
Senior Firmware Engineer
- Cork
- Permanent
- Full-time
This role demands deep technical expertise in low-level programming, microcontroller and FPGA architectures, test-driven development, and hardware-software integration, along with strong skills in technical documentation and reporting.
As a senior member of the team, you will contribute to research and prototyping of innovative, new-to-world solutions that drive differentiation across AE's product portfolio.
You will act as a technical leader and subject matter expert, influencing cross-functional teams and driving tasks to completion. You will also engage directly with customers and senior stakeholders to ensure product designs effectively address real-world needs.RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Design and analyze firmware architecture, systems, and subsystems to meet specifications, cost, schedule, and quality goals.
- Develop embedded firmware in compliance with IEC 62304 standards for medical devices.
- Diagnose and resolve issues related to design, field performance, reliability, and test yields.
- Own the success of products in customer applications by identifying and implementing corrective actions.
- Follow established engineering procedures, including the Product Development Process and ECO process.
- Research and evaluate new technologies to enhance product performance, safety, and quality.
- Lead and mentor junior engineers and interns, fostering technical growth and collaboration.
- Drive process efficiency and automation within the firmware development team.
- Implement best practices and design reviews within a cross-functional engineering environment.
- Collaborate with the Advanced Development team to assess technology readiness for new product launches.
- Work closely with cross-functional teams including NPI, purchasing, quality, program/project management, finance, safety, and production.
- Build and maintain strong peer-to-peer relationships across the organization.
Occasional domestic and international travel may be required to support product development, customer engagement, or collaboration with global teams.REQUIRED SKILLS:
- Proven track record of bringing embedded products to market and providing technical leadership.
- Strong proficiency in C programming for embedded systems.
- Experience with test-driven development and thorough technical documentation.
- Demonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems independently.
- Sound judgment in selecting methods and techniques to achieve engineering solutions.
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a dynamic environment.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across teams.
- Experience leading and mentoring junior engineers or interns.
- Skilled in influencing and negotiating in cross-functional or complex technical settings.
- Creative problem-solver with a focus on quality, safety, cost, and delivery.
- Hands-on engineer with a solid theoretical foundation.
- Familiarity with industry practices, engineering standards, and internal procedures.
- Experience with HDL (Verilog) for FPGA development.
- Proficiency in object-oriented programming (e.g., C++, C#).
- Experience with scripting languages such as Python or Perl.
- Familiarity with firmware development to industry standards (e.g., IEC 62304).
- Background in medical device product development.
- Knowledge of advanced algorithms and control system integration.
- Interest or background in biology or human anatomy (preferred for medical applications).
- Minimum of 5 years' engineering experience in embedded systems, power electronics, or related industries; or 3 years' experience with a relevant PhD or research-focused Master's degree.
- Proven experience in product development, with a track record of technical leadership and successful product launches.
- Background in medical device development or power electronics is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated career progression, including increasing technical responsibilities and contributions to intellectual property (e.g., patents, publications, or proprietary designs).
- Bachelor's degree (Level 8 or higher) in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline with relevant experience.
- A postgraduate qualification (Master's or PhD) in a relevant field is an advantage.