Embedded Software Engineer

Zoox is hiring an Embedded Software Engineer in Foster City, United States. It pays $137k-$207k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Zoox.

Level's read on this job

Level rates this software engineer role Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
Level classifies it as a junior role.
Level lists 240 other open roles at Zoox.

AI in this role

Zoox is looking for an embedded software engineer to build out simulation infrastructure for our firmware. Our firmware runs on many ECUs across the robot, including the components that drive, brake, steer, and monitor the vehicle's health. Today, most of that firmware depends on hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) benches, which are expensive, hard to scale, and slow to iterate on. You will build the simulation capabilities that let firmware run in virtualized, software-in-the-loop (SIL), and hybrid SIL/HIL environments, integrated with Zoox's core simulation platform and the pipelines the rest of the autonomy stack already uses.

You'll be one of the first engineers on a new embedded-focused simulation team within the Firmware organization: simulation infrastructure engineering, built by and for firmware. The work you do here will lay the groundwork for Firmware's adoption of Zoox's simulation and more advanced test platform infrastructure. It spans much of the embedded stack, from low-level BSPs, through middleware such as messaging, HALs, and OSALs, up to the application layer. You'll need to understand what embedded software optimizes for (determinism, timing, resource limits, hardware interfaces) and turn that into simulation infrastructure that firmware teams trust and adopt.

In this role, you will:

Build out simulation infrastructure for Zoox's embedded platforms, filling the gaps in Zoox's simulation stack that keep firmware from adopting it
Virtualize embedded platforms across the stack, from BSPs and HAL/OSAL layers to messaging middleware and peripherals, so firmware can run without target hardware
Develop and extend SIL environments that integrate firmware with Zoox's core simulation platform and pipelines
Support and evolve hybrid SIL/HIL test platforms that combine real hardware with simulated components
Partner with Zoox's simulation, HIL, and firmware feature teams to adapt existing firmware for simulation and reduce the Firmware org's reliance on HIL

Qualifications

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, or equivalent experience
1–3 years of experience developing simulation infrastructure or embedded software for real-time systems
Strong C/C++ and Python programming skills
Understanding of embedded fundamentals: RTOS concepts, interrupts and timing, memory-constrained systems, and hardware/peripheral interfaces
Experience building simulation, emulation, or virtualization environments for embedded systems (e.g., SIL, QEMU, Renode, hardware/peripheral models)

Bonus Qualifications

Experience with QNX, SafeRTOS, FreeRTOS, or similar embedded operating systems
Familiarity with automotive communication protocols (CAN, LIN, Ethernet) and how to model or bridge them in simulation
Hands-on experience with HIL systems or hybrid SIL/HIL test setups

Compensation There are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. A sign-on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level. Leveling, as well as positioning within a level, is determined by a range of factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's relevant years of experience, domain knowledge, and interview performance. The salary range listed in this posting is representative of the range of levels Zoox is considering for this position. Zoox also offers a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (e.g. sick leave, vacation, bereavement), unpaid time off, Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights, Amazon RSUs, health insurance, long-term care insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, and life insurance.

How we rate this

Embedded Software Engineer at Zoox rates 16 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Little AI. AI is not part of the work.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.