Embedded Firmware / Software Engineer

ABOUT KRAKEN KINETICS

Kraken Kinetics designs and manufactures advanced kinetic solutions that enable modern warfighting capabilities for the United States Armed Forces and its allies. We specialize in mission-tailored warheads and firing systems for unmanned and autonomous weapon platforms, delivering production-ready solutions at speed to address urgent national security challenges.

Our team brings decades of specialized Department of War experience across the full lifecycle of kinetic system development—from concept and design through testing, manufacturing, and operational deployment. Built on a foundation of work that helped lead the DoW into the era of kinetic drones, Kraken Kinetics combines commercial agility with deep technical expertise to deliver DEFINITIVE LETHALITY™ when it matters most.

Position Summary

Location: On-site at our Pinehurst, NC area facility

Kraken Kinetics is seeking an Embedded Firmware / Software Engineer to support the development, integration, and testing of firmware and embedded software for advanced defense products. This role will contribute directly to electronic safe and arm devices, test equipment, production acceptance systems, and other embedded platforms used across Kraken’s product lines.

The Embedded Firmware / Software Engineer will work closely with electrical, systems, test, layout, and mechanical engineers to bring hardware to life, support board bring-up, improve testability, and contribute to more repeatable firmware development practices as the company scales. This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys owning firmware design decisions, hands-on embedded development, hardware interaction, and building practical solutions in a fast-paced environment.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Develop, debug, and maintain embedded firmware for microcontroller-based embedded systems.

• Support board bring-up, hardware debugging, firmware integration, and system-level troubleshooting.

• Work closely with electrical engineers to verify hardware functionality and develop firmware to support product operation.

• Develop firmware interfaces for sensors, communication buses, memory devices, power systems, safety logic, and test equipment.

• Support development of production programming, automated test fixtures, and acceptance test tools.

• Contribute to firmware architecture, code organization, revision control, development processes, and documentation standards.

• Write and maintain test scripts, diagnostic utilities, and automation tools as needed.

• Participate in design reviews, code reviews, test readiness reviews, and failure investigations.

• Support requirements decomposition and verification activities in coordination with systems and test engineers.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

• 2+ years of experience developing embedded firmware or software.

• Proficiency in C and/or C++ for embedded systems.

• Experience with microcontrollers, interrupt-driven firmware, peripheral drivers, timers, DMA, and MCU-based board bring-up/debugging.

• Familiarity with common embedded communication protocols such as SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, or similar.

• Experience using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, debuggers, or related tools to troubleshoot embedded systems.

• Ability to read schematics, datasheets, and reference manuals to support firmware development and hardware troubleshooting.

• Familiarity with Git or other version control systems.

• Ability to work closely with hardware engineers and contribute in a hands-on lab environment.

• Strong ownership mindset, attention to detail, and ability to work under compressed development timelines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers such as PIC32, STM32, or similar embedded platforms.

• Experience with safety-critical firmware, firmware verification, or regulated product development.

• Familiarity with both bare-metal and RTOS concepts, watchdogs, fault handling, or secure firmware practices.

• Experience setting up or maintaining CI/CD pipelines for embedded firmware, including automated builds, unit tests, static analysis, or release artifact generation.

• Experience supporting production test systems or manufacturing acceptance test.

• Background in defense, aerospace, robotics, autonomous systems, or high-reliability embedded products.

• Experience using MCU peripherals, including DMA, hardware CRC engines, and communication interfaces.

• Experience with Python or other scripting languages for test automation.

• Experience contributing to firmware development processes, code review standards, or configuration management practices.

Benefits included:

• Generous PTO policy

• Comprehensive medical coverage (80% company-paid for employee + dependents).

• Vision & dental (100% company-paid)

• Short and long-term disability coverage (100% company-paid)

• Generous 401(k) retirement plan

• Company-paid life insurance

• Great teammates and well stocked snacks

LIFE IN MOORE COUNTY, NC (PINEHURST AREA)

Kraken Kinetics is based in Moore County, North Carolina, home to Pinehurst, a nationally recognized destination offering an exceptional quality of life.

Employees benefit from a low cost of living, minimal congestion, and a strong sense of community, with easy access to larger metropolitan areas, including Raleigh-Durham.

Whether you're looking to accelerate your career or put down long-term roots, the Pinehurst area offers a compelling alternative to traditional tech and defense hubs.

We are committed to supporting relocation for the right candidates.

Watch what it’s like to live here:
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EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Kraken Kinetics is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and welcome applicants of all backgrounds.