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)