Firmware Engineer - Actuation
Apptronik · Austin, TX
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Jul 2, 2026
Austin, TX
Jul 21, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
A firmware engineering role focused on motor control for humanoid robots, specifically writing and optimizing embedded firmware for brushless motor drives — covering field-oriented control, current and torque loops, and hard real-time systems. The work spans hardware bring-up, HIL/SIL testing, fault detection, and field reliability across large actuator fleets. Suited to engineers with production embedded firmware experience and hands-on motor control background.
Mid level · 3+ years · Austin, TX · Bachelor's required · Full-time
“or” means any one of them counts — you don't need all of them.
We read this from the posting text with AI. Skim the description below before ruling yourself out.
How this req sits in the market our data
Roughly 80 people in the Austin, TX area plausibly meet what this posting asks for (software developers). range 15–120
Applicant volume Moderate — A normal amount of company. The rare requirements below are what will separate a shortlisted application from the rest.
Rare in this occupation — lead with these, and say what you built with them.
Most people in this occupation already list these. Still required — just not what gets you shortlisted.
What the occupation pays Median $137,069 (middle half $106,287–$172,440).
Estimated from BLS employment for this occupation and area, per-skill prevalence across our listing corpus, and published wage benchmarks — as of Jul 28, 2026. It is a model, not a headcount.
Why we read it this way (7)
The role is firmware/embedded software engineering for motor control — it sits between 15-1252 (Software Developers) and 15-1299 (Computer Occupations, All Other). 15-1252 was chosen as the primary code because the role centers on writing, deploying, and maintaining production-grade firmware code (C/C++) across a full development lifecycle, which BLS classifies under Software Developers; 15-1299 is noted as a runner-up given the highly specialized embedded/real-time nature of the work.
Location is inferred as Austin, TX based on Apptronik's known headquarters; the posting does not explicitly state a city.
The posting does not state a salary range.
Altium Designer is listed in the requirements section but qualified with 'preferred', so it is treated as preferred rather than a hard gate.
The 'EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE' section heading is ambiguous — it reads more like a secondary/preferred qualifications block (listing items such as humanoid robotics experience, MATLAB/Simulink, TI C2000, MISRA C, ISO 26262, DRV8353) rather than a primary requirements gate, so all skills appearing only in that section are marked preferred.
C and C++ are listed together as a combined proficiency requirement ('Proficiency in C/C++'); they are emitted as separate skills since both are distinct languages used in the stack, with each listed as an alternative for the other to reflect the joint phrasing.
The embedded communication protocols (SPI, UART, RS485, CAN) are listed together under requirements and are each emitted as separate skills.
Read the full posting
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