Search plans · request #1
Senior Embedded Linux Engineer
Source: Anduril · open 103 days (source date) · original posting ↗ · client name hidden in drafts
Senior embedded Linux engineer for a small-drone platform team: board bring-up on ARM, vendor BSP customization onto NixOS, kernel and platform-firmware work, and securing fielded systems with reliable over-the-air updates. Sits between firmware engineers on the MCU side and platform software above.
ee_embedded · senior · drafted by analyst session (Claude Code)
Must-haves (6)
Linux kernel development experience, including drivers and device trees for embedded ARM boards
Board bring-up and maintenance on embedded ARM boards (device trees, bootloaders, kernel drivers, etc); Experience with Linux kernel development
Bring-up is the core of the job; someone who has only used Linux, rather than modified the kernel and device tree, will stall on the first new board.
Bootloader and platform-firmware experience (U-Boot, EDK2 or equivalent)
Experience with uboot, EDK2, platform firmware, etc
Secure boot and update paths run through the bootloader; the role owns that layer.
Production C, or Rust, on embedded targets
Experience with C or Rust
Kernel drivers and BSP patches are C; the team accepts Rust, so Rust-on-embedded candidates widen the pool.
Hands-on vulnerability triage and patching of system components
Familiarity with triaging vulnerability reports and mitigating vulnerabilities by patching system components; Help secure our embedded Linux systems
Fielded military systems get CVE reports; the JD lists this first among required qualifications.
MCU fundamentals: RTOS basics and MCU-level interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN)
Familiarity with MCU basics, RTOS, and MCU-level interfaces; Closely collaborate with firmware engineers on low-level protocols and software updates to microcontrollers
The Linux side has to speak the firmware team's language for update protocols and bring-up debugging.
Eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance
Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance
Hard gate for defense work; screen for it before investing time on either side.
Nice-to-haves (4)
Nix or NixOS experience, or strong interest in it as a Yocto/buildroot alternative
Customize vendor BSPs for use with NixOS systems; Interest in using Nix/NixOS as an alternative to Yocto, buildroot, etc
Embedded Linux build systems: Yocto, buildroot or similar
Experience developing embedded Linux systems using Yocto, buildroot, or similar systems
Packaging CUDA libraries and applications for embedded targets (Jetson-class boards)
Familiarity with packaging CUDA libraries and applications
Functional programming familiarity; C++ and Python
Familiarity with functional programming paradigms; Experience with one or more of the following languages: C++, Python
Title variants and synonyms
Embedded Linux EngineerSenior Embedded Software EngineerBSP EngineerLinux Kernel EngineerPlatform Software Engineer (Embedded)Embedded Systems EngineerFirmware Engineer (Linux)Yocto Engineer
Embedded Linux: Yocto, buildroot, OpenEmbedded, BSP, board support package, NixOS, Nix
Bootloader: U-Boot, uboot, EDK2, UEFI, TF-A, secure boot
Kernel: Linux kernel, device tree, DTS, kernel driver, kernel module, mainline
ARM boards: i.MX, NXP, Jetson, Xilinx Zynq, Rockchip, Raspberry Pi CM, TI Sitara, SoC
MCU: microcontroller, RTOS, FreeRTOS, Zephyr, STM32, SPI, I2C, UART, CAN
Security: CVE, vulnerability, hardening, secure boot, dm-verity, TPM, OTA updates
Exclude: Linux system administrator, DevOps, Android platform engineer, web developer, IT support
LinkedIn Recruiter boolean strings
("Embedded Linux" OR "Linux Kernel" OR BSP OR "Embedded Software" OR "Embedded Systems" OR "Platform Software" OR Firmware OR Yocto) AND (Engineer OR Developer)
("embedded Linux" OR Yocto OR buildroot OR BSP OR NixOS OR "board support") AND (kernel OR "device tree" OR driver OR "U-Boot" OR uboot OR EDK2 OR bootloader) AND (C OR Rust OR "C/C++") AND (ARM OR SoC OR Jetson OR i.MX OR Zynq OR RTOS OR microcontroller) NOT (sysadmin OR "system administrator" OR DevOps OR Android OR intern)
Natural-language query
Senior embedded Linux engineer in Southern California (Costa Mesa or Orange County) or Seattle who has done board bring-up on ARM SoCs: kernel drivers, device trees, U-Boot or EDK2 bootloaders, and vendor BSP customization with Yocto, buildroot or Nix. Writes production C or Rust, understands MCU interfaces and RTOS basics, has patched CVEs on shipped devices, and is eligible for a U.S. Secret clearance. Bonus for NixOS, Jetson or CUDA packaging, and drone, robotics or defense hardware.
