Embedded Application Engineer

Location: San Jose

Department: Embedded Software

About Hark

Hark is an artificial intelligence laboratory, building the most advanced, personal intelligence in the world. 

We believe that artificial intelligence can be used to help offload our mental workload through thinking like us and sometimes ahead of us. Intelligence that is proactive and personalised through new models capable of interacting with the world through speech, text, vision and persistent memory.  

We're pairing that intelligence with next-generation hardware to create a universal interface between humans and machines. While today's AI largely operates through chat boxes and decade-old devices, Hark is focused on what comes next: agentic systems that interact naturally with people and the real world.

About the Role

We’re looking for an Application Engineer who lives at the intersection of Android application development and embedded systems. This is not a traditional mobile app role. You’ll be building the core application that runs on our hardware device — the software layer that bridges user-facing experiences with the underlying firmware and embedded systems. Think of it as the single app that makes the robot do what it needs to do. You’ve shipped a product before. You know what it takes to go from prototype to production, and you thrive in that process.

Responsibilities

• Own the development of the primary application running on Hark’s hardware device, from architecture through production deployment
• Build and optimize Android-based software that interfaces directly with embedded systems, sensors, and firmware layers
• Work at the crossover between application-level code and firmware — writing software that runs on the device, not in the cloud
• Collaborate closely with hardware, embedded software, and AI teams to deliver a tightly integrated product experience
• Manage the full lifecycle of getting software onto a physical device: flashing, OTA updates, boot sequences, and device provisioning
• Debug across the full android stack — from Android framework issues down to hardware-level communication protocols
• Drive the product from development through manufacturing and into the hands of users

Requirements

• Strong communication skills to translate the requirements from XFN teams into designs.
• 5+ years of experience in Android development, with deep experience beyond standard mobile apps — ideally on embedded or custom hardware devices
• Strong understanding of the Android platform at the system level: AOSP, system services, HAL, native libraries, and device drivers
• Hands-on experience with embedded systems, firmware integration, or low-level hardware/software interfaces
• You have shipped a physical product. You know what it takes to get software running reliably on hardware in production — not just in a lab
• Experience with communication protocols common in embedded devices (UART, SPI, I2C, BLE, USB)
• Proficiency in Java/Kotlin for application development and C/C++ for lower-level systems work
• Comfort working in a fast-moving, cross-functional team where you’ll touch hardware, firmware, and product decisions dail

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience with Android Things, AOSP board bring-up, or custom Android device builds
• Background in robotics, consumer electronics, or IoT hardware
• Experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS) or hybrid RTOS/Linux environments
• Familiarity with AI/ML model deployment on edge devices
• Hands-on experience analyzing and deconstructing Android device systems at the platform level

Compensation

The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role. This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.