Senior Firmware Engineer I

About the role:

We’re looking for a Senior Firmware Engineer – eLinux to join our Safety OS Platform team. This group builds the Linux-based foundation that powers Samsara’s Safety devices — enabling real-time safety alerts, AI detections, and connected workflows used by millions of drivers worldwide. You’ll own and evolve the embedded Linux stack across multiple hardware platforms, driving improvements in system stability, boot performance, and hardware integration. This role calls for deep hands-on expertise in Linux internals, device drivers, and board bring-up, with a focus on building reliable, production-ready systems that scale to millions of deployed units

This is a remote position open to candidates residing in the US and Canada.

You should apply if:

• You want to impact the industries that run our world: The software, firmware, and hardware you build will result in real-world impact – helping to keep the lights on, get food into grocery stores, and most importantly, ensure workers return home safely.
• You want to build for scale: With over 2.3 million IoT devices deployed to our global customers, you will work on a range of new and mature technologies driving scalable innovation for customers across industries driving the world's physical operations.
• You are a life-long learner: We have ambitious goals. Every Samsarian has a growth mindset as we work with a wide range of technologies, challenges, and customers that push us to learn on the go.
• You believe customers are more than a number: Samsara engineers enjoy a rare closeness to the end user and you will have the opportunity to participate in customer interviews, collaborate with customer success and product managers, and use metrics to ensure our work is translating into better customer outcomes.
• You are a team player: Working on our Samsara Engineering teams requires a mix of independent effort and collaboration. Motivated by our mission, we’re all racing toward our connected operations vision, and we intend to win – together.

In this role, you will:

• Take full ownership of key platform areas and initiatives, driving execution across the OS stack, aligning cross-functional teams, and delivering production-grade embedded Linux and system-level capabilities across various hardware platforms.
• Lead custom hardware prototyping, board bring-up, and platform bring-up across multiple SoCs
• Develop and maintain the embedded Linux operating system, including build systems, kernel configuration, patches, and systemd service management.
• Drive power and performance optimization, secure boot configuration, and device hardening to meet reliability and security requirements at scale.
• Support high-volume manufacturing by improving system stability, validating hardware revisions, and resolving factory-blocking issues.
• Influence architectural decisions across business units, collaborating with firmware, hardware, and ML teams to raise system quality and consistency.
• Debug complex cross-stack problems spanning hardware, kernel, drivers, middleware, and application layers; document root causes and implement long-term fixes.
• Mentor engineers within the team and contribute to establishing strong engineering and operational standards for Samsara’s in-vehicle OS platform.
• Champion, role model, and embed Samsara’s cultural principles (Focus on Customer Success, Build for the Long Term, Adopt a Growth Mindset, Be Inclusive, Win as a Team) as we scale globally and across new offices

Minimum requirements for the role:

• Proficient in Linux development in C, including bootloaders, kernel configuration, device drivers, device tree, and userspace tools.
• Experience with cross-platform development, build tools (GNU toolchain, Yocto, buildroot) and Docker containers
• Experience integrating/adapting Open Source Software to meet project requirements
• Ability to read schematics and integrated circuit device datasheets for board support package development.
• Experience bringing products through the full software lifecycle - from early prototyping, board bring-up, release to manufacturing, to post-release support
• 6+ Years of embedded software and/or hardware experience
• Proactive, self-directed, and good at estimating project scope and timelines

An ideal candidate also has:

• Extensive experience developing on Qualcomm-based SoCs and enabling Linux on custom hardware platforms.
• Advanced Yocto expertise, with the ability to build, extend, and maintain complex embedded Linux distributions efficiently across multiple projects.