Firmware Engineer, Hands

About the Role

Apptronik is seeking a Firmware Engineer to develop firmware for the dexterous hands of their humanoid robots. This role involves collaborating with the existing hands firmware team to implement, test, and debug embedded software for in-house hand designs, including motor control, sensor integration, and real-time communications. The engineer will work closely with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineers from prototype to production, contribute to hardware bring-up, and help build out HIL and SIL tests. The position also involves maintaining firmware quality and reliability as systems scale, participating in code and design reviews, and contributing to the hands firmware stack with mentorship.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the hands firmware team to develop, deploy, and maintain firmware for in-house dexterous hand designs, including motor control, sensor I/O, and real-time communications.
• Work closely with mechanical engineers as the hand design evolves, ensuring firmware tracks the mechanical design and exposes the right interfaces for tuning and validation.
• Contribute to motor control firmware for small motors, including current control and basic position/torque loops.
• Develop firmware for distributed embedded networks connecting multiple MCUs.
• Help shape and execute Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) testing strategies to validate hand performance, safety, and reliability at scale.
• Drive firmware quality, reliability, and field performance for scaled deployments, including telemetry, diagnostics, and root-cause analysis of field failures.
• Work with cross-functional engineering teams to bring up hand hardware from prototype through production.
• Participate in code reviews, design reviews, and pair debugging.
• Contribute to discussions on tooling, processes, and patterns.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Experience with humanoid robotics, prosthetics, dexterous manipulation, or other compact electromechanical systems.
• Experience with EtherCAT for real-time embedded communications.
• Experience developing in C and C++ for TI C2000 microcontrollers.
• Familiarity with safety-critical embedded system design standards, including MISRA C and ISO 26262.
• Exposure to Agile workflows, including sprint planning, design reviews, and code reviews.
• Experience integrating tactile, force, or position sensors into embedded systems.
• Familiarity with model-based design tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink) for control design and code generation.
• Contributions to firmware tooling, build systems, or developer infrastructure.
• Familiarity with real-time embedded firmware concepts and an eagerness to develop hard real-time skills.
• Familiarity with motor control concepts for BLDC motors (e.g., field-oriented control, current control, or position control).
• Familiarity with distributed embedded networks where multiple MCUs cooperate over real-time buses.
• Exposure to deploying firmware to embedded devices through internships, projects, or coursework.
• Strong hardware debugging skills using tools such as oscilloscopes and logic analyzers.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics (Altium Designer preferred) and hardware datasheets.
• Experience with embedded communication protocols such as SPI, UART, RS485, and CAN.
• Demonstrated ability to work closely with mechanical engineers on tightly integrated electromechanical assemblies.
• Eagerness to learn, take feedback, and grow technically within a collaborative team setting.
• Solid working proficiency in C/C++; familiarity with Python, Docker, and Git.
• Exposure to firmware development for resource-constrained embedded hardware (limited flash, RAM, and CPU; many peripherals across few MCUs).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• Master's degree with a focus on controls, motor drives, or embedded systems is especially valued.
• 0–2 years of relevant experience developing embedded software, including internships, co-ops, research, or significant academic or personal projects.