Staff Software Engineer: Embedded Device Software

Our Mission

SPAN is enabling electrification for all ⚡

We are a mission-driven company designing, building, and deploying products that electrify the built environment, reduce carbon emissions, and slow the effects of climate change.

• Decarbonization is the process to reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide, from entering our atmosphere.

• Electrification is the process of replacing fossil fuel appliances that run on gas or oil with all-electric upgrades for a cleaner way to power our lives.

At SPAN, we believe in:

• Enabling homes and vehicles powered by clean energy

• Making electrification upgrades possible

• Building more resilient homes with reliable backup

• Designing a flexible and distributed electrical grid

The Team and Role

SPAN’s Device Software team is responsible for all of the software that is physically embodied in our hardware products. Our first product - the SPAN Panel - contains a complex network of microcontrollers and a single board computer that must work together to react quickly to changing conditions with impeccable reliability in order to perform its job. We look for friendly, excellent engineers who enjoy working with their peers to solve complex problems and prioritize trusting that the people we hire are capable of great things when well supported. Engineers work directly with the broader software, product, and hardware teams to ensure the right things get built at the right time.

As an engineer on the Device Software team you will define and implement new features directly related to SPAN’s hardware products focusing on the lowest level - the microcontroller. This includes everything from bootloaders on systems without an OS up through applications in C and C++ inside an RTOS. Hardware products are central to SPAN’s business and writing firmware for even our smallest microcontrollers means working on something that directly impacts the user experience. You will own large user-facing features from conception through implementation on future hardware products, working independently to bring them to completion.

Representative Projects

• Designing an OTA system that encompasses a variety of communication interfaces, processor types, and products, while achieving both secure goals for hardware-backed encryption and verification and high reliability.

• Working with system architects to invent a data steaming architecture for a new product family which can satisfy both the needs of the data science team to access high rate and quality data, as well as safety guarantees around consistency and accuracy.

• Representing the Device Software team in group settings and evangelizing engineering best practices. Participating in code and design reviews as well as authoring documents which further reinforce these goals, and supporting engineers across the org in hitting them.

About You

Required Qualifications

We are seeking a Staff Firmware Embedded engineer with:

• 7 or more years of experience writing software for a hardware device (on a microcontroller, and/or in Linux, etc) in C++ or C

• Strong fundamentals in modern software design with tools like Object-Oriented design, coupled with awareness of concerns like manual memory management

• Experience working with standard electrical communication interfaces like UART, I2C, USB, etc

• Exceptional interpersonal communication and collaboration skills. Great at building trust and driving decisions to a resolution

• Track record of taking ownership over projects and willingness to help others with theirs, from design and code review through to mentorship of new employees

Bonus Qualifications

We do not expect any engineer to have all skills, but we do want you to be excited to learn and grow. Every Device Software Engineer is free to roam up and down our device software stack, so any combination of the following skills is welcome but not required.

• Experience with the STM32 microcontroller family

• Experience with functional safety and processes and standards like UL 60730, ISO 26262, IEC 61508, and UL 1998

• Experience writing higher level system or application software such as diagnostic command line tools or the application side of a communication interface

• Wireless technologies like WiFi, Bluetooth and Zigbee

• Hands-on experience with electronics lab equipment

• Clean energy hardware in a multidisciplinary environment.

Life at SPAN

Headquartered in San Francisco’s vibrant SoMa neighborhood, we are an eclectic group of creative thinkers who value open communication, teamwork, and a ‘make it happen’ approach to addressing complex challenges. 

SPAN embraces diversity and equal opportunity in a serious way. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. 

We’re hiring talented individuals who are driven by success and are passionate about shaping the future of renewable energy. If that sounds like you, we’d love for you to consider joining the rapidly growing team at SPAN.

The Perks:

⚡ Competitive compensation + equity grants at a well-funded, venture-backed company

⚡ Comprehensive benefits: 100% employee premiums for base plans on medical, dental, vision with options for additional coverage. Parental leave up to twenty four (24) weeks depending on eligibility

⚡ Comfortable, sunny office space located near BART and Caltrain public transit

⚡ Strong focus on team building and company culture: Employee Resource Groups, monthly social events, SPANcakes recognition breakfast, lunch, and learns

⚡ Flexible hours and flexible time off

Interested in joining our team? Apply today and we’ll be in touch with the next steps!