Off-LinkedIn signals (where to look, not who)
- Linux kernel mailing list (lkml) and linux-arm-kernel patches: a candidate whose name appears on accepted driver or device-tree patches has done real bring-up work.
- GitHub activity in nixpkgs, NixOS hardware repos, meta-* Yocto layers, U-Boot or buildroot forks; NixOS contributors are a small, findable community and this JD specifically wants them.
- NixCon, Embedded Linux Conference, FOSDEM embedded track and Linux Plumbers talks or attendee lists.
- NVIDIA Jetson developer forums and Xilinx/NXP community posts about BSP customization or secure boot.
- Public CVE credits or advisories naming the person for embedded or firmware vulnerabilities.
- Defense and aerospace clearance holders: DoD program alumni, small-UAS and robotics companies in Orange County and LA (the JD's own market), and veterans with avionics or comms backgrounds.
- Rust Embedded working group and Zephyr Project contributors for the MCU-adjacent skills.
Screening questions
- Walk me through the last board you brought up from scratch: which SoC, what you changed in the device tree and bootloader, and what took longest.
- Describe a kernel driver or BSP patch you wrote and shipped. Was any of it upstreamed?
- How have you handled a vulnerability report against a fielded device, from triage to the update reaching units in the field?
- What is your experience with Nix or NixOS, and how does it compare to Yocto or buildroot for you? If none, how would you approach learning it on this team?
- Are you currently eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance, and are you able to work on site in Costa Mesa or Seattle?
Questions for the hiring manager
- Which SoCs are on the current boards (Jetson, i.MX, Zynq)? This changes the sourcing pool a lot.
- Is Nix experience truly optional, or has the team rejected Yocto-only candidates in the past?
- Costa Mesa vs Seattle: is either location preferred, and how much on-site time is expected?
- Is an interim clearance acceptable at start, or must the clearance be active on day one?
- How is the work split with the firmware team on the MCU side; does this hire ever write MCU code?
- The posting has been open about 103 days: what has been missing in the candidates seen so far?
Compliance flags (1): review items, not legal conclusions
model“Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance” · review: clearance eligibility limits the pool by citizenship and background; appropriate here because the role is defense work requiring a clearance, but keep the wording as eligibility for the clearance rather than a citizenship demand
Suggested: Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance (the position requires it).
Outreach drafts: a recruiter edits and sends these by hand
Client name hidden. Post-checks strip "Anduril" if the model slips.
There is no send button. Paste into your own email or InMail after editing.
Job description as submitted
Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.
ABOUT THE TEAM
The Tactical Recon & Strike team at Anduril develops aerial small drones (Group 1-3) and all equipment to test, deploy and operate. The team is responsible for taking products like Ghost, Anvil, Bolt and Altius from concepts to operational systems. We work in close coordination with specialist teams to solve some of the hardest problems facing our customers. We are looking for software engineers, hardware engineers, roboticists, and front-end mobile developers who are excited about creating a powerful robotics platform that can be tasked and viewed in real-time through a variety of interfaces.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Board bring-up and maintenance on embedded ARM boards (device trees, bootloaders, kernel drivers, etc)
- Customize vendor BSPs for use with NixOS systems
- Help secure our embedded Linux systems
- Closely collaborate with firmware engineers on low-level protocols and software updates to microcontrollers.
- Develop platform software for rapid and reliable updates of mass-produced military-grade systems.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Familiarity with triaging vulnerability reports and mitigating vulnerabilities by patching system components.
- Experience with Linux kernel development
- Experience with uboot, EDK2, platform firmware, etc
- Interest in using Nix/NixOS as an alternative to Yocto, buildroot, etc
- Experience with C or Rust
- Familiarity with MCU basics, RTOS, and MCU-level interfaces.
- Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience developing embedded Linux systems using Yocto, buildroot, or similar systems
- Familiarity with packaging CUDA libraries and applications
- Familiarity with functional programming paradigms
- Experience with one or more of the following languages: C++, Python
US Salary Range
$220,000-$292,000 USD
The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:
Benefits
At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.
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