Firmware Engineering Lead

Company Overview

Echo Neurotechnologies is an exciting new startup in the Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) space, driving innovation through advanced hardware engineering and AI solutions. Our mission is to deliver cutting-edge technologies that restore autonomy to people living with disabilities and improve their quality of life.

Team Culture

Join a small, dedicated team of knowledgeable and motivated professionals. Our early-stage environment offers the opportunity to take ownership of broad decisions with significant and long-lasting impact. We emphasize continuous learning and growth, fostering cross-functional collaboration where your contributions are vital to our success.

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Firmware Engineering Lead to drive the firmware architecture and execution for next-generation implantable medical devices. In this role, you will initially operate as the sole firmware architect as an individual contributor, taking ownership of hands-on bring-up, real-time control, and low-power architecture. As the platform matures, you will expand and lead a dedicated team of firmware engineers, shaping both the technical roadmap and day-to-day execution. Your work will help translate research-validated neurotechnology into dependable, commercially ready product features.

Role Responsibilities

• Firmware Architecture & IC Execution: Architect, implement, and debug low-power MCU/SoC firmware for active implantable devices, handling real-time sensing, actuation, and wireless data streaming.
• Mentorship & Process: Introduce engineering best practices—including CI/CD pipelines, code reviews, and modular architecture—while coaching and mentoring engineers through regular feedback and technical guidance.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with electrical, mechanical, quality, and regulatory teams to ensure system designs meet strict power, thermal, safety, and compliance budgets.
• Team Growth & Leadership: Build and scale a high-performing firmware team from the ground up, transitioning into a direct line management role to lead technical strategy, resource planning, and day-to-day execution.
• Quality & Regulatory Compliance: Produce rigorous technical documentation, firmware specifications, and verification suites to support regulatory submissions for safety-critical medical software.

Role Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of embedded firmware experience in C/C++, spanning the full medical device lifecycle—from early proof-of-concept and evaluation kits through architecture design, regulatory release, and post-launch support.
• Deep experience developing bare-metal or RTOS firmware on resource-constrained microcontrollers, including hands-on hardware bring-up, low-power optimization, and standard digital interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, BLE).
• Direct experience working within medical device design controls, risk management, and quality systems, with strong knowledge of relevant standards (IEC 62304, ISO 13485, ISO 14971, and FDA regulations).
• Demonstrated track record as a technical lead, task owner, or engineering manager with the skills and passion to mentor and scale a team.
• Strong cross-functional communication skills and comfort driving results in an early-stage, fast-paced hardware development environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience developing firmware for active implantable medical devices or ultra-low-power body-worn sensors.
• Experience setting up hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, automated regression frameworks, and firmware CI/CD pipelines.
• Expert proficiency in Python for developing and maintaining tooling.
• Prior experience shaping engineering roadmaps and managing direct reports.

What We Offer

• An opportunity to work on exciting, cutting-edge projects to transform patients’ lives in a highly collaborative work environment.

• Competitive compensation, including stock options.

• Comprehensive benefits package.

• 401(k) program with matching contributions.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Confidentiality

All applications will be treated confidentially. Applicants may be asked to sign an NDA after the initial stages of the interview process.