Principal Firmware Engineer (IoT)

As a Principal Firmware Engineer (IoT) you will be a key player in designing developing and maintaining firmware systems related to electronic devices and hardware. Your expertise will bridge the gap between software and hardware ensuring seamless integration and optimal performance. The Principal Firmware Engineer (IoT) serves as the Technical Function Owner for Connectivity and IoT embedded platforms providing technical leadership across software architecture requirements engineering and firmware development. This role is responsible for defining and maintaining scalable reusable platform architectures establishing system and subsystem requirements driving technical decision-making and ensuring successful execution across multiple product lines and development teams.

The Principal Firmware Engineer (IoT) will partner closely with Product Owners Systems Hardware Firmware Cloud Mobile Quality and Program teams to establish platform baselines align technical direction manage cross-functional dependencies and deliver robust secure and scalable connectivity solutions.

The Principal Firmware Engineer (IoT) role is ideal for a technical leader who can define architecture govern requirements and remain hands-on when needed to solve complex technical challenges.

This position will serve Rheem North America Division located in Indianapolis IN (Hybrid). This role follows our hybrid work arrangement with team members working in the office Monday through Thursday and remotely on Fridays. Relocation assistance is available.

• Work with systems engineering product engineering marketing manufacturing and others to capture electronic controls requirements for specific water heating applications.
• Work collaboratively with Lead Software and Systems Architecture Engineer to develop and extend software architecture and design for software applications.
• Develop software and associated documentation for embedded applications following team design conventions.
• Provide a comprehensive self-review and test of the software.
• Work with hardware systems R&D product and validation engineers to support the validation of the software in the product application with a focus on identifying and resolving any software hardware or system anomalies.
• Work with manufacturing and service on the implementation and validation of software features to support construction and field support.
• Support the development of tools for PC handheld and other devices that could be used for development testing manufacturing service and/or other applications.
• Work with cross-functional teams through direct interactions and team meetings in developing and translating new concepts into applications.
• Develop performance and qualification test methods coordinate the implementation of experiments and evaluate test results.
• Lead and participate in formal design reviews of electronic controls requirements schematics layouts and software as well as FMEA DFM DFT and other related analyses.
• Prepare and support the review and release of formal requirements design and qualification documentation.
• Continue to develop professionally. Represent the company as requested in technical societies and keep the company advised of pertinent developments new concepts and opportunities.

• Bachelors degree in Computer Engineering Electrical Engineering Computer Science or equivalent.
• 7 years of hands-on experience developing production embedded firmware for microprocessor-based controls in C/C and assembly.
• Strong experience across the full Firmware Development Life Cycle (SDLC) including:
• Requirements elicitation and decomposition (system software)
• Architecture and design
• Implementation and code reviews
• Verification validation and qualification
• Launch support (manufacturing field readiness)
• Sustaining engineering defect resolution and field issue support
• Proven experience developing real-time multi-threaded embedded systems.
• Expertise with embedded peripherals and interfaces such as SPI QSPI UART RS485 and Ethernet.
• Experience with secure embedded platforms including secure boot chains image authentication anti-rollback protection and secure key handling.
• Experience supporting firmware update mechanisms (including OTA or field update strategies) across development launch and sustaining phases.
• Experience working closely with cross-functional teams including systems engineering hardware product manufacturing validation and service.
• Strong debugging and failure analysis skills using hardware/software tools (emulators oscilloscopes logic analyzers test instrumentation).
• Ability to read and interpret schematics wiring diagrams and hardware documentation.
• Experience producing clear software design requirements and test documentation to support development and lifecycle maintenance.
• Experience participating in or leading design reviews FMEA DFM/DFT and technical reviews.
• Proficiency with version control systems (e.g. Git).
• Strong communication skills with the ability to present technical concepts clearly to engineering and non-engineering stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a collaborative team-oriented environment.

HOW TO STAND OUT

• Experience with connectivity technologies and protocols including:
• Wireless: BLE Wi-Fi Thread Matter Amazon Sidewalk
• Wired/Protocols: BACnet Modbus TCP/IP
• Experience with security features such as Secure Boot X.509 certificates TLS and encrypted file systems.
• Experience implementing OTA over wireless or cloud-connected systems.
• Experience with model-based development tools (MATLAB LabVIEW).
• Familiarity with statistical methods or Design of Experiments (DOE).
• Experience supporting connected or IoT-enabled products in consumer or industrial environments.

At Rheem how you achieve results is as important as the results you achieve. While LEADING OTHERS you will be expected to demonstrate the following competencies and behaviors:

• Aligning Performance for Success

• Applying Business Knowledge

• Building Talent

• Building Trusted Relationships

• Communicating with Impact

• Customer-Orientation

• Delegating Tasks

• Executing/Leading the Team

• Facilitating Change

• Fostering Relationships/ Emotional Intelligence

• Influencing

• Problem Solving & Decision Making

• Supporting Innovation

Equivalent combination of education experience and skills may supplement above minimum job requirements.

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