Embedded Software Engineer

Parallel Systems is seeking an Embedded Software Engineer to help develop the embedded systems that power our autonomous rail vehicles. In this role, you will contribute to real-time software that interfaces directly with hardware components, sensors, and control systems to support safe and reliable vehicle operations.

This is an early-career role for an engineer looking to build strong foundations in embedded software development, hardware-software integration, and real-time systems. You will work closely with experienced software and hardware engineers while gaining hands-on experience developing and testing software on production hardware.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain embedded software for bare-metal and RTOS-based systems
• Implement and test digital communication protocols such as SPI, I2C, UART, and CAN
• Contribute to state machines and command/control software for autonomous vehicle systems
• Write reliable, memory-conscious embedded software, primarily in Rust
• Work with hardware engineers to integrate, debug, and validate hardware-software interfaces
• Develop unit and integration tests for embedded software using hardware test stands
• Debug software using standard embedded development tools and techniques
• Participate in code reviews, design discussions, documentation, and continuous improvement of engineering practices

What Success Looks Like

• After 30 Days: You understand the basics of our embedded architecture, development environment, and hardware platforms. You are contributing small code changes, tests, and bug fixes with support from the team.
• After 60 Days: You are independently implementing and testing well-scoped embedded software features and becoming comfortable debugging software on target hardware.
• After 90 Days: You have delivered embedded software that has been validated on target hardware, can independently own smaller features or subsystems, and are contributing effectively to the team’s development and testing practices.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience
• Experience programming in C, C++, Rust, or another systems programming language through coursework, internships, projects, or professional experience
• Familiarity with embedded systems, microcontrollers, or real-time software development
• Understanding of common digital communication protocols such as SPI, I2C, UART, or CAN
• Familiarity with basic software concepts such as state machines, interrupts, memory management, and hardware interfaces
• Hands-on experience debugging technical systems through academic projects, internships, student teams, personal projects, or professional work
• Strong problem-solving skills and an interest in working directly with hardware
• Willingness to learn Rust and modern embedded software development practices

Preferred Qualifications

• Internship, co-op, research, or project experience developing embedded software
• Experience with bare-metal or RTOS-based development
• Familiarity with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, debuggers, or other hardware debugging tools
• Experience with robotics, autonomous systems, automotive, aerospace, industrial automation, or similar hardware-focused projects
• Exposure to control systems, PID controllers, or motion control
• Coursework or project experience in electrical engineering or digital electronics
• Experience with Rust or interest in developing production embedded software in Rust, Aerospace and Defense, Automation, Automotive Automation, C Programming Language, C++ Programming Language, Cargo/Freight, Code Reviews, Communications Protocols, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Continuous Improvement, Control Systems, Debugging Skills, Debugging Tools, Diversity, Documentation, Electrical Design, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Embedded Software, Embedded Systems, Hardware Components, Hardware Debugging, Hardware Quality Assurance, Hardware-Software Integration, I2C, Integration Testing, Logic Analyzer, Logistics, Memory Hardware, Memory Management, Microcontroller, Motion Control, Oscilloscope, Problem Solving Skills, Programming Languages, Programming Tools, Quality Assurance Methodology, Realtime Operating System, Robotics, Rust Programming Language, Software Administration, Software Development, Software Engineering, Software Validation, Standards Development, Systems/Internals Programming, Test Plan/Schedule, Trucking, Unit Test, Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter (UART)

Parallel Systems is pioneering autonomous battery-electric rail vehicles designed to transform freight transportation by shifting portions of the $900 billion U.S. trucking industry onto rail. Our innovative technology offers cleaner, safer, and more efficient logistics solutions. Join our dynamic team and help shape a smarter, greener future for global freight.