R

Rain Bird

Irrigation products and water-conservation solutions

Engineering Manager - Embedded Firmware

Full-TimeDeadline 10/7/27
$248k - $310k
Expert
Bachelor's, Master's
San Diego, CA, USA+1 moreMore locations: Tucson, AZ, USA
In Person
Engineering ManagementEngineering Leadership

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, software engineering, computer science, or a related technical discipline, or 10+ years of equivalent industry experience.
  • Substantial experience leading embedded software teams to deliver and support commercial Internet of Things and other products.
  • Ability to lead the team in using Copilot, ChatGPT, newer code-generation tools, static-analysis tools such as CodeSonar, and artificial-intelligence-based test development while maintaining engineering rigor and verification discipline.
  • Demonstrated direct people-management experience, including coaching, hiring, development, performance management, and organizational planning.
  • Demonstrated ownership of project or portfolio tracking, resource planning, and budget or financial management.
  • Experience managing work across new product development, production release, sustaining, and end-of-life.
  • Experience partnering across hardware, systems, cloud, mobile, product, program, quality, manufacturing, and compliance functions.
  • Experience working within SAFe/Agile organizations, including participation in PI planning, backlog alignment, role and ownership definition, sprint planning, delivery commitments, and cross-team dependency coordination.
Responsibilities
  • Lead, coach, and develop firmware engineering professionals; set clear expectations and provide regular feedback.
  • Build an inclusive, results-oriented culture that rewards technical excellence, collaboration, ownership, and continuous improvement.
  • Establish role clarity between people management, technical leadership, architecture ownership, and project execution.
  • Own talent planning, hiring, onboarding, development plans, succession planning, retention, and performance management.
  • Create growth paths that expand technical depth, systems thinking, leadership capacity, and business judgment.
  • Balance hands-on managerial engagement with appropriate delegation to Principal Engineers and technical leads.
  • Provide management oversight for firmware and technical strategy across multiple product generations.
  • Empower Principal Engineers and Leads to lead architecture decisions, design reviews, coding practices, cybersecurity, DevOps, and technical risk resolution.
  • Ensure key technical decisions are documented, reviewed by the appropriate stakeholders, and aligned with product, platform, security, compliance, quality, and lifecycle needs.
  • Maintain sufficient technical depth in embedded systems, real-time operating system platforms, Internet of Things connectivity, cybersecurity, cloud integration, test automation, and product compliance to guide priorities and evaluate risk.
  • Promote reuse, platform thinking, maintainability, reliability, and disciplined technology lifecycle management to meet short- and long-term business goals.
  • Translate product roadmaps and business priorities into an integrated firmware portfolio plan with clear scope, milestones, dependencies, staffing assumptions, and decision points.
  • Establish consistent project tracking, reviews, and escalation mechanisms across firmware programs.
  • Monitor commitments, progress, risks, issues, dependencies, quality indicators, and recovery plans; communicate status clearly to engineering and business stakeholders.
  • Drive proactive risk management and timely tradeoff decisions involving scope, schedule, resources, quality, cost, and technical debt.
  • Ensure product work is managed through concept, development, verification, production release, sustaining, and end-of-life.
  • Support the organization’s SAFe/Agile operating process by helping define team roles, ownership, assignments, backlog alignment, planning inputs, PI objectives, sprint commitments, and cross-team coordination expectations.
