StandardBots Staff Firmware Engineer at StandardBots to lead firmware architecture and bring-up for Bolt's mobile base. Own firmware for drive modules, power systems, sensors, and cross-team interfaces ensuring reliable robot operation.
Responsibilities
We're looking for an exceptional Staff Firmware Engineer to lead the firmware of Bolt's mobile base. This role sets the firmware architecture for that base from the first prototype: drive and motor control, power and battery systems, sensors and I/O, and the communication that ties them to the robot's compute.
Bring-up and architecture
Define the Architecture: Own the firmware architecture across every controller on the base: partitioning, communication buses, timing, update paths, and diagnostics
Bring Up the Fleet: Lead firmware bring-up for each prototype build with the electrical and mechanical teams, on a hardware schedule that doesn't move. That includes board support packages, drivers, and bootloaders
Pragmatic Trade-Offs: Make clear, pragmatic calls on what each build needs now and what can wait, balancing long-term vision with timely delivery
Shape the Hardware: Partner with electrical engineers from schematic review onward, so every board is easy to bring up, test, and debug
Standard Setter: Set the coding standards, review practices, test expectations, and release process for all AMR firmware
Motion, power, and sensors
Motion Foundations: Own firmware for the drive modules and their motor control. That covers current, velocity, and steering loops, encoder feedback, and coordinated control of all wheels
Power and Batteries: Own firmware for power sequencing, battery management communication, charging and docking, and battery swap
Sensors and I/O: Integrate the sensors and peripherals on the base, and deliver their data reliably to the robot's compute
Cross-Team Interfaces: Define the interfaces between firmware and the navigation, fleet, and safety software, and between the base and Bolt's upper body
Qualification
Skills you'll bringExperienceMotor ControlEmbedded DepthBring-Up SkillsPower SystemsLeadershipCross-Functional InfluenceClarity of CommunicationImpact DrivenProactive SimplicityPrior work on mobile robots
Required
We're looking for a firmware leader who has taken a battery-powered robot or vehicle from first boards to a fielded fleet. You lead by writing the hard parts yourself, and you know what it takes for firmware to survive thousands of hours on a factory floor. You're comfortable operating with complete independence.
Skills you'll bring
Experience: 8+ years of embedded firmware development, including leading firmware for a battery-powered product with motors through production
Motor Control: Hands-on motor control firmware experience (FOC, current sensing, encoders), ideally for traction or steering drives
Embedded Depth: Mastery of C / C++ on microcontrollers, RTOS design, real-time scheduling, interrupts and DMA, and peripheral drivers
Bring-Up Skills: Fluent with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, DMMs, and schematics. You diagnose timing, signaling, and electrical issues at the bench
Power Systems: Experience with power sequencing, BMS communication, and charging
Leadership: You've led engineers through an NPI cycle and made them better
Cross-Functional Influence: Proven ability to influence technical direction without direct authority and successfully partner with hardware engineering, motion planning, safety, and executive leadership
Clarity of Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, capable of synthesizing complex technical risks and strategies for non-technical leadership
Impact Driven: You relentlessly seek user impact and value execution over technical idealism
Proactive Simplicity: A relentless drive to reduce complexity, improve operational simplicity, and proactively identify organizational-level technical risks and address them before they become crises
Preferred
Prior work on mobile robots, AGVs, or autonomous vehicles
Swerve, omnidirectional, or other multi-wheel steering drive control
Functional safety development (ISO 13849, IEC 61508)
Over-the-air firmware update systems for fielded fleets