Demo

Staff Embedded Software Engineer

Alcatraz
Cupertino, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 5/28/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 11/23/2026

About the role:


Are you a seasoned software engineer who thrives at the intersection of low-level systems programming and cutting-edge wireless technologies? We're looking for a Staff Embedded Software Engineer to join our engineering team and serve as a technical pillar, architecting robust, power-efficient, production-ready software at scale.

 

 

Responsibilities:

  • You'll own software architecture and delivery for connected devices on Arm application SOCs, microcontrollers. Day to day you'll be:
  • Designing and implementing real-time firmware using FreeRTOS/Zephyr — task management, queues, semaphores, memory management, and power optimization
  • Leading development of wireless protocol stacks including Wi-Fi, BLE, UWB, and NFC
  • Defining HAL abstractions and BSP strategies across hardware generations
  • Championing secure boot, encrypted OTA, and key provisioning best practices
  • Debugging complex system-level issues with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers
  • Shaping our technical roadmap and influencing cross-functional architecture decisions


Requirements:

  • 10 years of embedded software experience with at least 2 years in a Staff or Lead role
  • Deep hands-on expertise with FreeRTOS/Zephyr/Embedded Linux and ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers/applications processors
  • Proven experience with Wi-Fi, BLE, UWB, and NFC protocol stacks
  • Strong C/C skills for bare-metal and RTOS-based development
  • Embedded Linux experience — including Yocto build system for production SOM/SBC platforms 
  • Hands-on experience with NXP i.MX8/9 series application processors, board bring-up, BSP customization, and peripheral driver development 
  • Cryptography and security fundamentals — AES, RSA/ECC, TLS/DTLS, secure key storage, and hardware security modules (HSM/SE) 
  • Solid hardware debugging skills — you're comfortable with a schematic and a logic analyzer


Nice to have:

  • Experience with NXP RW612, STM32, or NXP i.MX9 series
  • Background in TrustZone, HSE, or secure element integration
  • Yocto / embedded Linux open-source contributions
  • Knowledge of NFC standards (ISO 14443, ISO 15693, NDEF)
  • Experience shipping firmware at high volume through manufacturing and field deployment


About Alcatraz 


Alcatraz, we're not just modernizing access — we're humanizing security. As pioneers in AI-powered facial authentication, we're shaping the next generation of trust and identity.

Trusted by global enterprises and backed by leading global investors, we're scaling fast. You'll have the opportunity to make a direct and meaningful impact on our next phase of growth and help define how the world sees us. Join a team that moves boldly, challenges convention, and believes innovation starts with integrity.

 

Alcatraz AI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

Salary.com Estimation for Staff Embedded Software Engineer in Cupertino, CA
$146,138 to $169,019
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