Senior Embedded Systems Engineer

£65-80K - Full-time - London/Hybrid

IONATE is a deep technology start-up building the technology backbone for smart grids. Our team is looking for a Senior Embedded Software Engineer who will be responsible for developing and implementing real time software, taking concepts through to commercial product for customers.

Requiring extensive knowledge and experience in embedded software development, this position will involve working with our hardware and software team. With a focus on real-time embedded firmware development, you will be actively contributing to in analyses, design reviews, simulations, technical discussions, verification and validation processes.

You will need an innovative approach to engineering with well-grounded reasoning and experience. Importantly you will contribute to live ongoing projects and test activities and work with the team to continue developing our HIT technology.

What you will do:

Embedded Software Development

• Develop embedded software for grid-connected inverters.
• Implement, test, debug, and troubleshoot DSP/microcontroller processor firmware and algorithms.

Hardware Design Validation

• Perform hands-on embedded system hardware design validation and debugging.

Firmware Design

• Design control firmware adhering to safety, quality, and international standards.
• Ensure firmware is designed using best practices to produce readable, scalable code.

Collaboration & Technical Development

• Actively participate in technical development and testing across a multidisciplinary team (e.g., transformer, power electronics, control, PLC, grid network, cloud software engineers).
• Work within clear timescales to deliver projects on time with ambitious product goals.

Documentation

• Create and maintain documentation such as requirements and specification documents, testing reports, and product manuals.

Requirements

What you will need:

• A degree in electronics/software engineering or an equivalent discipline.

Technical Skills and Experience

• Extensive industry experience in C/C++ for microcontroller-based embedded platforms.
• Extensive experience in the design and implementation of real-time applications.
• Proven experience developing firmware from concept to commercially ready products.
• Ability to read PCB schematics and datasheets; experience testing/debugging PCB boards.
• Proficiency with tools such as Altium, MATLAB, Confluence, JIRA.

Soft Skills

• Strong communication skills enabling collaboration with global teams.
• Willingness to travel nationally and internationally for testing/commissioning when required.

It would be useful to have:

Microcontroller and FPGA Experience

• Experience with AMD Zynq-Ultrascale MPSoC platforms, STM32 microcontrollers or other ARM CORTEX-M based microcontrollers.
• Knowledge of FPGA languages such as VHDL or Verilog.
• Experience in FPGA high-level synthesis.
• Experience using, developing, or working with Embedded Linux.

Software and Simulation Tools

• Experience using, developing, or working with Embedded Linux.

• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink.
• Familiarity with other programming and scripting languages such as Python or JavaScript.

Communication Protocols

• Experience with communication protocols such as UART, SPI, I2C, QSPI, Ethernet, and USB.

Control Systems and Power Electronics

• Knowledge of digital closed-loop control applications.

• Understanding of power electronics; integration within the grid is a bonus.

Benefits

• Flexible working schedules: You will be based in our modern West London offices but will have the flexibility for hybrid work-from-home arrangements. Talk to us at the application stage about any scheduling preferences you may have.
• Private Medical & Dental Insurance: From day one, we provide you with full, comprehensive private medical and dental cover through Bupa. You also have the option to add any dependents to your cover. Please ask us for more details.
• Employee Option Plan: You get equity in IONATE, so as we succeed so do you.
• Company pension: a competitive, flexible, and sustainable pension product to help you plan for your future.
• Career Development: It's important to us that you have the opportunity for ongoing professional development and career growth.
• Cycle to Work: Low carbon travel is important for everyone, so we have in place a cycle scheme to help you purchase a bicycle or electric car.
• Slow travel: We believe in a low carbon future, so if you wish to travel by a lower carbon method - but it takes much longer than flying - we will give you an extra 2 slow travel days per year.

3 reasons why you should apply:

You'll work on something that matters. The most rewarding aspect of our job is seeing what we build in the lab get used in the real world. As our tech gets used in solar farms, batteries, and electricity grids, your work will help shape the future of the green energy transition.

The thinking you'll do here is not your average exercises on repeat. Building a brand-new class of tech requires cutting-edge ideas. If you like to solve unconventional problems, to be given freedom to explore, to challenge - and be challenged by - field experts, you will fit just right in.

The rocket ship is taking off. Our innovation has been proven and demand is immense. IONATE is now rapidly scaling up and undertaking global projects. Joining early and working side-by-side with our leadership team means ample opportunity to grow your role together with our company.

IONATE has a friendly team that collaborates and supports one-another. If you don't fit all the description above, but you are passionate about the work we are doing and could add value to our team, please get in touch. We believe in making positions fit the skills of people, not the other way around. We are also committed to providing equal opportunities, an inclusive work environment, and fairness for everyone. We value diversity in race, gender identity, sexuality, age, family or civil status, disability, religion, or ethnicity and encourage you to apply wherever you come from.