Firmware Specialist Engineer

Technology & Embedded Systems – Institute Itech

• Full-time position
• Hybrid work model (Milan, Italy – with international scope)
• Travel and meeting expenses will be reimbursed upon approval
• An NDA must be signed

This position may evolve into Senior Firmware Specialist or Lead Embedded Systems Engineer, depending on performance and contribution to Institute Itech's technology infrastructure.

About Institute Itech:

Institute Itech is a private research, development and technological innovation institute based in Italy with an international vision. It was created to transform scientific knowledge, advanced engineering and emerging technologies into concrete solutions for the environment, health, data intelligence, artificial intelligence, urban systems and technological infrastructure.

The company is built on a multidisciplinary vision structured around six pillars: Education, Technology, Social, Nature, Research and Urban. Through these areas, Institute Itech develops high-impact projects capable of improving quality of life, making cities more sustainable and creating new models of scientific, industrial and social progress.

Its flagship projects include:

• MemoriaTM – AI-based neuroimaging and cognitive data intelligence
• OxyleafTM – environmental monitoring and air quality technologies
• TerraTM – advanced soil and ecological remediation systems
• PolarisTM – strategic data infrastructure and positioning systems
• BalloonTM – high-altitude sensing and urban climate platforms
• BiocityTM – integrated biourban planning and smart city ecosystems

About the Role:

Institute Itech is seeking a technically solid and experienced Firmware Specialist to join its embedded systems team in a hybrid capacity between Milan and international project contexts. The role is transversal in nature: the candidate will contribute across multiple flagship projects, developing and maintaining firmware solutions with a significant degree of autonomy across the full embedded development stack — from low-level microcontroller programming to IoT connectivity, real-time system management, and hardware-software integration.

The selected candidate will work alongside hardware designers, mechanical engineers, software developers, and project leads, taking ownership of embedded firmware workstreams and contributing to the design, development, and validation of systems that power Institute Itech's environmental sensing platforms, urban monitoring infrastructure, and advanced technology projects.

This is an ideal opportunity for a mid-level firmware professional looking to deepen their expertise across a technically demanding and diverse project portfolio with meaningful real-world impact.

Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and maintain firmware for microcontrollers and embedded processors (STM32, ESP32, ARM Cortex, or equivalent)
• Write clean, efficient, and well-documented code in C and C++
• Implement and maintain device drivers, hardware abstraction layers (HAL), and Board Support Packages (BSPs)
• Lead the porting and adaptation of firmware across different hardware platforms and configurations

Real-Time Systems & Peripheral Management

• Develop and manage real-time applications using RTOS platforms (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or equivalent)
• Ensure timing, scheduling, and interrupt management meet system-level performance requirements
• Integrate and configure peripherals including UART, SPI, I2C, GPIO, ADC, and PWM
• Debug and resolve real-time behavioral issues across hardware and software boundaries

IoT Connectivity & Sensor Integration

• Implement communication protocols for IoT-connected embedded devices (MQTT, BLE, LoRa, Wi-Fi, or equivalent)
• Develop firmware for sensor data acquisition, local processing, and wireless transmission
• Support the integration of embedded nodes with cloud platforms and backend data infrastructure
• Contribute to the design of low-power embedded architectures for field-deployed systems
• Design and execute firmware testing procedures including unit tests and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation
• Use debugging tools including JTAG, SWD, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers to diagnose and resolve issues
• Document test results, bug reports, and firmware release notes in line with Institute Itech's engineering standards
• Support the transition of firmware from prototype to production-ready embedded systems

Cross-Project Technical Contribution

• Contribute embedded firmware expertise across projects including BalloonTM, OxyleafTM, TerraTM, and MemoriaTM
• Participate in technical design reviews, architecture decisions, and cross-functional planning sessions
• Identify and communicate firmware-level risks and propose mitigation strategies in collaboration with project leads
• Mentor junior team members and support knowledge transfer within the embedded systems team

Documentation & Knowledge Sharing

• Maintain thorough technical documentation for all firmware development activities
• Produce firmware specifications, integration guides, and release documentation
• Contribute to internal technical wikis and engineering knowledge bases

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, Embedded Systems, or a closely related discipline
• 4–6 years of experience in firmware or embedded systems development
• Strong proficiency in C and C++ for embedded applications
• Hands-on experience with microcontrollers and embedded processors (STM32, ESP32, ARM Cortex, or equivalent)
• Solid experience with RTOS platforms (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or equivalent)
• Solid knowledge of standard communication protocols (UART, SPI, I2C, BLE, LoRa, Wi-Fi, or equivalent)
• Experience with hardware debugging tools (JTAG, SWD, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers)
• Proficiency in version control with Git
• Systematic problem-solving approach, strong attention to detail, and a hands-on mindset

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with low-power design techniques for battery-operated and field-deployed embedded systems
• Knowledge of wireless communication stacks and RF system integration
• Familiarity with Linux-based embedded systems (Yocto, Buildroot, or equivalent)
• Experience supporting hardware bring-up and PCB validation processes
• Background in environmental monitoring, aerospace, robotics, or urban technology applications
• Knowledge of functional safety standards (IEC 61508, ISO 26262, or equivalent)
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines applied to embedded firmware development
• Basic knowledge of Python for scripting, test automation, or data visualization

Benefits Provided

• Mid-level role with significant autonomy and ownership across a technically diverse project portfolio
• Direct collaboration with hardware engineers, software developers, and multidisciplinary research teams
• Transversal experience across multiple flagship projects spanning environmental sensing, urban intelligence, and advanced technology platforms
• Growth path toward Senior Firmware Specialist or Lead Embedded Systems Engineer
• Hybrid work model with exposure to international project contexts
• Reimbursement of approved travel and project-related expenses

Compensation

Annual Gross Salary: €45,000 - €50,000, in line with mid-level embedded systems profiles.

Additional performance-based incentives may be provided based on project contribution and technical milestones achieved.