WHAT DOES AN EMBEDDED SOFTWARE ENGINEER DO?

Published: Feb 07, 2025 - The Embedded Software Engineer develops and maintains software for protocol interfacing, behavior tracking, and system reliability. Collaborates with hardware teams implements new features, and ensures seamless software operation on machines. Engages in Agile & DevOps practices while handling firmware projects and verification software development.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Embedded Software Engineer

1. Embedded Software Engineer Duties

  • On-board SW Development: Develop/improve/debug/maintain on-board SW modules interfacing with sensors, motors, servos, and avionics  
  • Communication Systems: Develop/improve/debug/maintain software services interacting with communication systems such as cellular modems and wireless network devices  
  • Device Drivers: Develop and maintain device drivers for peripherals connected via SPI, CAN, UARTS, Ethernet, USB, and I2C  
  • Build Environments: Maintain and improve embedded build environments and automated test environments  
  • Software Processes: Participate in the team's software processes, including requirements and design documentation, test-plan generation and execution, peer design and code reviews, process feedback, and improvements  
  • Driver Development: Write drivers, libraries, and application code  
  • Component Selection: Assist in the selection of components such as microcontrollers and sensors  
  • Subsystem Coordination: Work with electrical and software engineers to coordinate requirements for individual subsystems  
  • HIL Testing: Perform Hardware in the Loop (HIL) and other subsystem tests  
  • Technical Documentation: Write and analyze technical requirements, documentation, and operating procedures  
  • Software Development: Contribute to the full software development lifecycle, including requirements gathering, architecture, design, coding, and verification  
  • Embedded Firmware: Code in C/C++ efficient embedded firmware or middleware for embedded Linux applications  
  • Hardware Debugging: Debug low-level hardware interfaces (USB, SPI, I2C, PWM, GPIO, etc.)  
  • Hardware Feedback: Provide input/feedback for the accompanying hardware from prototype to commercial transfer  
  • Work Documentation: Maintain detailed documentation of work throughout all phases of development (per IEC 62304)  

2. Embedded Software Engineer Details

  • Software Development: Design, implement, test, debug, benchmark, review, improve, document, and release software that meets requirements  
  • Build Environments: Configure and debug embedded hardware and software build environments to facilitate on-target development  
  • Open-Source Integration: Work on product software, open-source software, third-party, and/or customer software  
  • Specifications Review: Write and review functional and design specifications  
  • Team Collaboration: Collaborate with other team members to ensure the success of projects  
  • Project Planning: Participate in project planning and tracking, including task investigation, work breakdown, schedule estimation, and risk mitigation  
  • Lifecycle Management: Work through all phases of the software product development lifecycle (gathering requirements, design, development, testing, validation, and maintenance)  
  • Product Enhancement: Analyze, enhance, customize, and adapt current products and solutions for electronic control and communication products  
  • UI/API Development: Participate in the design, development, testing, and documentation of new cross-platform user interfaces, APIs, and source code  
  • Code Review: Perform periodic code review, version control, and maintain good product documentation  
  • Technology Research: Conduct industry research on new technology and solutions  
  • Concept Development: Develop engineering/product concepts that are high-quality, cost-appropriate, and satisfy customer requirements  
  • Design Tools: Utilize appropriate tools and equipment for design creation, analysis, and verification  
  • Product Realization: Demonstrate understanding of the full product realization process (Conceptualize, Design, Commercialize, Manufacture, Fulfill, Sustain) as it applies to role 

3. Embedded Software Engineer Responsibilities

  • Protocol Interfacing: Build software to interfere with existing protocols and collect different types of data  
  • Behavior Tracking: Build software to track behavioral characteristics  
  • Application Testing: Prepare and test unit applications for new installations  
  • System Maintenance: Maintain and troubleshoot existing installations  
  • Hardware Collaboration: Interface with hardware design and development  
  • Feature Development: Participate in product design and develop new features  
  • Real-Time Software: Participate in the development of real-time software for machines  
  • GUI Control: Control electronics, image processing, or adjust the GUI via the PC platform 'Windows 10 IOT'  
  • Software Operation: Be responsible for the operation of the software on the machines to guarantee reliability  
  • Code Debugging: Be responsible for copying and debugging existing codes  
  • Feature Analysis: Be responsible for the analysis and implementation of new features  
  • Verification Software: Develop small verification software in Windows Forms (C#)  
  • Firmware Projects: Take full responsibility for various firmware projects  
  • Agile & DevOps: Participate in daily Agile & DevOps tasks  
  • Team Collaboration: Work closely with the Hardware, Electronics & DSP Team  
  • Embedded Firmware: Design, implement, and maintain real-time embedded firmware on ARM-based microcontrollers

