Parallel Systems is pioneering autonomous battery-electric rail vehicles designed to transform freight transportation by shifting portions of the $900 billion U.S. trucking industry onto rail. Our innovative technology offers cleaner, safer, and more efficient logistics solutions. Join our dynamic team and help shape a smarter, greener future for global freight.
Senior Embedded Software Engineer
Parallel Systems is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to design, develop, and optimize embedded systems that power our autonomous rail vehicles. In this role, you will create robust, real-time software that interfaces directly with hardware components, sensors, and control systems to enable safe and reliable autonomous rail operations.
This position requires deep expertise in embedded systems programming, hardware-software integration, and real-time system design, as well as the ability to work closely with hardware engineers and cross-functional teams to deliver production-ready embedded solutions.
Responsibilities
- Design and develop embedded software for bare-metal and RTOS-based systems, ensuring real-time performance and reliability
- Implement digital communication protocols and interfaces with peripheral devices, sensors, and actuators
- Architect state machines and command/control systems for autonomous vehicle operations
- Write high-performance, memory-efficient code primarily in Rust for resource-constrained environments
- Collaborate with hardware engineers to debug, validate, and optimize hardware-software interfaces
- Develop comprehensive unit and integration test frameworks for embedded systems using hardware test stands
- Drive best practices for embedded software development, including code reviews, testing strategies, and documentation
What Success Looks Like
- After 30 Days: You have gained familiarity with our embedded architecture and hardware platforms. You're actively contributing to code reviews and have identified opportunities to improve our testing infrastructure
- After 60 Days: You've implemented and tested a significant embedded system feature or subsystem, demonstrating proficiency with our development workflow and hardware debugging processes
- After 90 Days: You've delivered production-ready embedded software that has been validated on target hardware in the field, established new testing patterns that improve system reliability, and are driving technical decisions for upcoming embedded system designs
Basic Requirements
- 5+ years of professional experience in embedded software development
- Strong proficiency in systems programming languages like C/C++ or Rust.
- Demonstrated experience with digital communication protocols (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, etc.) and peripheral device integration on bare metal and RTOS platforms.
- Expertise in designing and implementing state machines and command/control architectures
- Hands-on experience with hardware platforms in domains such as autonomous vehicles, aerospace, robotics, or industrial automation
- Strong commitment to test-driven development with experience building aggressive unit and integration test strategies
- Solid understanding of real-time constraints, interrupt handling, and resource management in embedded systems
Preferred Qualifications
- Production experience with Rust in embedded environments or strong desire to adopt Rust for systems programming
- Experience with control systems, PID controllers, or motion control algorithms
- Electrical engineering skills or formal EE education to facilitate hardware debugging and cross-functional collaboration
We are committed to providing fair and transparent compensation in accordance with applicable laws. Salary ranges are listed below and reflect the expected range for new hires in this role, based on factors such as skills, experience, qualifications, and location. Final compensation may vary and will be determined during the interview process. The target hiring range for this position is listed below.
Parallel Systems is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any discriminatory factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. We work to build an inclusive environment in which all people can come to do their best work.
Parallel Systems is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Parallel Systems will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact your recruiter.
Top Skills
What We Do
Parallel Systems is a startup company developing the future of intermodal transportation. Our mission is to decarbonize freight while improving supply chain logistics and safety. We are developing vehicles and software to create new autonomous and electric transportation systems for existing rail infrastructure, allowing railroads to convert part of the $700 billion U.S. trucking industry to rail.
