Embedded Firmware & Electronics Hardware Design Engineer
Smart Power Distribution Unit / Smart PDU
Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
We are looking for an Embedded Firmware & Electronics Hardware Design Engineer to support the development, maintenance, testing, and continuous improvement of our Smart Power Distribution Unit — Smart PDU product.
This is a hands-on engineering role that combines embedded firmware development, electronic circuit design, PCB-level debugging, power electronics understanding, and system-level product ownership.
The ideal candidate should be able to understand an existing Smart PDU design, maintain and improve it, develop embedded firmware, debug electronic hardware, support PCB revisions, perform bring-up activities, and contribute to testing, production, and field support processes.
This is not a pure software role and not a pure PCB design role. We are looking for an engineer who can work across the boundary between hardware and firmware, read schematics, write embedded C/C++ code, perform lab measurements, debug real boards, and think at product/system level.
⸻
PRODUCT CONTEXT
The product is a Smart Power Distribution Unit designed for defense, industrial, and vehicle-mounted applications.
The system operates from a nominal 48 V DC power input and distributes power through multiple controlled output channels. Each channel includes monitoring, protection, diagnostics, and software-controlled switching functions.
The Smart PDU architecture includes:
• 36–60 V DC input range, nominal 48 V system architecture
• Multiple high-power output channels
• MOSFET-based electronic switching
• Hot-swap / eFuse / protection circuitry
• Current, voltage, and temperature monitoring
• Microcontroller-controlled channel enable/disable logic
• Fault detection and fault recovery mechanisms
• Power-good, overcurrent, overvoltage, undervoltage, and thermal fault monitoring
• CAN / CAN-FD and Ethernet-based communication
• Embedded firmware for control, telemetry, diagnostics, and protection logic
• Design approach suitable for rugged, industrial, and defense-grade environments
• Consideration of EMC/EMI, thermal design, manufacturability, and testability
⸻
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Electronics Hardware Design
The engineer will be expected to contribute to and take ownership of the electronic hardware design of the Smart PDU.
Responsibilities include:
• Analyze, understand, and maintain the existing Smart PDU electronic architecture
• Review and improve schematics
• Design new electronic circuits when required
• Support PCB design and layout activities
• Review PCB layouts with respect to power integrity, signal integrity, thermal behavior, manufacturability, and testability
• Design and improve high-current power paths, MOSFET arrangements, current sensing circuits, and protection stages
• Work with analog measurement circuits including voltage dividers, current sensing, ADC input conditioning, and temperature sensing
• Design or review microcontroller support circuits, reset circuits, boot configuration, programming/debug interfaces, and communication interfaces
• Work with CAN, CAN-FD, Ethernet, SPI, I2C, UART, GPIO, and ADC interfaces at board level
• Select and validate protection components such as TVS diodes, ESD protection devices, common-mode chokes, reverse polarity protection circuits, and input filters
• Design auxiliary power supplies such as 5 V and 3.3 V rails using buck regulators and LDOs
• Define test points, programming connectors, production test interfaces, and debug access points
• Support DFM and DFT improvements for PCB revisions
• Support PCB manufacturing, assembly, board bring-up, and prototype testing
• Perform component selection, alternative component evaluation, and BOM optimization
2. Embedded Firmware Development
The engineer will be responsible for developing and maintaining embedded firmware for the Smart PDU.
Responsibilities include:
• Develop embedded firmware for microcontroller-based systems
• Write firmware in C / C++ for bare-metal or RTOS-based applications
• Configure and use microcontroller peripherals such as GPIO, ADC, timers, PWM, SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, CAN-FD, and Ethernet interfaces
• Implement channel-based power control functions
• Develop enable/disable logic, fault reset logic, and safe-state handling
• Process current, voltage, and temperature measurements
• Implement filtering, calibration, threshold monitoring, and telemetry generation
• Develop fault management, diagnostic, derating, protection, and recovery mechanisms
• Implement watchdog handling, brown-out behavior, reset handling, boot sequence, and fault recovery strategies
• Develop CAN/CAN-FD message handling and Ethernet-based communication functions
• Define and implement command/response structures, telemetry messages, error codes, and system state machines
• Support firmware versioning, configuration management, and update procedures
• Develop test firmware, production test software, and debug utilities
• Prepare firmware-level test procedures and verification records
• Use Git or similar version control systems in a disciplined development workflow
3. Board Bring-up, Testing, and Debugging
This is a hands-on role that requires active laboratory work.
Responsibilities include:
• Perform bring-up of newly manufactured PCB prototypes
• Conduct pre-power checks such as short-circuit checks, resistance measurements, continuity checks, and basic safety checks
• Use lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, bench power supplies, electronic loads, logic analyzers, CAN analyzers, and Ethernet debugging tools
• Test power stages, microcontroller circuits, communication interfaces, ADC measurements, and protection circuits step by step
• Debug non-functional or partially functional boards
• Identify whether an issue is caused by schematic design, PCB layout, component selection, assembly, firmware, or test setup
• Perform root cause analysis for hardware and firmware issues
• Document test results and prepare technical reports
• Define required design corrections and support PCB revision activities
• Support product verification, validation, and acceptance testing
4. System-Level Engineering and Documentation
The engineer is expected to understand the Smart PDU not only as a PCB, but also as a system-level product.
