About the Role
The Firmware Engineering Manager is responsible for leading firmware development activities for flow control products and supporting electronic devices used in engineering test stands. This role is responsible for managing firmware engineers, establishing development standards and processes, overseeing firmware project execution, and ensuring firmware quality and maintainability throughout the product lifecycle.
The Firmware Engineering Manager provides technical leadership for embedded firmware development while managing employee performance, workload prioritization, customer interactions, firmware feature planning, and product support activities. This role may also contribute directly to firmware development activities when needed.
What You’ll Do
Lead and manage a team of firmware engineers responsible for embedded product development.
Assign work, establish priorities, monitor progress, and ensure timely completion of firmware deliverables.
Manage employee performance, coaching, career development, hiring, and staffing activities.
Define and maintain firmware development workflows, coding standards, documentation requirements, and development best practices.
Establish and oversee firmware quality processes including code reviews, design reviews, testing, defect management, release control, and configuration management.
Provide technical leadership for firmware architecture, design decisions, implementation approaches, and long-term platform sustainability.
Collaborate with Systems Engineering, Product Management, Electronics Engineering, Manufacturing, and customers to define firmware requirements, acceptance criteria, and implementation priorities.
Develop firmware project estimates, resource plans, execution schedules, and development priorities.
Identify technical and project risks and implement mitigation plans.
Manage the firmware feature backlog, prioritization, and roadmap planning in alignment with product objectives.
Communicate firmware project status, technical issues, risks, and priorities across the organization.
Engage with customers regarding firmware functionality, feature requests, troubleshooting, and technical discussions.
Oversee implementation and maintenance of embedded communication protocols and device interfaces.
Ensure firmware verification plans, test coverage, and validation activities are appropriately defined and executed.
Support product development through requirements definition, implementation, verification, validation, release, and transition to manufacturing.
Support manufacturing, field service, and sustaining engineering teams with firmware-related issues, diagnostics, and product improvements.
Drive resolution of firmware-related field issues, root cause investigations, corrective actions, and product reliability improvements.
Manage firmware technical debt, maintainability improvements, and platform evolution.
Ensure firmware development practices support product reliability, robustness, maintainability, and security requirements.
Contribute directly to firmware development, testing, debugging, and troubleshooting activities as required.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
8+ years of firmware, embedded software, or embedded controls development experience.
2+ years of engineering leadership or management experience.
Strong experience developing embedded firmware using C and C++.
Experience with microcontroller-based embedded systems and real-time control applications.
Experience with standard microcontroller peripherals and communication interfaces including UART, SPI, I2C, GPIO, ADC, PWM, CAN, Ethernet, EtherCAT, or similar technologies.
Understanding of embedded system architecture, resource-constrained systems, and firmware design principles.
Ability to read and understand electronic schematics and hardware/firmware interfaces.
Familiarity with debugging tools, source control systems, issue tracking systems, testing methodologies, and firmware development workflows.
Strong problem-solving, communication, project management, and customer-facing skills.
Ability to balance technical contributions with people management responsibilities.
For candidates based in California: The pay range for this position is $131,500 - $223,600 per year.
Our pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional job-related factors, including knowledge, skills, experience, tenure, and relevant education or training. The pay scale is subject to change depending on business needs. Your recruiter can share more about the specific range for your location during the hiring process.
Ichor is committed to supporting your personal well-being and professional development. Our benefits are designed to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance, provide peace of mind, and prepare for your future. We offer medical, dental, and vision plans across all locations, allowing team members to select the coverage that best meets their healthcare needs and budget. Our benefits also include a paid time-off program and paid holidays to support your time away from work. A summary of our Benefits will be provided during the interview process.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, a related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience
- 8+ years of firmware, embedded software, or embedded controls development experience
- 2+ years of engineering leadership or management experience
- Strong experience developing embedded firmware using C and C++
- Experience with microcontroller-based embedded systems and real-time control applications
- Experience with microcontroller peripherals and communication interfaces including UART, SPI, I2C, GPIO, ADC, PWM, CAN, Ethernet, EtherCAT, or similar technologies
- Understanding of embedded system architecture, resource-constrained systems, and firmware design principles
- Ability to read and understand electronic schematics and hardware/firmware interfaces
- Familiarity with debugging tools, source control systems, issue tracking systems, testing methodologies, and firmware development workflows
- Strong problem-solving, communication, project management, and customer-facing skills
- Ability to balance technical contributions with people management responsibilities
Ichor Systems, Inc. Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Ichor Systems, Inc. and has not been reviewed or approved by Ichor Systems, Inc..
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Affordable Benefits — A premium‑free medical plan fully covered by the employer is available for eligible U.S. employees, with indications of premium‑free family coverage in some contexts. Coverage breadth includes medical, dental, vision, and tax‑advantaged HSA/FSA options.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) match of 50% on the first 8% with immediate vesting supports long‑term savings. Life and disability insurance further reinforce financial protection.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — An Employee Stock Purchase Plan at a 15% discount enables broad participation in ownership. Plan availability is described as global, subject to standard plan terms.
Ichor Systems, Inc. Insights
What We Do
We are a leader in the design, engineering, and manufacturing of critical fluid delivery subsystems and components for semiconductor capital equipment. Our product offerings include gas and chemical delivery systems and subsystems, collectively known as fluid delivery systems and subsystems, which are key elements of the process tools used in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices. Our gas delivery subsystems deliver, monitor, and control precise quantities of the specialized gases used in semiconductor manufacturing processes such as etch and deposition. Our chemical delivery systems and subsystems precisely blend and dispense the reactive liquid chemistries used in semiconductor manufacturing processes such as chemical-mechanical planarization, electroplating, and cleaning. We also provide precision-machined components, weldments, e‑beam and laser-welded components, precision vacuum and hydrogen brazing and surface treatment technologies, and other proprietary products. This vertically integrated portion of our business is primarily focused on metal and plastic parts that are used in gas and chemical systems, respectively. We are strategically located to provide the highest level of customer service and support from our program management, sales, engineering, and executive management teams. Ichor is headquartered in Fremont, California, and we have production facilities in California, Oregon, Texas, Nevada, Minnesota, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Mexico, and the UK, staffed by our 2000+ team members.
