in a structured and methodical way.

• Draw up the program of activities for own area of responsibility.

Drive

Drive feasibility studies of the design to determine if capable of functioning as intended.

Enhance

Enhance software architecture and technology stack.

Ensure

• Ensure appropriate community engagement models when leveraging open source.

• Ensure code and artifacts are maintained to guidelines.

• Ensure software is up-to-date with latest technologies.

• Ensure that system improvements are successfully implemented and monitored to increase efficiency.

Estimate

Estimate the budget and scope of the project.

Evaluate

• Evaluate existing work processes and initiates practices to promote continuous improvement.

• Evaluate the final product's overall performance, reliability, and safety.

Execute

• Execute established test plans and protocols for assigned portions of code.

• Execute trade-off studies and recommend solution.

Expand

Expand and modify existing firmware to meet marketing requirements.

Facilitate

Facilitate and manage the resources made available to associates.

Follow

• Follow approved Design Control procedures for software development in accordance with FDA guidelines.

• Follow quality process when developing features and investigating issues.

Generate

Generate Software Metrics for Unit Testing, Integration Testing.

Guide

Guide technical and architectural decisions.

Identify

• Identify and resolve software defects and vulnerabilities.

• Identify and support development needs for local team's control logic applications.

• Identify, prioritize and execute tasks in the software development life cycle.

• Identify root cause, debug & deliver robust timely fixes.

• Identify software performance improvements.

• Identify work and ensure the team is focused on providing high and meaningful value.

Implement

• Implement new firmware, improve existing firmware, reuse and integrate image processing functions.

• Implement security measures and encryption algorithms for embedded systems.

Integrate

• Integrate and validate new product designs.

• Integrate, debug, and test software on development boards and target hardware.

• Integrate software with hardware components and peripherals.

Interface with

Interface with PC software and hardware manufacturing teams.

Investigate

• Investigate, debug, and resolve issues reported from testing and support.

• Investigate, prototype and deliver new and innovative system solutions.

Lead

• Lead and participates in software inspections and design reviews.

• Lead board-bringup and be responsible for (AUTOSAR based) BSW stack on new automotive ECU.

• Lead DFMEA efforts with the development team using standard FMEA software tool.

• Lead high-level design activities for new product features.

• Lead, inspire and mentor a world-class platform software organization.

• Lead or enable project completion.

Maintain

• Maintain an outside-in approach for the designs created.

• Maintain the embedded software for current products, including adding new features and functionality.

Manage

• Manage major software projects.

• Manage the relationship with team and management.

• Manage version control and configuration management of embedded software.

Mentor

• Mentor and assist junior engineers in their professional development.

• Mentor junior team members on secure software development best Practices.

• Mentor more junior members of the team where necessary.

Navigate

Navigate the complexities of FDA and ISO / IEC standards to include ISO.

Notify

Notify the SW team lead if required skills are missing for the task execution.

Obtain

Obtain and licenses software by obtaining required information from vendors.

Operate

Operate software development tools, lab equipment or other equipment to perform engineering.

Optimize

Optimize firmware for low-power operation.

Participate in

• Participate in code reviews and provide constructive feedback.

• Participate in design and code review.

• Participate in design reviews, API development, and documentation.

• Participate in hardware and software design reviews, and support product testing and validation.

• Participate in on-line community forums, answering questions, and proposing solutions.

• Participate in System design, coordination with teams and internal product management.

• Participate in the design of various embedded software applications.

• Participate in the selection and evaluation of software tools and frameworks.

Perform

• Perform hands-on test and debugging of firmware and circuitry.

• Perform other related duties and responsibilities, on occasion, as assigned.

• Perform security architecture and design review of new products and features.

• Perform software configuration management and build and release source code.

Prepare

Prepare project plans in consultation with stakeholders to work towards executing the same.

Process

Process variables, such as temperatures, pressures, or positions.

Produce

Produce functional specifications and design documents.

Prototype

Prototype and evaluate solutions on target hardware platforms.

Provide

• Provide accurate task timelines.

• Provide basic status reporting for feature of ownership.

• Provide software process leadership and guidance supporting product development.

• Provide training, guidance, and mentorship to junior staff.

Read

Read and modify existing code in pre-created software development kits (SDK).

Recommend

Recommend, plan, and lead software development improvement initiatives.

Report

• Report frequently on progress against key project deliverables.

• Report status, risks, and estimates-to-complete on all tasks to project management.

Research

• Research and develop new technology software systems in a C++ Linux Development Environment.

• Research new technologies and create cost-effective applications for existing technologies.

• Research technologies to help with software development.

