Senior Embedded Software Engineer in Emeryville

We are looking for a hands-on, execution-driven Senior Embedded Software Engineer to ship and sustain production-quality embedded and edge software for our deployed Vega 3D weaving systems. Reporting to Automation Lead, you'll own critical machine-control software that helps scale our technology during commercial deployments.

Why This Role Matters

We're building a new way to manufacture apparel: autonomous, software-defined, and radically more efficient. Vega is a world-first 3D weaving system that skips the flat 2D fabric stage entirely, going from yarn to finished product in one automated process- unlocking a step-change in speed, waste reduction, and the ability to make products on-demand. This role makes the revolution real: building & evolving the embedded software that keeps Vega reliable in the field. Think OTA updates, observability, diagnostics, and the hardening required for commercial scale.

What You'll Do

• Lead development of embedded and Linux-based applications for industrial device control and communication
• Build and improve production-grade telemetry, monitoring, and field diagnostics for deployed Vega machines
• Design, implement, and operate secure over-the-air (OTA) updates and rollout mechanisms (versioning, staged rollouts, rollback, fleet health signals)
• Build and improve automated test infrastructure (unit/integration/HIL), validation plans, and release gating for production software
• Own deployment readiness: commissioning flows, upgrade playbooks, on-call/incident follow-up, and root cause analysis
• Partner cross-functionally with automation, hardware, product, and operations teams to deliver reliable systems end-to-end

Who You Are

You've shipped real products into the field and supported them through failures, upgrades, and operational realities… and probably have some stories of how those have gone sideways. You thrive in collaborative environments, communicate clearly, and take ownership from root cause to durable fix. You care deeply about quality, and you're excited by building systems that bridge software and complex electromechanical hardware.

• 5+ years of embedded software development experience (or equivalent demonstrated impact)
• Strong C++ (or similar modern ) fundamentals: object-oriented design, memory management, concurrency, testing practices
• Experience developing firmware features for microcontrollers in embedded real-time systems (drivers, comms, middleware APIs, RTOS interfaces)
• Experience with FreeRTOS (or similar RTOS)
• Strong debugging and testing skills (gdb/lldb, unit/integration testing, test plans, field diagnostics)
• Experience deploying and supporting products in the field (manufacturing, robotics, industrial, or other uptime-critical environments)
• BS/MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field… or equivalent experience

Bonus Points:

• Experience transitioning systems from R&D to production environments
• Experience with secure boot, signed firmware, and vulnerability response processes
• Experience designing or operating OTA update systems (security, signing, staged rollouts, rollback strategies, observability)
• Experience with fleet management at scale (device , config management, remote debugging)
• Experience with electro-mechanical systems and industrial robotics

The salary range for this role is $170,000 - $210,000 USD annually, plus 0.08% - 0.15% equity.

Benefits include:

• Self-regulated vacation policy
• Comprehensive (gold & platinum) health/dental/vision insurance
• Company sponsored 401k and FSA/HSA
• Monthly wellness or education grant up to $150
• Pre-tax commuter benefits
• Incentive stock options

unspun's compensation philosophy centers on transparency, fairness, and alignment with our company values. We aim to offer competitive pay that reflects both market standards and individual contributions, fostering an environment where employees feel valued and motivated. Our holistic approach ensures that compensation decisions are consistent and justifiable across all levels to attract and retain top talent, support employee growth, and maintain a positive organizational culture.

Our Philosophy

We won't roll our eyes if your socks don't match. We get it. But then, if you spend those extra few minutes in the morning matching your socks and shirt, we get that too. Our workspaces are sometimes spotless and sometimes chaotic, and we celebrate messy exploration. We work through complex problems but generate simple and elegant solutions. We strive to look at things differently, and never do anything solely because "that's the way it's always been done."

We're relentless in pursuing our mission, intentional in our decisions, and fundamentally human in how we work together. We celebrate small wins, speak up to benefit many, and aren't afraid to make (and learn from) mistakes along the way.