Embedded Software Engineer

Job Title: Embedded Software EngineerJob Description

This role focuses on designing, developing, and maintaining embedded software for advanced networking and optical products. You will lead feature development, enhance existing systems, resolve complex issues in legacy products, and collaborate closely with cross-functional engineering teams. The position combines hands-on firmware and software development with mentoring responsibilities and occasional customer-facing technical support, contributing directly to the performance, reliability, and evolution of cutting-edge embedded systems.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop embedded software features based on high-level customer and product line requirements.
• Develop new software and firmware features for existing and future products in the optical networking domain.
• Resolve bugs and sustaining issues in legacy embedded products, ensuring stability and long-term maintainability.
• Collaborate with validation, integration, optical, hardware, and test engineering teams to improve product performance, execution efficiency, and development processes.
• Ensure firmware and related technical documentation are accurate, complete, and kept up to date.
• Apply system product software concepts, including North-Bound Interfaces, board support packages (BSP), photonic control, alarms, and service management functions.
• Participate actively in Agile development practices, including planning, code reviews, continuous integration, and continuous delivery activities.
• Coach and mentor junior software engineers, providing guidance on design, implementation, testing, and coding standards.
• Drive and participate in code reviews to promote best practices, code quality, and consistent design patterns across the team.
• Engage in pre-sales and post-sales technical interactions with customers, helping to clarify requirements and address technical issues.
• Provide technical guidance and support to Field Application Engineers to ensure successful deployment and operation of products.
• Contribute to product and user documentation by providing clear technical input and review.
• Collaborate effectively with cross-site and global teams, coordinating development activities and sharing knowledge across locations.

Essential Skills

• University degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science, or an equivalent technical discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in embedded software systems, with flexibility to consider 5+ years for particularly strong candidates.
• Expert-level proficiency in C and C++ programming for embedded systems.
• Proven experience designing and developing embedded firmware and software features from high-level requirements.
• Hands-on experience resolving bugs and sustaining issues in legacy embedded products.
• Experience with system product software functions such as North-Bound Interfaces, board support packages (BSP), photonic control, alarms, and service management.
• Strong understanding of Linux-based multi-process and multi-threaded software design.
• Solid knowledge of object-oriented design principles applied in embedded and systems programming contexts.
• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and practices.
• Exposure to CI/CD and DevOps-oriented workflows for embedded or systems software.
• Good communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in cross-site and global teams.
• Ability to collaborate closely with validation, integration, hardware, optical, and test engineering teams.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in the optical networking industry, particularly with Layer 0/1 equipment, is preferred.
• Experience working with open-source networking and systems software such as SONiC, FRRouting, and Open vSwitch is a plus.
• Familiarity with networking and security protocols.
• Experience with virtualization and container technologies.
• Programming experience in Go and Python in addition to C and C++.
• Familiarity with Netconf and related network configuration and management technologies.
• Experience in telecommunications or data networking environments.
• Experience contributing to or integrating open-source software in commercial products.
• Experience collaborating with global, cross-cultural teams; ability to work effectively across time zones.
• Chinese language skills are a plus but not required.

Work Environment

The role operates in a hybrid work environment, with an expectation of 23 days per week on-site and flexibility based on business needs. You will work with modern embedded development toolchains on Linux-based systems, collaborating closely with optical, hardware, validation, integration, and test engineering teams. The environment follows Agile development practices and leverages CI/CD and DevOps approaches to streamline delivery. Work is primarily office-based when on-site, in a professional engineering setting focused on collaboration, code quality, and continuous improvement.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Horsham, PA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $120000.00 - $165000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

PTO, holiday, sign on, bonus, 401K

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Horsham, PA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 17, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Horsham,PA.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.