Embedded Systems Engineer

About the Role

HOOK is an e-bike powertrain company specializing in compact and affordable drive modules. Our flagship product, HOOKUniq, transforms analog bicycles into smart e-bikes. We are seeking a hands-on Embedded Systems Engineer to own end-to-end hardware development, PCB layout, and firmware architecture for our micro-mobility and smart hardware platforms. You will work on the core electronic systems of our vehicles and connected devices, from schematic design and board routing to firmware development and vehicle testing.

Key Responsibilities

• PCB & Hardware Engineering
• Design, layout, and validate 2-to-4 layer boards using KiCad.
• Select components, manage BOMs, optimize for DFM/DFA, and build custom power distribution and peripheral circuits.
• Firmware Development
• Develop robust, non-blocking firmware for microcontrollers (ESP32, ARM Cortex-M) leveraging FreeRTOS tasks, queues, timers, and state machines.
• Peripheral & Communication Protocols
• Integrate and debug hardware communication interfaces: I2C, SPI, UART, CAN bus, ADC sensor feeds, and cellular/GPS (4G LTE/GNSS) modules.
• Bench Bring-Up & Diagnostics
• Solder, assemble, and test prototype boards.
• Diagnose hardware faults, noise issues, signal integrity, and power anomalies using multimeters, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers.
• Field Validation & Documentation
• Collaborate on vehicle-level testing, thermal performance, and vibration reliability.
• Maintain structured Git repositories, board revisions, and hardware design documentation.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Microcontrollers: Solid foundation in ESP32 (ESP-IDF or advanced C/C++) architecture. Understanding of FreeRTOS memory management, task prioritization, and low-power modes.
• EDA Tools: Demonstrable experience in KiCad (schematic capture, routing, ground planes, decoupling strategies, and DRC/ERC checks).
• Lab Skills: Hands-on experience with SMD soldering (0603/0805 passives, QFN/SOIC packages) and bench tools (digital oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, variable DC supplies).
• Communication Standards: Working knowledge of vehicle and IoT telemetry buses (UART, CAN, I2C, SPI) and wireless interfaces (Wi-Fi, BLE, MQTT).
• Problem-Solving Mindset: Ability to trace system crashes to hardware or software issues.

Qualifications

• Freshers with strong project portfolios or collegiate racing/robotics backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Immediate joiner (maximum 7–15 days notice period).

Bonus Points

• Active past involvement in collegiate design competitions (Formula Student, BAJA SAE, Robocon) leading electrical/telemetry subsystems.
• Experience interfacing with BLDC motor controllers, digital throttles, battery management systems (BMS), or IoT cloud backends.
• Familiarity with local component procurement, PCB fabrication houses, and stencil assembly processes.

Hiring Details

• Probation Period: 3 months.
• Compensation: Salary 4.2 LPA.
• ESOP options available.