Lead Engineer - SoC Platform Software Design

Job Description

The Role :

We are seeking a Lead Embedded Software Engineer with deep expertise in ARM architectures (ARMv7/ARMv8), secure embedded systems, and bootloader development. This role is critical in designing and delivering secure platform software and will work closely with cross-functional teams across hardware, firmware, and security engineering.

This position is ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of embedded systems, security, and platform software design and enjoys solving complex technical challenges in resource-constrained environments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and maintain secure bootloader(s) for embedded platforms, including secure boot chains, fallback/recovery mechanisms, and update infrastructure.
• Implement advanced security hardening techniques such as signed firmware, encryption, anti-rollback protection, secure key storage, and firmware integrity verification.
• Work on ARM Cortex-M series processors, leveraging secure/non-secure domain separation (TrustZone), MPU configurations, privilege levels, and memory architecture.
• Develop and maintain low-level platform firmware, including drivers for standard peripheral interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, GPIO, DMA) and RTOS integration.
• Lead bring-up of hardware platforms from reset: clock and power initialization, memory setup, and early boot code.
• Collaborate across engineering teams to support silicon bring-up, resolve firmware issues, and respond to customer queries.
• Conduct peer code reviews, perform static and dynamic analysis, and contribute to security audits and hardening efforts.
• Work closely with validation and QA teams to define and execute robust test plans, including unit, integration, stress, and penetration tests.
• Create detailed documentation including design decisions, bootloader specs, threat models, and recovery strategies.
• Mentor junior engineers and drive best practices in embedded development and secure coding within the team.
• Embrace and promote GenAI tools to accelerate development and documentation workflows.

Required Qualifications:

• 8+ years of hands-on experience in embedded software/firmware development.
• Deep understanding of ARM architectures (ARMv7, ARMv8) including instruction set, memory maps, privilege levels, and secure modes.
• Proven experience designing and implementing secure bootloaders from scratch or significantly enhancing existing ones.
• Strong command over peripheral interface development: SPI, I2C, UART, SDIO, GPIO.
• Practical experience in secure bootloader features: firmware signing, encryption/decryption, rollback protection, key provisioning.
• Excellent debugging skills with low-level firmware, hardware/software interaction, and use of tools like JTAG, SWD, or logic analyzers.
• Proficiency in C with a strong focus on clean, modular, and testable code.
• Knowledge of embedded RTOS and bare-metal development principles.
• Experience with modern development toolchains, CI/CD pipelines, and version control systems.
• Familiarity with GenAI tools for accelerating development and documentation is strongly preferred.

Benefits & Perks

At Silicon Labs, you'll be part of a highly skilled team where every engineer makes a meaningful impact. We promote work-life balance and a welcoming, fun environment.

• Equity Rewards (RSUs)
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
• Insurance plans with outpatient cover
• National Pension Scheme (NPS)
• Flexible work policy
• Childcare support