Embedded Engineer

Department: Hardware

Location: San Francisco, Bellevue

Compensation: $175K – $280K

Employment Type: FullTime

About Sesame

Sesame believes in a future where computers are lifelike - with the ability to see, hear, and collaborate with us in ways that feel natural and human. With this vision, we're designing a new kind of computer, focused on making voice agents part of our daily lives. Our team brings together founders from Oculus and Ubiquity6, alongside proven leaders from Meta, Google, and Apple, with deep expertise spanning hardware and software. Join us in shaping a future where computers truly come alive.

About the Role

Bringing a new kind of advanced consumer electronics product to life requires rapid firmware bring-up, often in new or frequently changing hardware environments that are tightly integrated into other parts of the system. We are seeking an Embedded-system Engineer who is comfortable working across Linux-based, RTOS-based, and bare-metal MCU applications to drive fast and efficient firmware development. You will have experience in shipping a wearable consumer product from prototyping and product development, and be able to coordinate a distributed team to effectively bring up, use, and debug custom embedded systems.  

Responsibilities: 

• Architect, design, implement, and test embedded software running on a variety of platforms from low-power MCUs to mobile SOCs.

• Contribute to hardware design, bring up and debug through part selection, interface definition, driver development, tooling development, and support.

• Define and continuously improve firmware development, debugging, and CI workflow and environment.

• Contribute to SW development for interfacing to embedded systems from PC or network equipment for data collection, testing, and calibration.

• Understand requirements and architecture of higher-level software components, lead integration and optimization of those components for running on or interfacing with embedded systems.

• Engage and direct partners to augment embedded systems development capabilities.

Required Qualifications:

• Experience working independently in high-ambiguity environments.

• 10+ years of experience owning and delivering software for complex embedded systems.

• Mastery of C/C++, Python, and firmware build & debug tools.

• Experience shipping and supporting a complex product, including custom sensors, real-time computing, HMI, and custom batteries.

• Experience in one or more of the following: Bootloaders, Linux/AOSP, Zephyr/FreeRTOS, DSP/ISP, Bluetooth/Wifi/Ethernet, USB, and  MIPI.

• Comfortable using electrical test equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers).

• Excellent written & verbal communication skills.

• Passion for learning and experimentation is evidenced by side projects or learning endeavors.

• BS or MS in EE, CE, CS, or equivalent.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with wearable electronics, computer vision, audio, or IoT applications.

• Experience with CI/CD infrastructure.

• Experience with machine learning frameworks & deployment. 

• Experience with Nordic, Qualcomm, and/or embedded ML accelerators is a plus. Experience with IoT devices is a plus. Experience with ARM and/or RISC-V is a plus.

Sesame is committed to a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered. We welcome all qualified applicants, embracing diversity in race, gender, identity, orientation, ability, and more. We provide reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Contact [email protected] for assistance.

Full-time Employee Benefits: 

• 401 (k) max employer match: 3.5% of compensation

• 100% employer-paid health, vision, and dental benefits for you and your dependents

• Unlimited PTO and sick time

• Flexible spending account with employer matching up to $1,650/year (medical FSA)

• Guardian Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Opportunity to share in the company's success with competitive stock options

Benefits do not apply to contingent/contract workers.