Embedded Software Engineer, Shift5
$120-180k
Plus bonus program and equity
Security platform for aerospace, rail & defense
Be an early applicant
Security platform for aerospace, rail & defense
101-200 employees
Be an early applicant
$120-180k
Plus bonus program and equity
101-200 employees
Company mission
To build a smarter, safer, and more secure world by creating resilient and mission-ready fleets.
Role
Who you are
- If you're passionate about developing complex systems, optimizing software performance, and thrive in a collaborative environment with endless opportunities to take ownership and expand your skills, Shift5 might be the right fit for you
- BS or MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field
- 3+ years of experience in embedded systems / low-level software development
- Experience with systems programming languages: C, C++, or Rust (preferred)
- Experience with scripting languages: Python, Bash, etc
- Experience with tooling to build custom embedded Linux distributions: Yocto, Buildroot
- Experience with Git or similar version control, and CI/CD automation
- Experience with low-level software and firmware debugging tools: GDB, JTAG
- Experience with Linux kernel driver development is a plus
- Experience with RTL design and simulation (preferably VHDL) is a plus
- Experience with FPGA IDEs (Libero, Vivado, Quartus, or similar) and TCL is a plus
- Familiarity with oscilloscopes and FPGA internal logic analyzers is a plus
- Familiarity with CAN, MIL-STD-1553, ARINC-429, and other serial protocols is a plus
- Familiarity with DSP techniques and real-time implementation is a plus
What the job involves
- Shift5 is redefining the future of onboard operational technology (OT). As a fast-growing scale-up, we specialize in cutting-edge cybersecurity, predictive maintenance, and compliance for OT systems across defense, aerospace, and rail
- We are a team of passionate, innovative professionals who thrive in a collaborative environment, driven by a shared mission to revolutionize how fleets operate
- By unlocking and democratizing the vast potential of onboard OT data, we help our customers’ fleets run smarter, safer, and more efficiently. Ready to be part of the next frontier in transportation and critical infrastructure? Come join us
- Shift5 is seeking a full-time Embedded Software Engineer to join our growing team
- In this role, you will drive the design, development, and implementation of real-time, high-performance embedded software systems deployed on custom Linux-based hardware platforms
- You will be instrumental in building robust software solutions, enabling advanced data analytics at the edge, and collaborating across multi-disciplinary teams to ensure resilient and reliable software releases in mission-critical environments
- Develop, optimize, and maintain real-time embedded software for custom Linux-based hardware platforms
- Design and implement low-level hardware interface layers: memory-mapped register access, DMA transfer, and efficient hardware/software communication protocols
- Write and maintain Linux kernel drivers and userspace APIs for custom hardware, ensuring robust integration and performance
- Profile, analyze, and tune embedded software for low-latency, high-throughput, high-reliability data acquisition and processing
- Investigate hardware, firmware, and software issues and understand the interactions between each layer
- Write comprehensive unit, functional, and integration tests
- Document designs, data flows, hardware and software interfaces
- Lead and participate in rigorous code review and hardware/software interface specification processes
- Support bring-up and troubleshooting of new hardware platforms, including board-level debugging with oscilloscopes and logic analyzers
- Collaborate closely with hardware, FPGA, and data analytics teams to define requirements and deliver end-to-end solutions
Our take
Shift5 dominates the fairly niche area of protecting transportation and military systems from cyberattacks. It delivers an observability platform for onboard operational technology (OT), that enables real-time decision intelligence from the single asset level to across entire fleets.
With the Biden administration making efforts to improve cybersecurity among federal governmental agencies, Shift5 is well primed to profit from its specific focus on defending transportation networks. By operating in an area that is both massively underserved and rapidly growing, there is no doubt opportunities will continue to fall at the company's feet in the coming years.
With an enormous amount of funding raised, Shift5 has invested in expansion and product development, as well as growing its team. It already supports multiple branches of the US military including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Special Operations. Its recent release of a new module for predictive maintenance further enhances the platform's value, with it now able to help improve fleet readiness and avoid critical failures.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
19% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 6 rounds)
Sep 2025
$75m
SERIES C
Jun 2023
$33m
SERIES B
Total funding: $182.1m
Company benefits
- Employer paid health insurance
- 401k employer contribution
- HSA employer contribution
- Share options
- Flexible and unlimited paid time off
- Flexible and hybrid work options
- Three months paid parental leave
- Pre-tax commuter benefits
Company HQ
Radnor - Fort Myer Heights, Arlington, VA
Leadership
Josh Lospinoso
(CEO)Currently a Board Member for the Association of American Rhodes Scholars and a Venture Partner at First In. Acted as CTO for RedOwl Analytics and has served as a Captain in the US Army.
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