Staff Motor Control Firmware Engineer

Overview

An innovative medical device company is developing a next-generation robotic platform designed to support minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures. We are seeking an experienced Motor Control Firmware Engineer to lead development of embedded firmware responsible for actuator control within a precision robotic system.

This role will focus on building robust embedded motor control software that translates high-level motion commands into precise and reliable actuator behavior. The position offers an opportunity to work on complex electromechanical systems and contribute to the development of a highly regulated medical device platform.

What You’ll Do

• Design and implement BLDC motor control algorithms, including commutation logic, field-oriented control (FOC), and closed-loop current, velocity, and position control

• Develop embedded firmware in C for ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers, optimized for deterministic real-time performance

• Implement PWM generation, sensor feedback processing, and closed-loop motion control

• Develop current sensing, protection mechanisms, and fault detection systems to ensure safe motor operation

• Integrate CAN bus communication for coordination with higher-level system controllers

• Characterize and tune motor performance through hands-on bench testing and debugging

• Collaborate with electrical engineering teams on motor driver hardware, power electronics, and board bring-up

• Work with controls engineers to integrate low-level motor firmware with higher-level motion planning systems

• Develop testing strategies including hardware-in-the-loop testing and automated validation

• Document firmware architecture, interfaces, and calibration procedures to support regulatory requirements

Skills

• Expert embedded C programming for resource-constrained systems

• Strong experience with ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers and embedded development environments

• Deep understanding of real-time embedded systems, including interrupts, timers, DMA, and peripheral configuration

• Proven experience implementing motor control algorithms for BLDC or PMSM motors

• Strong control systems fundamentals including PID control and discrete-time implementation

• Experience with embedded communication protocols such as SPI, UART, and CAN

• Hands-on hardware debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG/SWD tools

• Understanding of analog signal conditioning and current sensing in motor control systems

Preferred Experience

• Experience working with motor driver ICs and gate drivers

• Familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS) such as FreeRTOS

• Ability to read PCB schematics and collaborate closely with electrical engineering teams during hardware debugging

• Experience with industrial communication protocols (e.g., EtherCAT or similar)

• Familiarity with embedded testing frameworks and firmware CI workflows

• Experience working in medical device or other safety-critical industries

• Knowledge of functional safety concepts (IEC 61508, ISO 13849, or related standards)

Requirements

• BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field

• 8+ years of embedded firmware development experience

• Demonstrated experience developing motor control firmware for electromechanical systems

• Experience supporting products from early development through production

• Comfortable working across hardware and software boundaries, including hands-on debugging and system bring-up

• Ability to work onsite several days per week at the company’s engineering facility in Northern California