4. Embedded Software Engineer Accountabilities

  • Requirements Engineering: Create software requirements and design using various tools  
  • Verification Traceability: Create tests and verification traceability  
  • Configuration Management: Use a range of configuration management tools  
  • Driver Development: Develop low-level drivers for integrating new sensors in the HxGN MineProtect Collision Avoidance System  
  • Communication Protocols: Design and implement low-bandwidth, long-range communication protocols  
  • Multi-Platform Development: Support embedded, test, and application software development for space-based and tactical systems  
  • Software Lifecycle: Perform full software life cycle functions, including requirements, architecture, design, code, test, integration, documentation, and support  
  • Team Collaboration: Establish and maintain effective working relationships within the organization  
  • Workplace Interaction: Interact appropriately with others to maintain a positive and productive work environment  
  • Hardware Development: Directly impact the success of Q Bio’s innovative hardware development program for the future of human morphology imaging  
  • Platform Ownership: Take ownership of the design, architecture, and build of an innovative data acquisition platform for human morphology  
  • Control Firmware: Develop and execute new and modified control firmware  
  • Linux Deployment: Develop the embedded Linux build and deployment process  
  • Driver Development: Develop and maintain Linux drivers for in-house designed HW and userspace API for the acquisition system  
  • Collaboration: Collaborate with SW Development teams on the architecture and infrastructure decisions to support open source real-time data acquisition for morphology imaging hardware platform  

5. Embedded Software Engineer Functions

  • Networking Products Development: Participate in the development and maintenance of networking products  
  • Software Lifecycle: Manage all aspects of the software development lifecycle  
  • Bug Fixing: Hands-on in resolving issues in existing products  
  • Hardware Collaboration: Work closely with the hardware team to ensure product quality  
  • Performance Optimization: Focus on performance, availability, scalability, reliability, and maintainability  
  • Embedded Systems: Architect, write, deploy, test, and document embedded software systems  
  • Prototyping: Prototype and build proof-of-concept embedded systems  
  • Testing: Develop unit, system verification, and functional tests  
  • Documentation Processes: Put in place documentation templates and processes  
  • RTOS Firmware Development: Develop firmware for smaller biometric devices with RTOS or no OS  
  • Embedded Linux Development: Develop firmware for larger biometric devices with embedded Linux  
  • Specifications: Create specifications and documentation for embedded software and modules  
  • Cross-Team Collaboration: Collaborate with algorithm, support-tools, and server teams to develop new solutions  
  • Product Validation: Assist the product introduction team with product validation in remote locations  
  • Collision Avoidance Systems: Design and develop next-generation solutions for collision avoidance systems  

6. Embedded Software Engineer Job Description

  • Software Architecture: Develop overall software architectures for products  
  • Standards Development: Develop company standards for software design and implementation  
  • Functional Block Design: Design software functional blocks to meet requirements  
  • Algorithm Design: Design software algorithms to achieve desired functions  
  • Interface Documentation: Document software interfaces between functional blocks  
  • Software Coding: Code software into machine code using appropriate compilers and languages  
  • Configuration Control: Maintain configuration control of software  
  • Mentorship: Mentor and train other software engineers  
  • Software Development Practices: Develop and implement sound practices including CI, regression testing, and test-driven design  
  • Mentorship: Assist and mentor other engineers  
  • Agile/Waterfall Development: Work in Agile and Waterfall environments  
  • Software Integration: Integrate software into home appliances  
  • Project Management: Manage multiple projects in parallel  
  • Specification Development: Create project specification documents and work package estimates  
  • Technology Exploration: Identify and explore new technologies, techniques, processes, and tools  

