About the role
As a Senior Embedded Engineer in SumUp’s Hardware Tribe, you will be part of a small and highly skilled cross-functional team working alongside Hardware Engineers, Product Managers, QA Engineers, and more. You will play a central role in bringing up SumUp’s next-generation Android-based payment devices — from bootloader and kernel all the way through to framework integration and validation.
This is a relatively new role as SumUp transitions to the Android platform for its in-house hardware products. Unlike most Android devices, our hardware is a highly customised, security-focused payment device built from scratch — requiring a deep understanding of both embedded hardware and software.
The role is based on-site in our office in Berlin. We believe in the power of face-to-face conversations that happen organically when working next to one another.
About the team
You have probably used our card readers to buy a cappuccino or pay your hairdresser already. In Hardware, we are passionate about creating beautifully designed card payment devices and accessories that enable our merchants to start, run, and grow their own businesses. In doing so, we deal with a diverse range of engineering topics — industrial and electronic design, embedded systems, all the way to mobile apps and backend services.
We believe in open communication and constant learning over strict rules. If you’re looking for the chance to innovate and help millions of small independent merchants succeed — join us!
What you’ll do
- Perform system bring-up for the Android Embedded platform, including bootloader, kernel, and driver integration
- Develop and integrate SumUp custom modules — including kernel drivers, power management, and connectivity components
- Maintain and improve the build system, ensuring stability and scalability across the platform
- Debug hardware and software issues at the protocol level (I2C, SPI, UART, SDIO, etc.)
- Carry out testing and validation to ensure new releases are delivered with the right quality and on time
- Collaborate closely with Hardware Engineers, QA, Product Managers, and Manufacturing/Supply Chain teams
- Independently deliver features on Android OS and contribute to a culture of engineering excellence within the Hardware Tribe
You’ll be great for this role if:
- You have 5+ years of professional experience in embedded systems development with a strong focus on Android & AOSP
- You have hands-on experience debugging hardware interfaces at the protocol level (I2C, SPI, UART, SDIO, etc.)
- You have deep knowledge of the Android OS architecture — from bootloader (U-Boot, Little Kernel) and kernel to the framework and services
- You have expert-level proficiency in C programming for embedded Linux environments
- You have hands-on experience with at least one of the following platforms: Qualcomm Snapdragon or MediaTek
- You have solid understanding of embedded security concepts: Secure Boot, TrustZone (TEE), dm-verity, file-based encryption, and hardware-backed key storage
- You have proficiency with embedded debugging tools (e.g., JTAG, logic analyzers, kernel debuggers)
Why you should join SumUp
- The opportunity to work on large scale fintech products used by millions of small businesses around the world
- A dedicated annual Learning & Development budget for attending conferences and/or advancing your career through further education
- Enrollment onto our virtual stock ownership program - you will own a stake in SumUp’s future success
- A corporate pension scheme
- 28 days paid leave + 1 for birthday
- You’ll attend global offsites and/or hackathons.
- You'd enjoy other great benefits such as Urban Sports Club subsidy, Kita placement assistance, subsidized office lunches and other location-tailored benefits, Babbel language platform subscription and more!
Job Application Tip
We recognise that candidates feel they need to meet 100% of the job criteria in order to apply for a job. Please note that this is only a guide. If you don’t tick every box, it’s ok too because it means you have room to learn and develop your career at SumUp.
Skills Required
- 5+ years of professional experience in embedded systems development with focus on Android OS
- Hands-on experience debugging hardware interfaces at the protocol level (I2C, SPI, UART, SDIO)
- Deep knowledge of the Android OS architecture
- Expert-level proficiency in C programming for embedded Linux environments
- Hands-on experience with Qualcomm Snapdragon or MediaTek platforms
- Solid understanding of embedded security concepts
- Proficiency with embedded debugging tools
SumUp Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about SumUp and has not been reviewed or approved by SumUp.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off is positioned as a standout, including 22 vacation days that increase with tenure, public holidays, a quarterly Wellness Day, special leave, and a fully paid one‑month sabbatical after three years. This combination makes time-off benefits feel notably robust in the overall rewards package.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is described as comprehensive, with medical plan options (including carriers such as Cigna and Kaiser) plus dental and vision. Company-paid life insurance and disability coverage are also part of the protection package in the U.S. materials.
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Retirement Support — Retirement benefits include a published 401(k) match formula that provides an employer match up to a stated cap. The clarity of the match structure supports straightforward evaluation during offer comparisons.
SumUp Insights
What We Do
SumUp believes that every business should have access to affordable, easy-to-use financial solutions, no matter their size. That’s why more than 3 million businesses worldwide rely on SumUp to run their business. What started out as one card reader has now turned into a range of payment hardware, banking solutions, marketing, and loyalty tools, invoicing, and so much more. From sales and marketing to product and engineering, our cross-functional US team works together to ensure that small business owners can be successful doing what they love.
Why Work With Us
SumUp USA is part of the global SumUp organization that stretches across multiple continents from Berlin to Sao Paulo. Our teams are multicultural, have a collaborative mindset and bold goals. Join our mission if you want to become part of the success story and help empower over 3 million merchants using SumUp already!
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