R&D Firmware Engineer

Overview Keysight is at the forefront of technology innovation, delivering breakthroughs and trusted insights in electronic design, simulation, prototyping, test, manufacturing, and optimization. Our ~15,000 employees create world-class solutions in communications, 5G, automotive, energy, quantum, aerospace, defense, and semiconductor markets for customers in over 100 countries. Learn more about what we do. Our award-winning culture embraces a bold vision of where technology can take us and a passion for tackling challenging problems with industry-first solutions. We believe that when people feel a sense of belonging, they can be more creative, innovative, and thrive at all points in their careers. Responsibilities Firmware Architecture & Development Architect, design, implement, and maintain complex embedded firmware for high-performance test and measurement systems Develop firmware in C and C++ targeting bare-metal and RTOS-based environments on microcontrollers and SoC platforms Design and implement hardware abstraction layers (HAL), board support packages (BSP), and low-level device drivers for FPGAs, ADCs, DACs, RF components, and custom ASICs Develop and optimize FPGA logic and firmware interfaces using VHDL or Verilog where required Implement real-time control algorithms and signal processing routines meeting stringent timing and latency requirements Hardware Integration & System Bring-Up Partner closely with hardware engineers during PCB bring-up, characterization, and validation phases Develop and execute firmware test plans; write and maintain automated regression test suites Perform hands-on hardware debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG, and protocol analyzers (I2C, SPI, UART, PCIe, USB) Define and validate firmware interfaces with DSPs, FPGAs, and host software layers Technical Leadership & Mentorship Lead firmware architecture discussions and design reviews; provide clear, actionable feedback to peers and junior engineers Contribute to and champion firmware development standards, coding guidelines, and documentation practices across the team Participate in cross-functional program reviews, risk identification, and mitigation planning Quality, Testing & Lifecycle Write high-quality, maintainable, well-documented firmware code; maintain comprehensive unit and integration test coverage Investigate, root-cause, and resolve complex firmware defects; manage bug resolution from triage through close Participate in Agile/Scrum ceremonies: sprint planning, stand-ups, backlog refinement, and retrospectives Support product sustaining engineering and field escalation resolution as needed Qualifications Education BS or MS degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline Experience 8+ years of embedded firmware experience, including work on high-frequency RF, mixed-signal, or precision analog instrumentation Track record of leading or significantly contributing to firmware architecture decisions on a delivered product Programming Languages & Tools Expert-level proficiency in C; strong proficiency in C++ for embedded systems and Python Experience with FPGA firmware development and hardware-firmware co-design (Xilinx/AMD, Intel/Altera); familiarity with VHDL or Verilog Experience with CMake, Jenkins CI/CD pipelines, and automated firmware test frameworks Familiarity using AI tools for code generation and review Hardware & Architectures Hands-on experience with microcontroller and/or SoC architectures (ARM Cortex-M/A, RISC-V, or similar) Strong experience writing and debugging low-level peripheral drivers (I2C, SPI, UART, USB, PCIe, Ethernet) Proficiency with embedded debugging tools: JTAG/SWD debuggers, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes Working knowledge of RF and analog electronics sufficient to collaborate effectively with hardware design engineers Software & Systems Experience with Linux kernel drivers or Yocto-based embedded Linux BSP development Familiarity with DSP fundamentals — FFT, filtering, calibration algorithms — as applied to measurement firmware Knowledge of electronic test and measurement instrument architecture (VNAs, signal generators); familiarity with instrument control standards: VISA, SCPI Development Practices Experience with version control (Git) and collaborative development workflows Experience with formal code review processes, static analysis tools, and safety-aware coding practices Familiarity with Atlassian suite: Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket Familiarity using AI Tools for code generation and review Careers Privacy Statement Keysight is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Santa Rosa, CA MIN $143,000 - MAX $238,000.00 No Visa sponsorship is available for this role. Most offers will be between the minimum and the midpoint of the Salary Range listed above. Note: For other locations, pay ranges will vary by region US Employees may be eligible for the following