7. Embedded Software Engineer Overview

  • Requirements Documentation: Capture, understand, and document software requirements  
  • Software Architecture: Create, update, and maintain software architecture and designs in C, Ada, and Assembler  
  • Verification Strategies: Implement software verification strategies and perform software tests  
  • Technical Reviews: Participate as a presenter or reviewer in technical and program reviews  
  • Technical Documentation: Ensure proper documentation of technical data per engineering policies  
  • Development Standards: Work to rigorous development standards  
  • Resource-Constrained Systems: Specification, implementation, and testing on resource-constrained systems  
  • Python Programming: Extensive Python programming in a robust development and testing environment  
  • Technical Documentation: Create technical notes and documentation conforming to Sonova SOPs  
  • Software Architecture: Collaborate in the development of software architecture  
  • Technical Collaboration: Interface with external partners on a technical level  
  • Agile Development: Contribute to smart product implementation in a scrum agile team  
  • Development Practices: Follow and implement sound software development practices  
  • Coding Standards: Adhere to coding standards and procedures  
  • Problem-Solving: Provide creative solutions to complex problems  
  • Code Reviews: Participate in functional, technical, and code reviews  

8. Embedded Software Engineer Details and Accountabilities

  • Audio Software Development: Contribute to the software development process for smart and connected audio systems  
  • Embedded Development: Develop embedded software for audio systems  
  • Efficiency Optimization: Streamline existing software to increase efficiency  
  • Product Innovation: Develop new audio products and innovations  
  • Hardware Collaboration: Collaborate with hardware engineers  
  • Product Selection: Select future products for development  
  • Router Software Development: Participate in software development for ASR9k and NextGen router product family  
  • Routing Protocols: Focus on L3 forwarding, routing protocols, and OS infrastructures  
  • Customer Collaboration: Work closely with Service Providers and OTT/Web customers for L3 features and application deployment  
  • Design Methodologies: Champion new and improved design and testing methodologies  
  • Standardization: Participate in the Cisco Patent Program and standardization activities (IETF, IEEE)  
  • Agile Development: Participate in the agile SW team and attend regular meetings  
  • Testing: Create unit, functional, and integration tests to ensure functionality  
  • Code Review: Participate in code review activities to ensure high-quality implementation  
  • Troubleshooting: Perform root cause analyses and technical troubleshooting  

9. Embedded Software Engineer Tasks

  • Verification Criteria: Develop unit verification criteria to ensure software units satisfy design across all parameter combinations  
  • Traceability: Ensure consistency and bilateral traceability between software architecture, design, and units  
  • Software Ownership: Take ownership of embedded software, extend functionality, and resolve issues  
  • Codebase Maintenance: Contribute to maintaining and improving the processing engine architecture and existing codebase  
  • Software Development: Design, build, and test world-class software for new products  
  • Product Reviews: Participate in design reviews and technical evaluations to uphold high engineering standards  
  • Collaborative R&D: Actively participate in internal and external R&D efforts for new technology demonstrators  
  • Documentation: Create and maintain test, calibration, debug, and fix procedures documentation  
  • Secure Boot Development: Develop and deploy secure boot solutions for Microchip’s PolarFire SoC device family  
  • Trusted Execution Environments: Develop and deploy TEEs for Microchip’s PolarFire SoC device family  
  • Integration: Integrate partners' TEE solutions and develop open-source reference implementations  
  • RISC-V Development: Track and participate in RISC-V specifications development  
  • Technical Issue Resolution: Collaborate with the SoC FPGA silicon engineering team to resolve technical issues  
  • System Architecture: Participate in defining future SoC FPGA system architectures  

10. Embedded Software Engineer Roles

  • Embedded Linux Development: Develop software for custom hardware running on a Yocto-based Linux distribution  
  • Sensor Integration: Work with non-acoustic sensors (temperature, humidity, light) and enable WiFi Mesh and Bluetooth capabilities  
  • Problem Solving: Create daemons, perform hardware testing and design validation, and develop smart, lightweight solutions for complex issues  
  • Agile Development: Work in an agile environment, including sprint planning, daily standups, and peer reviews  
  • Process Adherence: Execute responsibilities in adherence to Plexus' engineering process  
  • Project Documentation: Produce comprehensive project documentation following quality and change management guidelines  
  • Cross-Discipline Collaboration: Create high-quality software as part of a cross-discipline project team
  • Innovative Concept Development: Develop engineering/product concepts that are innovative, high-quality, and cost-appropriate  
  • Product Lifecycle Engagement: Engage in all phases of product development (conceptualization, development, verification, commercialization)  
  • Effective Communication: Communicate effectively with team members and customers  
  • Team Mentorship: Provide mentorship for engineers within the team  
  • Software Design: Develop SW designs covering requirements while respecting the defined architecture  
  • Unit Mapping: Prioritize, categorize, and map software units to future releases  
  • Executable Development: Develop executable representations of specified software units  
  • Verification Strategy: Develop a verification strategy for software units aligned with the design  
Relevant Information
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