DSP Software Engineer

Lead firmware and real-time embedded development for advanced audio communication products in a hybrid contract-to-hire role.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end firmware and real-time embedded software development for complex audio communication products, focusing on robustness and quality
• Lead continuation engineering activities, including maintenance releases and long-term support for existing products
• Partner with Product Management and engineering teams to define requirements, prioritize product backlogs, and align execution to business goals
• Improve engineering execution through CI/CD pipelines, development toolchains, and automated test systems
• Provide technical leadership across embedded firmware design, hardware/software integration, and system-level design
• Track project schedules, technical risks, team performance, and resource utilization to support on-time delivery
• Lead team operations including staffing, budgeting, recruiting, coaching, performance management, and career development
• Support product roadmap planning, technology evaluations, and innovation initiatives while identifying and mitigating technical risk
• Collaborate with Manufacturing and Quality to improve reliability, compliance, manufacturability, and operational efficiency
• Communicate technical solutions, development status, and project risks to customers, senior leadership, and cross-functional partners
• Ensure embedded firmware work follows engineering processes, quality standards, regulatory requirements, and best practices
• Promote organizational change by driving modern development practices, automation, and cross-functional collaboration
• Explain complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences
• Apply EMI/ESD mitigation, EMC compliance, grounding techniques, and international safety standards for product design and support
• Travel domestically and internationally as needed (approximately 5%)

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering
• Minimum 10 years of software and/or firmware development experience, including complex real-time embedded systems
• At least 5 years of engineering management experience leading firmware development teams and establishing firmware development processes
• Strong embedded firmware expertise using C and C++
• Proficiency in Python for scripting, automation, and embedded tooling
• Hands-on experience with Linux in embedded and development environments
• Experience in DevOps environments and using GitLab for source control and CI/CD collaboration
• Proven experience with Agile methodologies and iterative software delivery
• Experience designing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines and automated testing frameworks for embedded software
• Deep understanding of embedded systems, real-time constraints, and hardware/software integration
• Very strong analytical and problem-solving skills for complex technical and system-level challenges
• Excellent communication skills across functions, including presenting technical information clearly
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities including team building, mentoring, and organizational development
• Ability to manage technical risk, prioritize work, and drive projects to completion
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally (approximately 5%)

Technologies

• C, C++
• Python
• Linux
• GitLab
• CI/CD
• Agile
• DevOps

Preferred / Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• Experience with digital signal processing (DSP) and algorithm development for audio or communication systems
• Background in signal processing and real-time embedded DSP implementations
• Experience with digital audio technologies and audio communication systems
• Knowledge of networking technologies and integration with embedded hardware/firmware systems
• Familiarity with cloud computing concepts and embedding integration with cloud services
• Experience with HTML and Qt for user interface or tool development
• Experience using Simulink (or similar modeling tools) in an electrical or embedded systems context
• Knowledge of EMI/ESD mitigation, EMC compliance requirements, grounding strategies, and international safety standards
• Experience developing products in multi-disciplinary teams across hardware, software, manufacturing, and quality
• Experience driving process improvement and operational excellence initiatives

Benefits

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

• Job type: Contract to Hire
• Location: Burnsville, MN (hybrid)

Compensation

• Rate: USD 50 - 70 per hour

Application Deadline

• Anticipated to close on Oct 6, 2026