benefits: Medical, dental and vision Health Savings Account Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts Life, Accident, Disability insurance Business Travel Accident and Business Travel Health 401(k) Plan Flexible Time Off, Paid Holidays Paid Family Leave Discounts, Perks Tuition Reimbursement Adoption Assistance ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan) Firmware Architecture & Development Architect, design, implement, and maintain complex embedded firmware for high-performance test and measurement systems Develop firmware in C and C++ targeting bare-metal and RTOS-based environments on microcontrollers and SoC platforms Design and implement hardware abstraction layers (HAL), board support packages (BSP), and low-level device drivers for FPGAs, ADCs, DACs, RF components, and custom ASICs Develop and optimize FPGA logic and firmware interfaces using VHDL or Verilog where required Implement real-time control algorithms and signal processing routines meeting stringent timing and latency requirements Hardware Integration & System Bring-Up Partner closely with hardware engineers during PCB bring-up, characterization, and validation phases Develop and execute firmware test plans; write and maintain automated regression test suites Perform hands-on hardware debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG, and protocol analyzers (I2C, SPI, UART, PCIe, USB) Define and validate firmware interfaces with DSPs, FPGAs, and host software layers Technical Leadership & Mentorship Lead firmware architecture discussions and design reviews; provide clear, actionable feedback to peers and junior engineers Contribute to and champion firmware development standards, coding guidelines, and documentation practices across the team Participate in cross-functional program reviews, risk identification, and mitigation planning Quality, Testing & Lifecycle Write high-quality, maintainable, well-documented firmware code; maintain comprehensive unit and integration test coverage Investigate, root-cause, and resolve complex firmware defects; manage bug resolution from triage through close Participate in Agile/Scrum ceremonies: sprint planning, stand-ups, backlog refinement, and retrospectives Support product sustaining engineering and field escalation resolution as needed Education BS or MS degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline Experience 8+ years of embedded firmware experience, including work on high-frequency RF, mixed-signal, or precision analog instrumentation Track record of leading or significantly contributing to firmware architecture decisions on a delivered product Programming Languages & Tools Expert-level proficiency in C; strong proficiency in C++ for embedded systems and Python Experience with FPGA firmware development and hardware-firmware co-design (Xilinx/AMD, Intel/Altera); familiarity with VHDL or Verilog Experience with CMake, Jenkins CI/CD pipelines, and automated firmware test frameworks Familiarity using AI tools for code generation and review Hardware & Architectures Hands-on experience with microcontroller and/or SoC architectures (ARM Cortex-M/A, RISC-V, or similar) Strong experience writing and debugging low-level peripheral drivers (I2C, SPI, UART, USB, PCIe, Ethernet) Proficiency with embedded debugging tools: JTAG/SWD debuggers, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes Working knowledge of RF and analog electronics sufficient to collaborate effectively with hardware design engineers Software & Systems Experience with Linux kernel drivers or Yocto-based embedded Linux BSP development Familiarity with DSP fundamentals - FFT, filtering, calibration algorithms - as applied to measurement firmware Knowledge of electronic test and measurement instrument architecture (VNAs, signal generators); familiarity with instrument control standards: VISA, SCPI Development Practices Experience with version control (Git) and collaborative development workflows Experience with formal code review processes, static analysis tools, and safety-aware coding practices Familiarity with Atlassian suite: Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket Familiarity using AI Tools for code generation and review Careers Privacy Statement Keysight is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Santa Rosa, CA MIN $143,000 - MAX $238,000.00 No Visa sponsorship is available for this role. Most offers will be between the minimum and the midpoint of the Salary Range listed above. Note: For other locations, pay ranges will vary by region US Employees may be eligible for the following benefits: Medical, dental and vision Health Savings Account Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts Life, Accident, Disability insurance Business Travel Accident and Business Travel Health 401(k) Plan Flexible Time Off, Paid Holidays Paid Family Leave Discounts, Perks Tuition Reimbursement Adoption Assistance ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan)