Staff Software/Firmware Engineer (Bare Metal, IC Bring-Up)

Staff Software/Firmware Engineer (Bare Metal, IC Bring-Up)
Southampton (3 days per week onsite)
£80,000 + 10% Bonus

This role cannot offer Visa Sponsorship.

Your new company
You'll be joining the European HQ of a high-growth, innovation-led semiconductor business operating at the forefront of next-gen connectivity technology. The company is pushing technical boundaries, with significant investment into R&D and a clear vision to lead across firmware and software.

The role is hybrid and you'll be required to work 3 days onsite near Fareham / Southampton.

Your new role
This is a hands-on Staff level position within a specialist embedded software team, where you will act as a senior technical authority while staying deeply involved in engineering delivery. You will drive the design, development and delivery of low-level embedded software and firmware for advanced capacitive sensing products, working across the full software lifecycle from concept through to production.

Technical ownership is a key part of the role. You will define architecture and design decisions, take accountability for the quality and delivery of your work, and mentor junior and mid-level engineers, while working closely with the IC design, hardware and applications teams to make sure products integrate smoothly with customer hardware.

From a technical perspective, this is a true embedded role. You will be working close to the hardware, developing low-level software on boards in a pre-RTOS environment. The client is looking for clear, deep understanding of bare metal development, DSP and IC interaction, including IC bring up and pre-tapeout validation. The work combines firmware development in C with higher-level modelling and algorithm development in Python, giving you a strong blend of low-level engineering and system-level thinking.

The environment is collaborative with a strong engineering culture where people are trusted to take ownership and make a tangible impact on product direction. Despite its growth trajectory, there remains a close-knit feel across teams, with a real emphasis on knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.

What you'll need to succeed
You will already be operating at Senior/Staff level, with a track record of technical leadership on embedded projects, whether that's leading delivery, setting technical direction or mentoring other engineers.

You will bring strong experience in firmware and software development using Embedded C, alongside proficiency in Python. You must have low-level experience working on boards in a pre-RTOS environment, and a background in bare metal development is critical. You will also have a clear, deep understanding of DSP and IC interaction, particularly IC bring up and pre-tapeout validation.

You must be open to travelling to China for work, which is project dependent but estimated at 1 to 2 times per year (1-2 week duration). Beyond technical capability, you will enjoy taking ownership, making decisions and being accountable for outcomes in a fast-moving product environment.

What you'll get in return
In return, you'll be joining a business where engineering excellence sits at the core of its success, offering the chance to work on genuinely cutting-edge technology in a role that blends technical leadership with hands-on development. The package includes a salary of up to £80,000, a 10% annual bonus, private health and dental cover, an EV car salary sacrifice scheme, and mental health assistance programmes and wellbeing support. The working environment is collaborative and engaging, with modern offices and flexible working hours available.

What you need to do now
To find out more or to be considered, please apply directly or get in touch for a confidential discussion with Max Wilcock, Senior Business Director, .

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