Systems Engineer Embedded Linux

Roles and responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Field engineers, ranging from graduate to senior, in the areas of Presales and Professional Services
• Solve customer problems by promoting our technologies and being a trusted advisor
• Work remotely in a single major time zone
• Coach, mentor, and offer career development feedback
• Identify and measure team health indicators
• Implement disciplined engineering processes
• Represent your team and product to stakeholders, partners, and customers
• Develop and evangelise great engineering and organisational practices
• Plan and manage progress on agreed goals and projects
• Be an active part of the leadership team, collaborating with other leaders
  

What we are looking for in you

• Exceptional academic track record from both high school and university
• Bachelors degree in Computer Science or related technical field
• Extensive embedded Linux experience - Yocto or other
• Extensive Linux experience - Debian or Ubuntu preferred
• Fluency in at least one of Golang, Python, C, C++, or Rust
• Ability to manage a small team
• Experience with customer engagements
• Professional written and spoken English
• Excellent interpersonal skills, curiosity, flexibility, and accountability
• Result-oriented, with a personal drive to meet commitments
• An ability to communicate the business benefits of technology
• An humble learner and quick study

• 1. Technical Skills

• Embedded Linux Development: Strong knowledge of Linux kernel, user space, bootloaders (e.g., U-Boot), and filesystem management.
• Programming Languages: Proficiency in C, C++, Python, or shell scripting for embedded system development.
• Real-Time Systems: Understanding real-time systems and the use of RTOS alongside Linux in specific use cases.
• Debugging Tools: Familiarity with tools such as GDB, strace, and other embedded debugging techniques for diagnosing issues in embedded Linux systems.

• 2. Management & Leadership

• Project Management: Skills in managing multiple client projects simultaneously, including resource allocation and tracking milestones.
• Client-facing Communication: Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical clients and work directly with them to understand their needs.
• Team Development: Experience managing and growing a technical team, fostering a collaborative and efficient working environment.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Working with other engineering teams (hardware, software, QA) to deliver high-quality solutions.

• 3. Problem Solving & Decision Making

• Critical Thinking: Ability to solve complex embedded system problems under pressure, including troubleshooting hardware-software integration issues.
• Customer Focused: Ability to balance customer demands and internal resources while ensuring product quality and timelines are met.

Desired candidate profile

1. Team Leadership & Management

• Managing Field Engineers: Leading a team of embedded Linux engineers, ensuring technical proficiency, and providing guidance on troubleshooting, design, and implementation of Linux-based embedded systems.
• Talent Development: Hiring, mentoring, and training engineers to improve their skills and career growth.
• Project Management: Assigning tasks, managing workloads, and ensuring the timely delivery of projects. This involves creating timelines, milestones, and managing team productivity.
• Performance Reviews: Conducting performance evaluations for team members, providing constructive feedback, and setting goals for improvement.

2. Customer Interaction

• Customer Engagement: Acting as a liaison between the engineering team and customers, understanding their needs, and providing solutions based on the technical capabilities of the team.
• Technical Support: Addressing client concerns related to embedded Linux systems, including performance issues, compatibility, or system failures.
• Proof of Concept (PoC): Helping customers with evaluations, testing, and the successful integration of embedded Linux-based solutions into their product ecosystem.
• Field Trials and Deployments: Coordinating with customers during pilot deployments and field trials to ensure smooth implementation and gathering feedback.

3. System Architecture & Design

• System Design Oversight: Collaborating with engineers to ensure that Linux-based embedded systems are designed with scalability, security, and performance in mind.
• Platform Selection: Helping clients select the appropriate hardware platforms and associated tools for specific embedded applications.
• Integration: Overseeing the integration of embedded Linux systems with various hardware components, such as sensors, processors, peripherals, and communication protocols (e.g., I2C, SPI, UART).

4. Technical Expertise

• Embedded Linux Development: Profound knowledge of embedded Linux distributions (Yocto, OpenEmbedded, Buildroot, etc.), kernel configuration, and the process of customizing Linux for embedded systems.
• Kernel Modifications: Expertise in modifying and optimizing the Linux kernel for specific hardware platforms, ensuring compatibility and performance.
• Device Drivers: Understanding how to develop and optimize device drivers for different peripherals and hardware platforms.
• Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS): Familiarity with RTOS concepts when embedded systems require precise timing and handling of real-time processes.
• Cross-Compiling & Toolchains: Experience with toolchains for cross-compiling code and managing dependencies for embedded systems.

5. Embedded Linux Ecosystem

• Networking & Communication Protocols: Familiarity with networking protocols (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, etc.) in embedded Linux environments.
• Security: Expertise in securing embedded systems by using encryption, secure boot, certificate management, and other techniques to prevent unauthorized access.
• Power Management: Knowledge of power optimization techniques, critical for battery-operated embedded devices.
• Debugging & Diagnostics: Expertise in debugging embedded Linux systems using tools like gdb, strace, system logs, and hardware debugging interfaces (JTAG, UART).

6. Collaboration & Cross-functional Work

• Cross-department Coordination: Working closely with R&D, hardware engineers, product management, and quality assurance teams to ensure cohesive product development and deployment.
• Agile/Scrum: Managing engineering teams that follow Agile methodologies for rapid iteration and development of embedded systems.
• Documentation: Ensuring proper documentation of system designs, troubleshooting guides, user manuals, and deployment processes for internal use and customer delivery.

7. Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Testing & Validation: Overseeing testing protocols for embedded Linux systems, including unit testing, integration testing, and system validation.
• Compliance: Ensuring that embedded systems meet industry standards and certifications, especially for specialized sectors like automotive (ISO 26262), medical devices (IEC 62304), and industrial systems (IEC 61508).

8. Strategic Direction

• Product Roadmap: Assisting in the development of long-term strategies for embedded Linux product offerings.
• Technology Trends: Keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in embedded Linux, hardware architectures, and industry trends.
• Cost Optimization: Balancing product features, performance, and costs to meet client requirements while adhering to budget constraints.