  • Partner with program and product leaders to improve delivery predictability without compromising safety, security, compliance, or product quality.
  • Develop, propose, and manage the firmware organization budget in alignment with approved business and portfolio priorities.
  • Plan and track labor, contractors, tools, licenses, development equipment, prototypes, test infrastructure, training, travel, and other operating needs.
  • Provide clear budget forecasts, variance explanations, options, and corrective actions to leadership.
  • Support capital and operating expense planning and ensure spending follows applicable company controls, approval processes, tracking, and reporting.
  • Maintain a forward-looking resource plan covering current commitments, new product introductions, sustaining demand, technical debt, platform investment, and unplanned support.
  • Allocate people and specialized skills across programs based on business priority, risk, dependencies, and development needs.
  • Identify capacity gaps, bottlenecks, single points of failure, and critical-skill risks; develop hiring, contracting, cross-training, or sequencing responses.
  • Negotiate priorities and resource tradeoffs with Product Management, Program Management, Systems, Hardware, Cloud, Mobile, Quality, Manufacturing, and other partners.
  • Protect appropriate capacity for architecture, automation, cybersecurity, compliance, platform health, and continuous improvement.
  • Establish measurable engineering objectives and management routines for execution, quality, reliability, security, and organizational capability.
  • Sponsor continuous integration and continuous delivery, automated testing, static analysis, hardware-in-the-loop testing, release management, traceability, and engineering metrics.
  • Ensure the team applies security-by-design, threat modeling, vulnerability remediation, secure update, and credential-management practices.
  • Ensure firmware development supports applicable product safety, wireless, electromagnetic compatibility, cybersecurity, and regulatory obligations.
  • Ensure firmware support for fleet management and ecosystem performance measurement and analysis aligns with business goals and drives strong collaboration with cloud operations and the cloud and mobile applications teams.
  • Drive root-cause learning, corrective action, retrospectives, and systemic improvement after significant quality or delivery events.
  • Represent firmware engineering in portfolio, roadmap, architecture, program, budget, and operational reviews.
  • Communicate decisions, assumptions, status, risk, capacity constraints, and investment needs clearly and concisely to technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Build productive relationships across Systems Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Cloud Engineering, Mobile App Development, Product Management, Program Management, Quality Assurance, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and external partners.
  • Resolve conflicts constructively and escalate material issues with options, impacts, and recommendations.
  • Remain accountable for people leadership, team health, staffing, capability development, resource allocation, budget management, and delivery governance.
  • Remain accountable for communicating portfolio status and ensuring risks, issues, and recovery actions have clear owners.
  • Partner with Principal Engineers on technical strategy while Principal Engineers retain delegated technical authority within defined architecture and design areas.
  • Partner with Product and Program leadership on scope, priority, schedule, and business tradeoffs.
  • Escalate decisions that exceed delegated budget, staffing, technical, quality, security, or portfolio authority.
Desired Qualifications
  • A master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline, including systems engineering, cybersecurity, software architecture, or engineering management.
  • Experience with connected Internet of Things products, real-time systems, cybersecurity, automation, and regulated product development.

