Lead, Firmware Engineering

Join Us as a Lead, Firmware Engineering!

Are you ready to make a significant impact in an innovative environment? At ORBCOMM, we’re on the hunt for a passionate Lead, Firmware Engineering who thrives in a fast-paced, agile setting. We want you to transform your ideas into action and drive our mission forward!

Why You’ll Love Working Here

ORBCOMM is seeking a hands-on Lead, Firmware Engineering to lead the design, development, and delivery of embedded firmware for our advanced connected products. This role combines strong technical contribution with people leadership, requiring the ability to guide and grow a high-performing team while actively participating in architecture, development, and system-level problem solving.The ideal candidate is a technical leader who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-critical environment and is passionate about building reliable, scalable, and low-power embedded solutions.

This role is based out of our Ottawa, Ontario hub or our Sterling, VA hub and working full-time on-site. With an on-site working schedule, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate in person and build strong connections with our team.

What You’ll Do

Technical Leadership & Delivery

• Lead the architecture, design, and development of embedded firmware for ORBCOMM’s proprietary products.
• Act as a hands-on contributor in firmware development, debugging, and system bring-up.
• Translate product and system requirements into technical roadmaps, task breakdowns, and execution plans.
• Drive high-quality code through design reviews, code reviews, and best practices.
• Oversee firmware integration, validation, and release to ensure reliability and performance.
• Guide implementation and optimization of low-power algorithms.
• Lead complex system-level debugging, including field and customer issues.

Team Leadership & People Management

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of firmware engineers, including performance management and career development.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and innovation-driven engineering culture.
• Manage project priorities, resource allocation, and schedules to meet delivery commitments.
• Recruit, onboard, and retain top firmware engineering talent.
• Provide technical coaching and support for junior and senior team members.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with hardware, cloud, QA, operations, and product management teams to ensure successful product delivery.
• Contribute to system architecture and technology decisions across the organization.
• Communicate status, risks, and technical strategies to senior leadership.

Who You Are

You’re a strategic thinker with a knack for operational excellence, ready to tackle multiple priorities with agility and grace. If you have:

• 8–12+ years of experience in embedded firmware development
• 2+ years of technical leadership or people management experience
• Expert-level proficiency in C programming
• Extensive experience with ARM-based microcontrollers
• Strong experience with real-time operating systems (e.g.,FreeRTOS) and bare-metal systems
• Deep knowledge of communication protocols: TCP/IP, UART/RS232, RS485, I2C, SPI, BLE
• Strong experience with STM32 microcontrollers (or similar platforms)
• Proven ability to interpret hardware schematics and perform advanced debugging using oscilloscopes and logic analyzers
• Experience with Git, CI/CD workflows, and issue tracking tools (e.g., Jira)
• Strong system-level thinking and architectural skills
• Excellent communication, planning, and stakeholder management skills
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field (preferred)
• Leverage AI-enabled tools and automation to support daily tasks and productivity.
• Commitment to continuous learning in digital and AI literacy.

Then we want to meet you!

Nice to Have

• Python for automation, test infrastructure, or engineering productivity
• Experience with connected/IoT products and high-availability systems
• Experience driving firmware processes, coding standards, and development frameworks

The Benefits of Working HereA career with ORBCOMM offers a unique opportunity to grow your skills and expand your expertise in a collaborative, innovative environment. Beyond being part of an exceptional team, we provide a competitive, locally relevant benefits package designed to support our employees around the world. Benefits vary by location and include health and wellness coverage, paid time off, retirement or savings programs, flexible work arrangements, insurance coverage, lifestyle perks, and access to employee discounts—helping you thrive both professionally and personally.The anticipated starting salary range for candidates expressing interest in this position in Ontario is CAD $130,000 – 150,000. Actual compensation will depend on factors such as location, technical experience, skills, certifications, etc.

How We Hire

ORBCOMM uses technology-enabled tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), to support parts of the recruitment process. All hiring decisions are made by people, as part of our human-led, tech-enabled culture.

About Us

At ORBCOMM, we’re pioneers in IoT technology that drives innovation and empowers our clients to make data-driven decisions. Our industry-leading solutions enable customers to boost productivity, streamline operations, and increase their bottom line. With over 30 years of experience and the most comprehensive solution portfolio in the industry, we enable the management of millions of assets worldwide across diverse sectors, including transportation, heavy industries, satellite, and maritime. Discover how ORBCOMM is transforming industries and unlocking the potential of data to drive meaningful change at www.orbcomm.com!

Ready to Join Us?

We believe that our people are our greatest asset. Your skills and passion can help us achieve remarkable things! If you’re seeking a thrilling career opportunity in a vibrant, growth-oriented environment, ORBCOMM is the perfect fit for you.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and appreciate all applicants for their interest in joining our team. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

At ORBCOMM, we are also dedicated to ensuring accessibility and are pleased to offer accommodations for individuals with disabilities upon request throughout all aspects of the selection process.