Senior Firmware Engineer

Senior Firmware Engineer

Your Impact

You will be working on sophisticated, industrial, real-time systems involving embedded firmware, Linux-based platforms, industrial communications, and critical monitoring applications. This team of engineers develops innovative monitoring systems used for Grid Monitoring, Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS), and Generation applications in electrical substations and power plants.

As a Senior Firmware Engineer, you will play a key role in the design, development, and support of embedded firmware for mission-critical monitoring and diagnostic products used throughout the electrical power industry. Working closely with Systems, Hardware, Test, and Product Management teams, you will develop software across bare-metal, RTOS-based, and embedded Linux environments, delivering solutions that meet demanding requirements for performance, reliability, cybersecurity, and maintainability. You will contribute across the complete product lifecycle, from requirements definition and architecture through implementation, integration, verification, release, and sustaining engineering. Leveraging modern software engineering practices, including AI-assisted development, code analysis, debugging, and test automation tools where appropriate, you will help accelerate delivery while maintaining the high standards of quality, safety, and reliability expected of products deployed throughout the world's power generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure.

Here's where you'll demonstrate your proficiencies:

• Design, develop, maintain, and debug embedded firmware for real-time monitoring and diagnostic systems spanning bare-metal, RTOS-based, and embedded Linux platforms.
• Develop high-quality software solutions using Embedded C/C++ on microcontroller and microprocessor-based systems.
• Develop low-level firmware, Board Support Packages (BSPs), device drivers, bootloaders, and hardware abstraction layers for embedded products.
• Collaborate with Systems, Hardware, Software, and Test Engineers to deliver integrated product solutions.
• Implement and maintain communications interfaces and industrial protocols including IEC 61850, DNP3, Modbus, IEC 60870, and related technologies.
• Develop software for data acquisition, event processing, diagnostics, communications, and system control functions.
• Support firmware integration activities across embedded Linux, Windows, and real-time operating environments.
• Perform root-cause analysis, troubleshooting, and performance optimisation of complex embedded systems.
• Develop and execute unit, integration, and system-level testing to ensure product quality and reliability.
• Support software configuration management, traceability, and product release activities.
• Contribute to compliance, cybersecurity, and regulatory requirements throughout the product lifecycle.
• Utilise modern AI-assisted development, code review, debugging, and test generation tools to improve engineering productivity and software quality.
• Champion continuous improvement of software development processes through automation, AI-enabled engineering practices, and data-driven decision making.
• Support adoption of modern development practices including automated testing, static analysis, CI/CD, and AI-assisted software lifecycle workflows.
• Work within Agile Scrum teams to support efficient product delivery and continuous innovation.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following skills and experience:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum five years of industry experience in embedded firmware development, testing, debugging, and deployment.
• Strong experience developing firmware for microcontroller and microprocessor-based systems, including bare-metal and RTOS-based applications.
• Expert-level proficiency in Embedded C/C++ development within real-time and multi-threaded environments.
• Strong understanding of embedded software design principles, software architecture, interrupt-driven systems, memory management, and real-time operating systems.
• Experience developing software for peripheral interfaces including UART, SPI, I²C, CAN, Ethernet, USB, and related technologies.
• Experience with low-level hardware interfaces, board bring-up, embedded debugging, and hardware-software integration.
• Proven experience developing and supporting industrial communication protocols including IEC 61850, DNP3, Modbus, IEC 60870, or similar.
• Experience working with embedded Linux environments, device drivers, and system-level software components.
• Experience using source control systems such as Git and modern software development workflows.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, interpersonal, and technical communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a cross-functional engineering team.

Preferred Skills

• Experience developing products for the electrical power, utility, industrial automation, or critical infrastructure sectors.
• Experience with Digital Fault Recording (DFR), Power Quality (PQ), PMU, GIS monitoring, transformer monitoring, partial discharge monitoring, or related applications.
• Experience with bare-metal firmware development on ARM Cortex-M or similar embedded architectures.
• Experience with RTOS environments such as FreeRTOS, ThreadX, Zephyr, or similar real-time operating systems.
• Experience developing Board Support Packages (BSPs), bootloaders, device drivers, and low-level platform software.
• Experience with Ethernet networking, protocol analysers, managed switches, PTP, NTP, or time-synchronised systems.
• Experience troubleshooting communications using packet capture and analysis tools such as Wireshark.
• Familiarity with JTAG, SWD, in-circuit debuggers, logic analysers, and embedded software diagnostic tools.
• Knowledge of microcontroller peripherals including DMA, timers, ADCs, DACs, watchdogs, interrupt controllers, and clock management systems.
• Knowledge of software verification, automated testing, and unit testing frameworks.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, automated build systems, and software quality tools.
• Understanding of cybersecurity principles, secure communications, authentication mechanisms, and secure firmware development practices.
• Experience with FPGA integration or FPGA-based embedded systems.
• Experience leveraging AI-assisted software development tools and Large Language Model (LLM) technologies to improve software development, testing, documentation, and engineering efficiency.
• Experience with Python or other scripting languages for automation and test development.
• Exposure to C#, JavaScript, or other software development languages would be advantageous.
• Experience using engineering collaboration tools such as JIRA and Confluence.
• Familiarity with Agile Scrum methodologies.

About Ralliant

Ralliant stands as a bold, independent public company driving innovation at the forefront of precision technology. With a global footprint and a legacy of excellence, we empower engineers to bring next-generation breakthroughs to life—faster, smarter, and more reliably.

Our high-performance instruments, sensors, and subsystems fuel mission-critical advancements across industries, enabling real-world impact where it matters most. From power generation and transmission to industrial automation and critical infrastructure, our technologies help customers monitor, protect, and optimise their most valuable assets.

At Ralliant, we are building the future together with those driven to push boundaries, solve complex problems, and leave a lasting mark on the world.

About Qualitrol

QUALITROL manufactures monitoring and protection devices for high-value electrical assets and OEM manufacturing companies. Established in 1945, QUALITROL produces thousands of products on demand and customised to meet individual customer requirements.

We are the largest and most trusted global leader in partial discharge monitoring, asset protection equipment, and information products across power generation, transmission, and distribution. At Qualitrol, we are redefining condition-based monitoring through innovative technologies that help customers monitor, protect, and optimise critical infrastructure worldwide