About the company

R

Rain Bird

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Rain Bird is a leading manufacturer and provider of irrigation products and services. Its products include sprinklers, controllers, valves, and other irrigation components designed for farms, golf courses, sports venues, commercial developments, and homes. Rain Bird’s system works by delivering controlled amounts of water through its hardware and software tools (like controllers and sensors) to keep landscapes healthy while conserving water. The company differentiates itself with the broadest range of irrigation and water-conservation products, more than 450 patents, global manufacturing facilities, and a focus on education and services that promote efficient water use. Its goal is the Intelligent Use of Water™, aiming to reduce water waste across industries and communities.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Azusa, California

Founded

1972

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Rain Bird launched All-in-One Zone Control on January 20, 2026, easing contractor labor shortages.
  • Rain Bird expanded CirrusPRO integrations February 2, 2026, deepening golf software stickiness.
  • Rain Bird’s 59 2026 job postings and 1,451 employees signal active execution.

What critics are saying

  • Martinez v. Rain Bird Corporation, filed December 2025, threatens disclosures and legal expense.
  • PAGA settlement Hector Alejandro Martinez v. Rain Bird Corporation resolved July 2025 for $166,710.
  • Hunter and Toro pressure Rain Bird’s irrigation share with faster digital controls.

What makes Rain Bird unique

  • Rain Bird’s 952LT rotor reaches 115 feet, widening golf-course design flexibility.
  • Shinnecock Hills named Rain Bird exclusive irrigation provider on June 29, 2026.
  • Rain Bird spans golf, residential, and utility channels through Rachio and CalWEP.

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Benefits

  • Relocation Assistance

Company News

Rain Bird Corporation
Jun 29th, 2026
Rain Bird Golf named Exclusive Irrigation Provider to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.

Rain Bird Golf named Exclusive Irrigation Provider to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. Mon, 06/29/2026 - 14:36 AZUSA, Calif. - Rain Bird Corporation today announced that Shinnecock Hills Golf Club has recognized Rain Bird as their Exclusive Irrigation Provider. Shinnecock Hills GC, founded in 1891, is one of the most historic golfing institutions in the United States. It is the oldest incorporated golf club and was one of the five founding member clubs of the United States Golf Association (USGA). Shinnecock is designed to take advantage of the natural topography of the area and resembles many golf courses on the British Isles. It has long been recognized as one of the top courses in the world and has been the scene of notable major tournaments. "Golf courses face tremendous pressure to deliver excellent playing conditions day in and day out, and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is no exception. To meet and exceed these expectations, we rely on Rain Bird," says Jon Jennings, golf course superintendent at Shinnecock. "Shinnecock Hills and Rain Bird have a relationship dating back more than 20 years. Having the quality and expertise of Rain Bird's products and services gives me peace of mind." "We are honored and excited to be designated as the exclusive irrigation supplier for such a prestigious golf course like Shinnecock Hills. Our relationship has been excellent, and we look forward to taking it to new levels," says Stuart Hackwell, director of Rain Bird's Golf Division. About Rain Bird Corporation Rain Bird Corporation create irrigation technology that shapes the way your future grows. Founded in 1933, its 4,000+ products sustain life's essentials and support your green spaces, guided by a commitment to the Intelligent Use of Water(TM). Rain Bird Corporation draw on nearly a century of expertise to serve a wide variety of industries and markets around the world, blending natural design and human ingenuity to make water work for everyone. Learn more at rainbird.com.

eNews Park Forest
Mar 30th, 2026
Reaching farther than ever: Rain Bird Golf unveils a new rotor that inspires larger, more ambitious course designs.

Reaching farther than ever: Rain Bird Golf unveils a new rotor that inspires larger, more ambitious course designs. PR Newswire Today at 5:41am PDT PR Newswire AZUSA, Calif., March 30, 2026 AZUSA, Calif., March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Rain Bird Corporation's Golf division today announced the release of the 952LT Long-Throw Block Rotor, delivering the farthest throw of any rotor in the company's golf irrigation portfolio. With a maximum radius of up to 115 feet, the 952LT gives superintendents, irrigation consultants, and golf course architects new freedom to plan larger greens, wider fairways, and more ambitious layouts. By extending throw distance, the 952LT enables the use of fewer heads when course layouts require it to preserve playability and course intent. This performance is driven by a redesigned riser housing and new nozzle that helps maintain flow and pressure through the rotor to maximize distance. The new nozzle design also supports use of low-angle nozzle housing, providing added flexibility within the product to address varying course conditions. These improvements, combined with internal component enhancements, support reliable operation in challenging environments and are backed by durable construction that reflects Rain Bird's commitment to long-term quality and high-quality engineering. "Irrigation systems must support the scale and creativity of today's golf course designs," said Stuart Hackwell, Director, Rain Bird Golf. "The 952LT rotor delivers the reach and reliability superintendents and consultants need to maintain turf quality while enabling courses to explore new design possibilities." Available with full-and part-circle in one model, the 952LT features Rain Bird's MemoryArc(R) technology, allowing crews to shift between full- and part-circle operation within seconds without resetting part-circle arc. This speeds installation, reduces labor, and enhances flexibility during construction, renovation, and ongoing maintenance. Built to perform in high-pressure and topographically complex environments, the 952LT offers the dependable coverage required for expansive turf areas and modern design concepts. With its unmatched throw distance and robust construction, the Rain Bird 952LT Long-Throw Rotor empowers courses and designers to think bigger, create more expansive playing surfaces, and bring imaginative course visions to life. About Rain Bird Corporation eNews Park Forest, Inc. create irrigation technology that shapes the way your future grows. Founded in 1933, its 4,000+ products sustain life's essentials and support your green spaces, guided by a commitment to the Intelligent Use of Water(TM). eNews Park Forest, Inc. draw on nearly a century of expertise to serve a wide variety of industries and markets around the world, blending natural design and human ingenuity to make water work for everyone. Learn more at rainbird.com. SOURCE Rain Bird Corporation This is a paid placement. For further inquiries, please contact PR Newswire directly.

