Job DescriptionSenior Embedded Firmware Engineer ContractorThermal Control System DevelopmentCompany: Cohu, Inc.
Location: San Diego, CA
Duration: 3 Month Contract (potential extension)
Work Arrangement: This is a full-time contractor position on-site role (minimum of 32 hours per week) at Cohu's semiconductor test handler & thermal systems innovation center located in San Diego, CA (Rancho Bernardo).
Position OverviewWe are seeking an experienced Embedded Firmware Engineer Contractor to develop firmware for a high-performance multichannel thermal control system based on an STM32H7 microcontroller. The controller performs fast simultaneous temperature acquisition, executes multiple independent PID control loops, and communicates system data through a 100 Mbps Ethernet interface.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on engineer who is equally comfortable developing embedded firmware and troubleshooting hardware in the laboratory.
Responsibilities- Develop bare-metal firmware for an STM32H7-based thermal control platform.
- Implement simultaneous temperature acquisition from I2C and RTDs
- Develop, implement, and tune multiple independent PID-based control loops.
- Support hardware bring-up, integration, and validation activities.
- Debug peripherals and interfaces like ADCs, I2C, PWM, Ethernet, and GPIOs.
- Work closely with hardware engineers to diagnose and resolve board-level and system-level issues.
- Participate in system testing, performance characterization, and firmware optimization.
Required Qualifications- BS degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering or closely related field and 7+ years of embedded firmware development experience OR MS degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or closely related field and 4+ years of embedded firmware development experience.
- Experience developing and tuning temperature control systems, power control systems, or other real-time feedback control applications.
- Strong C programming skills.
- Extensive experience with development on STM32H7 devices.
- Experience implementing PID or other closed-loop control algorithms.
- Experience with hardware bring-up, prototype validation, and schematic review.
- Proficiency using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and digital multimeters to troubleshoot firmware and hardware integration issues.
Expected DeliverablesDuring the contract period, the contractor is expected to deliver:
- Successful bring-up and validation of the STM32H7-based hardware platform.
- A reliable, production-ready thermal control firmware architecture supporting multiple independent control channels and meeting measurement accuracy specifications.
- Ethernet communication infrastructure supporting at least 50 Mbps data throughput.
- Well-structured, maintainable, and thoroughly commented source code suitable for long-term product support and future development.
- Firmware designed for robustness, reliability, fault detection, and recovery in a production environment.
- Technical documentation sufficient to support future maintenance, testing, and product release activities.
Compensation: The estimated base pay range for this position is $75 -$85 per hour, depending on qualifications, experience, education, and other job-related factors. This range represents Cohu's good faith estimate of what it reasonably expects to pay for this contractor position.
