Embedded Hardware & Firmware Engineer

Job Description:

Simco-Ion located in Alameda CA is an Illinois Tool Works company. We are the worlds largest manufacturer of ionization and process monitoring products. Since 1936 weve been providing solutions for electrostatic issues in a wide range of industries such as semiconductor life sciences and advanced display.

This role is responsible for the design development integration and validation of advanced electronics and embedded systems used in semiconductor manufacturing scientific instrumentation industrial automation and precision control applications. Work centers on PCB design firmware development board bring-up system integration and hardware-software co-design.

The engineer applies working knowledge of electronics microcontrollers real-time embedded systems and firmware architecture along with hands-on experience developing and debugging hardware platforms. Background in ionization electrostatic discharge (ESD) control plasma high-voltage semiconductor process control vacuum systems or precision instrumentation is beneficial for this role.

This is an onsite role located in Alameda California.

Embedded Firmware

• Develop and maintain low-level C/C firmware for microcontrollers and embedded processors.
• Support real-time control logic hardware abstraction layers (HAL) and device drivers.

Hardware & PCB Design

• Design and support review of multi-layer PCBs using Altium Designer or equivalent CAD tools.
• Incorporate ESD protection grounding/shielding and ESD-safe handling practices into board design and manufacturing support.

Board Bring-Up & Integration

• Bring up new hardware platforms and debug using oscilloscopes logic analyzers and protocol analyzers.
• Validate signal integrity power delivery communication interfaces and susceptibility to ESD events.

Communication Interfaces

• Implement and support drivers for
  • SPI
  • I²C
  • UART
  • CAN
  • Ethernet
  • USB
• Support integration with sensors actuators and process control hardware.

Semiconductor Ionization & ESD Systems

• Support electronics for plasma and ionization/static-neutralization systems (e.g. ionizing bars ion emitters).
• Support ESD control and monitoring efforts aligning with standards such as ANSI/ESD S20.20.

Tools & Interfaces

• Assist in building diagnostic and operator-facing applications using C# .
• Support communication between firmware and desktop-based tools.

Documentation & Process

• Produce technical documentation design specs and test procedures.
• Participate in design reviews and root-cause investigations.

Education:

• Bachelors degree in: Electrical Engineering Computer Engineering Computer Science or Related Engineering Discipline

Technical Expertise

• 5 years of embedded hardware and firmware development experience.
• Solid C/C programming for embedded systems including real-time and bare-metal environments.
• Working knowledge of microcontrollers memory-mapped I/O and hardware abstraction layers (HAL).
• Familiarity with Linux-based embedded systems.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (Outlook Excel PowerPoint Word)
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced development environment.
• Proficient with standard Bench test equipment i.e. Oscilloscope DMM etc.

Hardware Skills

• Hands-on PCB design experience using Altium Designer or similar tools.
• Working understanding of analog/digital electronics power supplies signal integrity and EMI/EMC and ESD considerations.
• Experience with board bring-up system integration hardware validation.

Communication Protocols

• Experience implementing and debugging: SPI I²C UART CAN Ethernet USB

Tools & Development Environment

• Experience with: Git GitHub GitLab Bitbucket Azure DevOps or equivalent source control systems
• CI/CD pipelines
• Issue tracking and configuration management tools
• Hardware debugging tools and laboratory instrumentation

Preferred Qualifications

Firmware

• Embedded C/C
• RTOS (FreeRTOS Zephyr or similar)
• Bootloaders
• Firmware architecture
• Device drivers
• Production test firmware

Hardware

• PCB Design
• Schematic Capture
• Board Bring-up
• Analog/Digital Circuit Design
• Mixed-Signal Systems
• Hardware Validation
• Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Control & Mitigation
• Ionization System Support

Software

• C#
• .NET
• Python
• Linux
• Git/GitHub
• Automated Testing

Engineering

• Root Cause Analysis
• System Integration
• Technical Documentation
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Product Development Lifecycle

Compensation Information:

The starting salary range for this position is $110000 $150000 per year. This range reflects the base salary for this role and represents the low and high end of the range that ITW reasonably expects to pay for this position at the time of this posting. Actual compensation offered will be determined based on factors such as the candidates experience skills qualifications education and internal equity as well as market and business addition full-time employees are available to participate in a benefits package that includes medical dental vision insurance programs and paid company time off.

ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues unique perspectives experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential.

As an equal employment opportunity employer ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color sex gender identity sexual orientation religion national origin age disability protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal state or local laws.