Rain Bird Corporation
Oct 24th, 2025
Rain Bird Partners with CalWEP to Launch Direct Distribution Program Offering Water-Conserving Irrigation Technology

Rain Bird partners with CalWEP to launch Direct Distribution Program offering water-conserving irrigation technology. AZUSA, CA October 24, 2025 - Rain Bird and California Water Efficiency Partnership (CalWEP) have joined forces to launch a new Direct Distribution Program (DDP) that enables CalWEP member agencies to efficiently provide advanced water-saving smart irrigation products directly to their customers. Conserving water resources while maintaining healthy landscapes is a core area of focus at Rain Bird, and the 92-year-old company is pleased to partner with one of the largest membership-based water efficiency organizations in the United States on this project. CalWEP's membership consists of hundreds of water utilities, public agencies, and other organizations committed to advancing water efficiency across California. Its members include cities, counties, water districts, and conservation professionals who implement programs to promote sustainable water use. The DDP offers a selection of water-efficient products designed to meet the needs of these water agencies and their millions of customers, making it easier than ever for them to launch or expand their landscape transformation and smart irrigation efforts. The program's product offerings include smart controllers, sensors and flow meters, drip conversion kits, high-efficiency spray bodies and nozzles, and more. "This program not only makes it easier and more affordable for organizations to access water-saving products but also strengthens Rain Bird's commitment to sustainable water management and responsible resource use," says Rick Foster, principal product manager at Rain Bird. Through the DDP, California member agencies gain access to discounted Rain Bird products, allowing them to choose the best options aligned with their water conservation goals. This allows customers to enjoy exclusive pricing and direct-to-door delivery. Rain Bird's Online Store will facilitate all sales and shipping transactions, ensuring reliability and convenience. "Through this new partnership, we're helping agencies scale proven water-saving irrigation solutions faster than ever before," says Tia Fleming, executive director of CalWEP. "It's a practical, ready-to-launch model that delivers real results for communities statewide." As a result of this partnership, California water agencies and their customers benefit directly from smart irrigation solutions. Agencies can easily implement customer-friendly programs to offer instant savings or incentives. Customers, in turn, gain access to excellent products at exclusively discounted prices, making it easier than ever to adopt water-efficient solutions. Together, Rain Bird and CalWEP are empowering communities to achieve meaningful water conservation through smarter and more sustainable irrigation practices.

Lawn & Landscape
Oct 1st, 2025
Rain Bird acquires Rachio

Rain Bird acquires Rachio.

Rain Bird Corporation
Apr 21st, 2025
Rain Bird Acquires OtO for Smart Irrigation

Rain Bird Corporation has acquired OtO Inc., a Toronto-based smart lawn care company known for its solar-powered sprinkler system. This acquisition aims to expand Rain Bird's smart irrigation offerings for homeowners. OtO's technology, which automates hose-end watering using weather-responsive, app-controlled features, complements Rain Bird's portfolio. The collaboration is expected to create growth opportunities by combining the strengths of both companies.