Review

Review product requirements and customer use cases.

Solicit

Solicit observations from operators and users.

Stay updated with

Stay updated with emerging technologies and industry trends.

Support

• Support and maintain developed code through system test and customer deployments.

• Support of testing activities in the release where feature is delivered.

• Support software QA and optimize I / O performance.

• Support the certification of this payment software in all of Square's hardware products.

• Support the manufacturing and production processes of embedded systems.

Take

Take ownership of embedded system design cycle from requirements through launch and beyond.

Test

• Test and analyze smart cards, devices, and mobile networks.

• Test and document software for client applications.

• Test and verify software functionality on embedded platforms.

• Test Driven Development in the embedded domain.

Track

Track and report prototyping and other costs / payables.

Translate

Translate incomplete / ambiguous / verbal requirements into detailed technical specifications.

Triage

• Triage and resolve bugs and problems.

• Triage and resolve customer issues.

Troubleshoot

• Troubleshoot and fix reported issues with routing protocol and services.

• Troubleshoot and resolve customer-reported software issues.

• Troubleshoot issues and work with hardware, software and system engineers to identify the root cause.

Update

Update job knowledge by studying state-of-the-art development tools, programming.

Use

• Use source debuggers and visual development environments.

• Use UML to develop written documentation for firmware designs.

Work with

• Work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure system designs are cohesive, on-time and on-cost.

• Work closely with other engineering disciplines as well as commercial and medical team members.

• Work collaboratively with software engineers, and SW QA.

• Work with electrical engineers to bring up new, custom hardware.

• Work with hardware and firmware teams co-designing optimal solutions.

• Work with QA to verify the software and product work the way customers expect.

• Work with requirements and prototypes from cross-teams (R& D, Software, HW,).

• Work with Software Engineers to integrate such embedded systems with the overall system such as NMS.

• Work with Software Quality Assurance and Technical Support to determine and resolve issues.

• Work with system architects to develop product architectures.

• Work with the HW engineer to select the right power module.

• Work with them to ensure success through accountability and transparency.

• Work with the software team to improve the quality of our next products.

Write

• Write and maintain technical documentation for software projects.

• Write communication protocol and drivers for various MCUs and peripherals.

• Write efficient and optimized code for embedded systems.

• Write great code within the constraints of tiny embedded systems.

Most In-demand Hard Skills

The following list describes the most required technical skills of an Embedded Software Engineer:

1. Proficiency in programming languages like C, C++, and assembly language.

2. Knowledge of embedded systems and microcontroller architectures.

3. Experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS) and firmware development.

4. Understanding of hardware-software interfaces and communication protocols.

5. Familiarity with embedded software development tools, such as compilers and debuggers.

6. Expertise in low-level hardware programming and device driver development.

7. Understanding of embedded software development methodologies and best practices.

8. Knowledge of digital signal processing (DSP) and algorithm implementation.

9. Experience with embedded Linux and kernel customization.

10. Familiarity with hardware description languages (HDL) like VHDL or Verilog.

11. Understanding of hardware design principles and electronic circuits.

12. Proficiency in software testing and debugging techniques for embedded systems.

13. Knowledge of network protocols and communication interfaces (e.g., Ethernet, USB, SPI).

14. Experience with wireless technologies like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or cellular networks.

15. Understanding of security concepts and protocols for embedded systems.

16. Expertise in software optimization techniques for memory and performance.

17. Knowledge of system-on-chip (SoC) architectures and development boards.

18. Experience with software configuration management tools (e.g., Git, SVN).

19. Understanding of software development life cycles (SDLC) for embedded systems.

20. Proficiency in reading datasheets and technical specifications of hardware components.

Most In-demand Soft Skills

The following list describes the most required soft skills of an Embedded Software Engineer:

1. Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking abilities.

2. Effective communication and collaboration skills for teamwork.

3. Attention to detail and thoroughness in software development.

4. Ability to work independently and meet project deadlines.

5. Adaptability and willingness to learn new technologies.

6. Strong organizational and time management skills.

7. Creativity and innovation in designing software solutions.

8. Good documentation and technical writing skills.

9. Strong commitment to quality and software reliability.

10. Ability to work under pressure and handle challenging situations.

Conclusion

Being an Embedded Software Engineer requires a diverse skill set that combines technical expertise with problem-solving abilities and effective collaboration. This blog post outlined the primary responsibilities of an Embedded Software Engineer and highlighted the most in-demand hard and soft skills for excelling in this field. By mastering these skills, aspiring and seasoned professionals can navigate the complexities of embedded systems and contribute to the development of innovative and reliable software solutions.