R&D Firmware Engineer

Overview

Keysight is at the forefront of technology innovation, delivering breakthroughs and trusted insights in electronic design, simulation, prototyping, test, manufacturing, and optimization. Our ~15,000 employees create world-class solutions in communications, 5G, automotive, energy, quantum, aerospace, defense, and semiconductor markets for customers in over 100 countries. Learn more about what we do.

Our award-winning culture embraces a bold vision of where technology can take us and a passion for tackling challenging problems with industry-first solutions. We believe that when people feel a sense of belonging, they can be more creative, innovative, and thrive at all points in their careers.

Responsibilities

Firmware Architecture & Development

Architect, design, implement, and maintain complex embedded firmware for high-performance test and measurement systems
Develop firmware in C and C++ targeting bare-metal and RTOS-based environments on microcontrollers and SoC platforms
Design and implement hardware abstraction layers (HAL), board support packages (BSP), and low-level device drivers for FPGAs, ADCs, DACs, RF components, and custom ASICs
Develop and optimize FPGA logic and firmware interfaces using VHDL or Verilog where required
Implement real-time control algorithms and signal processing routines meeting stringent timing and latency requirements

Hardware Integration & System Bring-Up

Partner closely with hardware engineers during PCB bring-up, characterization, and validation phases
Develop and execute firmware test plans; write and maintain automated regression test suites
Perform hands-on hardware debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG, and protocol analyzers (I2C, SPI, UART, PCIe, USB)
Define and validate firmware interfaces with DSPs, FPGAs, and host software layers

Technical Leadership & Mentorship

Lead firmware architecture discussions and design reviews; provide clear, actionable feedback to peers and junior engineers
Contribute to and champion firmware development standards, coding guidelines, and documentation practices across the team
Participate in cross-functional program reviews, risk identification, and mitigation planning

Quality, Testing & Lifecycle

Write high-quality, maintainable, well-documented firmware code; maintain comprehensive unit and integration test coverage
Investigate, root-cause, and resolve complex firmware defects; manage bug resolution from triage through close
Participate in Agile/Scrum ceremonies: sprint planning, stand-ups, backlog refinement, and retrospectives
Support product sustaining engineering and field escalation resolution as needed

Qualifications

Education

BS or MS degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline

Experience

8+ years of embedded firmware experience, including work on high-frequency RF, mixed-signal, or precision analog instrumentation
Track record of leading or significantly contributing to firmware architecture decisions on a delivered product

Programming Languages & Tools

Expert-level proficiency in C; strong proficiency in C++ for embedded systems and Python
Experience with FPGA firmware development and hardware-firmware co-design (Xilinx/AMD, Intel/Altera); familiarity with VHDL or Verilog
Experience with CMake, Jenkins CI/CD pipelines, and automated firmware test frameworks
Familiarity using AI tools for code generation and review

Hardware & Architectures

Hands-on experience with microcontroller and/or SoC architectures (ARM Cortex-M/A, RISC-V, or similar)
Strong experience writing and debugging low-level peripheral drivers (I2C, SPI, UART, USB, PCIe, Ethernet)
Proficiency with embedded debugging tools: JTAG/SWD debuggers, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes
Working knowledge of RF and analog electronics sufficient to collaborate effectively with hardware design engineers

Software & Systems

Experience with Linux kernel drivers or Yocto-based embedded Linux BSP development
Familiarity with DSP fundamentals — FFT, filtering, calibration algorithms — as applied to measurement firmware
Knowledge of electronic test and measurement instrument architecture (VNAs, signal generators); familiarity with instrument control standards: VISA, SCPI

Development Practices

Experience with version control (Git) and collaborative development workflows
Experience with formal code review processes, static analysis tools, and safety-aware coding practices
Familiarity with Atlassian suite: Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket
Familiarity using AI Tools for code generation and review

Careers Privacy Statement

Keysight is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Santa Rosa, CA MIN $143,000 - MAX $238,000.00

No Visa sponsorship is available for this role.

Most offers will be between the minimum and the midpoint of the Salary Range listed above.

Note: For other locations, pay ranges will vary by region

US Employees May Be Eligible For The Following Benefits

Medical, dental and vision
Health Savings Account
Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
Life, Accident, Disability insurance
Business Travel Accident and Business Travel Health
401(k) Plan
Flexible Time Off, Paid Holidays
Paid Family Leave
Discounts, Perks
Tuition Reimbursement
Adoption Assistance
ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan)

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