Software Engineer, Embedded Linux

• Board bring-up: Take freshly fabricated carrier boards from freshly assembled to reliably booting — methodically proving out power, memory, and communication interfaces, hands-on with hardware on the bench.
• Bootloader & kernel configuration: Stand up the bootloader and configure the Linux kernel so it correctly recognizes and drives our specific hardware.
• Device drivers & device tree: Describe our custom hardware to Linux and integrate the drivers needed to talk to peripherals that aren't found in any standard catalog.
• Build & deploy with Nix / NixOS: Own our operating system defined as code — producing reproducible, identical images and building safe update and rollback paths for fielded units.
• Networking & system services: Configure on-device networking and the system services our higher-level software depends on.
• Reliability & maintainability: Build the platform so it stays robust and serviceable across the product's life, under the conditions a defense product actually faces.
• Cross-functional integration: Partner closely with the firmware and hardware teams, sitting at the seam between low-level hardware and the software that runs on top of it.

• Top-notch engineering intuition and first principles thinking toward designing complex products that function seamlessly for your customer, taking both an engineering/ technical, and product/ customer approach, to strike the optimal balance.
• Able to independently identify critical information or priority gaps and apply effort toward closing those gaps.
• Undaunted by imperfect, incomplete or absent datasets or information, and capable of making sound, comprehensive, and swift first-principled decisions to achieve a product end-state that meets and/or exceeds the need of the hour.
• Not satisfied by superficial explanations of a problem or “band-aid engineering”; seeks persistently to find the specific root cause through data-driven methods, and resolve failures or recurring issues, so they can be mitigated to prevent future such instances.
• Gratified by helping your peers succeed, building a robust team culture, and propagation deep camaraderie amongst your peers; seeks to break down information silos by collaborating rigorously with others to solve problems, share knowledge, and provide input.

• BS in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• 3+ years building and shipping embedded Linux on custom hardware.
• Proven board bring-up experience, from powered-off to reliably booting.
• Hands-on with the boot chain: bootloader, kernel configuration, drivers, and device tree.
• Fluent in C/C++ and the embedded Linux toolchain (cross-compilation, JTAG, serial debug).
• Exposure to embedded communication interfaces (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART) at the OS and driver level.

• Experience with Nix/NixOS.
• Experience with OS configuration as code, Yocto, Ansible.
• Production Rust experience.
• Familiarity with ARM SoCs/SoMs on custom carrier boards.
• Background in automotive, aerospace, defense, robotics, or energy.

• This position is an onsite role based in Chariot Defense’s San Bruno, CA, office.
• Willingness to support 10% travel, domestically and internationally, as well as work extended and weekend hours, when necessary
• Able to work on your feet for extended periods in a shop setting.
• Able to lift and carry 50lbs.

A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $130,000-$180,000 annually.

packages also include early-stage equity and access to company-sponsored benefit plans.

Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, relevant experience, and the ability to deal with complexity and problem solve within our organization, among other factors.

All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Any unsolicited resumes/candidate profiles submitted through our website or to personal email accounts of employees of Chariot Defense are considered property of Chariot Defense and are not subject to payment of agency fees.