Firmware / Embedded Systems Engineer at Rethink recruit
San Mateo, CA
$100,000–$300,000from the description
Aug 18, 2026
San Mateo, CA
Sep 25, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
A firmware engineering role at a robotics AI startup focused on developing and optimizing low-level motor control software for BLDC-driven robotic platforms. The work centers on implementing real-time control algorithms, designing and debugging embedded communication protocols, and bridging firmware with higher-level robotics middleware. Suited to engineers with hands-on embedded systems experience in motor control and real-time environments.
Mid level · Pittsburgh, PA · 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 20 people in the Pittsburgh, PA area plausibly meet what this posting asks for (software developers). range 4–35
Applicant volume Light — Few people clear these requirements, so an application that does clear them gets looked at. Worth applying to even if you miss a nice-to-have.
Rare in this occupation — lead with these, and say what you built with them.
What the occupation pays Median $127,238 (middle half $97,661–$159,195). This posting is about at that midpoint.
Estimated from BLS employment for this occupation and area, per-skill prevalence across our listing corpus, and published wage benchmarks — as of Aug 20, 2026. It is a model, not a headcount.
Why we read it this way (6)
The job location is not explicitly stated in the posting. Skild AI is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA; that CBSA has been used as the best available estimate.
The degree requirement states 'Bachelor's or Master's degree' with no 'or equivalent experience' clause, making a Bachelor's the minimum hard gate.
The compensation range ($100K–$300K) is unusually wide, likely reflecting a broad experience band rather than a narrow level — the role itself reads as mid-level given no explicit seniority framing.
UART appears only in the 'What You'll Do' responsibilities section (not the 'You Should Have' requirements block), so it is marked preferred.
DDS appears in the requirements section framed as 'familiarity with DDS frameworks such as ROS' — 'familiarity with' softens it to preferred; ROS is the named framework and is marked required.
SOC classification is Medium confidence: firmware/embedded development sits closest to 15-1252 Software Developers, but 15-1299 (Computer Occupations, All Other) is a reasonable alternative given the hardware-adjacent, real-time embedded nature of the work.
Read the full posting
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