Lead Firmware Engineer – CRWN.AI – Kelowna, BC

So we've been sitting here brainstorming some sort of catchy intro for about 20 minutes now, and everything we come up with is either too corporate or too lame to really come across as anything catchy. So this is what you get—not a super corporate, not super lame intro—which is essentially us saying: "Hey, we might not be very good at writing catchy introductions, but we're good at being honest and authentic! Come join us on our development journey."

CRWN.AI is a machine learning company that uses sensors to detect, localize, and categorize electrical discharge in real time, without the need for an operator in the field. That's the how. The why? Identifying changes in frequency in electrical discharge allows us to provide insights into areas of wildfire risk, power outages, and exceptional electrical discharge on powerlines. If you trace it back, you'll see how CRWN.AI contributes to clean energy by offering real-time data to identify inefficiencies in the power grid—and obviously, reducing wildfire risks is pretty clean and cool too.

Where Do You Fit In?

We've got firmware engineers, hardware engineers, and now we need you! CRWN.AI is currently live-testing our sensor technology on transmission lines. Our roadmap is set, and we know that data is the most critical thing to utilities. You'll be responsible for bringing our firmware to full production readiness—ensuring robust, efficient, and scalable solutions that integrate seamlessly with hardware, cloud platforms, and utility systems.

What You'll Do:

• Lead the design, development, and optimization of embedded firmware for our sensor-based technologies, from concept to production.
• Implement unit tests, integration tests, and ensure code coverage across firmware modules using test-driven development (TDD).
• Develop robust firmware strategies for data collection, real-time processing, and transmission to back-end servers and gateways.
• Oversee the full firmware lifecycle, ensuring regulatory compliance with government and utility standards (e.g., FCC, IC).
• Lead the FOTA (Firmware-Over-The-Air) process for secure and efficient firmware updates on field-deployed devices.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (hardware, software, machine learning) to optimize sensor data processing and transmission.
• Use tools like oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and low-level debugging tools to ensure firmware is rock-solid.
• Ensure that firmware is optimized for low-power operation and can handle real-time data acquisition and communication via LoRaWAN.
• Continuously improve code quality using GitHub for version control, and maintain a high level of code coverage through CI/CD pipelines.
• Dive deep into testing, debugging, and optimizing firmware for field deployment—utilities demand reliability and accuracy, and you'll help us deliver.

What We're Looking For:

• 5+ years of embedded firmware development experience, with at least 2 years in a leadership or senior role.
• Expert in C/C++ for embedded systems, and familiar with ARM Cortex, ESP32, and RTOS.
• Strong experience with unit testing, integration testing, automated testing frameworks, and test-driven development (TDD).
• Knowledge of hardware interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART) and experience with low-power design and real-time systems.
• Experience working with LoRaWAN, servers, and gateways, and integrating firmware with cloud backends for real-time data transmission.
• Comfortable ensuring government compliance (FCC, IC certifications), and working with utilities and regulatory bodies to meet industry standards.
• Proven ability to lead firmware development teams, managing GitHub repositories, conducting code reviews, and enforcing best practices for CI/CD.
• Passion for debugging, troubleshooting, and collaborating with hardware teams to optimize system performance.

Bonus Points If:

• You're experienced with FOTA systems and secure firmware deployment practices.
• You've worked in the utility industry or developed firmware for critical infrastructure.
• You enjoy the outdoors—because you'll find yourself doing some field data collection in the backwoods from time to time.

What's in It for You:

• Company-paid lunches on sprint planning days.
• Flexible work hours: Monday to Thursday, 10am-2pm PST core hours, the rest is up to you.
• Hybrid work model: We have an office in Kelowna, BC, and offer relocation packages if you're ready to join us here.
• 5 weeks paid vacation plus a mandatory Christmas shutdown.
• A healthy options plan to keep you fueled.
• No meetings on Fridays (yep, you read that right).
• We value authenticity, so feel free to send us a cover letter that isn't too corporate—just be yourself. We read every single one!

How to Apply: Follow the links here and send your resume and a cover letter (hint: show off your authenticity! Bonus points if you include links to relevant GitHub repositories or other past projects.