Responsibilities include:
• Understand the role of the Smart PDU within a larger electrical/electronic system
• Define and document input/output interfaces, channel behaviors, and failure scenarios
• Contribute to interface control documents and technical design documents
• Support traceability between requirements, design, firmware implementation, and test cases
• Prepare technical design notes, bring-up reports, test reports, and production support documents
• Maintain revision history, issue records, engineering change notes, and configuration information
• Communicate with PCB manufacturers, assembly suppliers, component suppliers, mechanical teams, and system-level stakeholders when required
• Support production, field maintenance, troubleshooting, and long-term product improvement activities
⸻
Required Qualifications
The ideal candidate should have the following core qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or a related discipline
• Practical experience in embedded system development
• Strong C / C++ programming skills for microcontroller-based systems
• Experience with STM32 or similar ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers
• Experience with microcontroller peripherals such as ADC, GPIO, timers, SPI, I2C, UART, and CAN
• Ability to read, understand, and design electronic schematics
• Understanding of PCB design principles
• Hands-on experience with oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers, bench power supplies, and electronic loads
• Basic understanding of power electronics, MOSFET switching, current sensing, voltage sensing, and protection circuits
• Ability to debug hardware at board level
• Ability to prepare clear technical documentation
• Systematic, disciplined, and product-oriented engineering mindset
⸻
Preferred Qualifications
The following experience will be considered a strong advantage:
• Experience with STM32G4, STM32F4, STM32H7, or similar STM32 families
• Experience with STM32CubeIDE, STM32CubeMX, HAL/LL drivers, or register-level firmware development
• Experience with FreeRTOS or another real-time operating system
• Experience with CAN-FD communication
• Experience with Ethernet, TCP/IP, UDP, W5500, or similar Ethernet controller solutions
• Experience with high-current DC power distribution boards
• Experience with hot-swap controllers, eFuses, high-side switches, ideal diode circuits, and current sense amplifiers
• Experience with 24 V / 48 V vehicle-mounted or industrial power systems
• Experience with Altium Designer, KiCad, or similar ECAD tools
• Understanding of EMC/EMI-aware design practices
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-810, automotive, industrial, or defense-grade environmental requirements
• Familiarity with functional safety, fault management, diagnostic coverage, or fail-safe design principles
• Experience with production test fixtures, test firmware, or manufacturing support processes
• Python experience for test automation, data collection, or internal engineering tools
• Experience with Git, Jira, DOORS, Polarion, or similar engineering tools
• Ability to read and write technical documentation in English
⸻
Expected Personal Attributes
We are looking for an engineer who is:
• Able to take technical ownership of a product
• Comfortable working across both hardware and firmware domains
• Hands-on and willing to work directly with real boards in the lab
• Strong in debugging and root cause analysis
• Detail-oriented, systematic, and documentation-conscious
• Product-oriented, not only prototype-oriented
• Capable of designing with manufacturability, testability, reliability, and maintainability in mind
• Able to work independently while communicating clearly with the team
• Able to justify technical decisions with engineering reasoning
• Comfortable working in rugged, industrial, or defense-oriented product development environments
⸻
Expected Deliverables
The engineer is expected to contribute to the following deliverables over time:
• Revised and verified Smart PDU electronic hardware design
• Maintained and version-controlled embedded firmware
• Channel control, telemetry, diagnostics, and fault management functions
• Board bring-up and test reports
• Schematic and PCB revision notes
• BOM and component selection rationale
• Production and test procedures
• Technical risk lists and improvement proposals
• Root cause analysis reports for hardware and firmware issues
• Product maintenance and field support documentation
⸻
First 3 Months — Expected Progress
During the first three months, the engineer is expected to:
• Understand the existing Smart PDU architecture
• Review schematics, PCB design, and firmware structure
• Analyze the power channels, microcontroller section, communication interfaces, and measurement circuits
• Identify technical risks and improvement opportunities
• Participate in board bring-up and testing activities
• Perform basic firmware updates and bug fixes
• Start contributing to channel enable/disable logic, ADC measurement, fault monitoring, and communication functions
⸻
First 6 Months — Expected Progress
By the end of the first six months, the engineer is expected to:
• Become familiar with the Smart PDU hardware and firmware architecture
• Independently support PCB revision activities
• Develop and maintain key firmware modules
• Contribute to communication protocol, telemetry, and fault management functions
• Create test scenarios and test procedures
• Support production, testing, and maintenance activities
• Perform root cause analysis for issues found in the lab or field
⸻
Technologies and Tools
The engineer may work with the following technologies and tools:
• STM32 microcontrollers
• Embedded C / C++
• STM32CubeIDE / STM32CubeMX or similar development environments
• CAN / CAN-FD
• Ethernet / SPI-based Ethernet controllers
• ADC, GPIO, SPI, I2C, UART, timers, watchdogs
• Altium Designer, KiCad, or similar ECAD tools
• Oscilloscope, logic analyzer, multimeter, electronic load, bench power supply
• Git-based version control
• Technical documentation and test reporting tools
⸻
Suitable Candidate Profile
This role is particularly suitable for candidates who:
• Have developed microcontroller-based electronic products
• Can write embedded firmware while understanding the underlying hardware
• Can review PCB designs while considering firmware and system-level needs
• Have experience in power electronics, control boards, vehicle electronics, industrial electronics, or defense electronics
• Have participated in prototype-to-product development cycles
• Have hands-on experience in board bring-up, laboratory testing, and debugging
⸻
Apply to info@rasting.tech
Apply to info@rasting.tech