Senior Embedded Software Engineer

About the Company:

World is building a real human network designed to accelerate people in the age of AI. As bots and autonomous agents reshape the internet, people, institutions, and applications need a trusted way to confirm who is a real human while preserving privacy. Our products make this possible: the Orb verifies real people, World ID proves it privately, and World App enables and distributes the new applications made possible by this technology. Together, they form a new layer for AI internet.

We’re one of the fastest-growing networks in tech. More than 17 million people across 160 countries have verified with World ID, and we complete over 350,000 verifications each week. World App is already among the most used wallets globally. Developers are integrating World ID to build safer online experiences and create spaces where real people can participate, earn, and be recognized in ways AI simply can’t replicate.

World was founded in 2019 and launched globally in 2023. We are more than 400 people across hardware, software, AI, cryptography, mobile engineering, and global operations. Our teams come from OpenAI, Tesla, SpaceX, Apple, Google, Stripe, Meta, Coinbase, Palantir and MIT Media Lab. We’re backed by leading investors, including a16z, Khosla Ventures, Bain Capital Crypto, Blockchain Capital, Variant, Tiger Global, and Coinbase Ventures, as well as prominent operators and founders across fintech and AI.

World has been featured on the cover of TIME Magazine, highlighted in Fast Company’s Next 5 in Fintech, and explored in a Bloomberg deep dive. The New York Times, Bankless and TechCrunch have all recognized our progress in identity, cryptography, AI, and global-scale hardware deployment. Our leadership is also named to the Time AI 100. Learn more about the newest product launches from our Unwrapped event.

About the Team:

The Device Organization at Tools for Humanity is responsible for all aspects of driving development of world-class hardware devices reaching billions of people globally. We are a rapidly growing, highly cross-functional team that strategically partners with industrial design, optics, hardware development, and product teams to define product requirements and execute on development of our next generation family of devices. We offer competitive compensation, professional development opportunities, and a collaborative work environment.

About the Role:

Tools for Humanity is looking for a Senior Embedded Systems Engineer to join as one of our first embedded software engineers at our new San Francisco office. This is a great opportunity to join a newly formed, dynamic team as a Senior Embedded Software Engineer, and contribute to the development of our next generation proof of human devices.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own the architecture, development, maintenance, and debugging of embedded firmware for roadmap devices

• Support hardware validation, test coverage improvements, and early design decisions for the hardware team.

• Design and implement low-level drivers and board support packages (BSPs) for microcontrollers, sensors and SoCs.

• Drive hardware/firmware integration and debug issues across electrical and software boundaries.

• Participate in design reviews and provide input on embedded system architectures and testability.

• Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams on concept integration into product roadmap with a focus on stability, power, and performance.

• Evaluate, debug, and validate new hardware designs, leveraging oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and other lab tools.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (mechanical, software, product) to optimize system performance.

• Author and maintain documentation for firmware architecture, testing procedures, and validation results.

• Coordinate with software engineers to validate system-level behavior and address hardware/software integration issues.

• Support production system debug as needed.

• Experience working with Android and AOSP based platforms.

• Supporting overseas development with JDM/ODM partners

• Mentor junior engineers in development best practices.

About You:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.

• 7+ years of hands-on experience in firmware development for embedded systems, with a strong understanding of electronics and hardware-software interactions.

• Experience developing consumer electronics systems at large scale.

• Proficiency in C/C++ for embedded systems, with experience developing for bare-metal, RTOS, or Linux-based systems.

• Experience with Zephyr RTOS, Linux kernel internals, and real-time system design.

• Familiarity with standard industry tools: oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG, UART, SPI, I2C, PCIe, etc.

• Strong debugging skills in both hardware and software domains, including use of low-level debuggers and trace tools.

• Hands-on experience with microcontrollers, SoCs, and custom board bring-up.

• Ability to work independently on complex projects and take full ownership of deliverables

• Ability to debug complex cross-domain issues (hardware/software) in a fast-paced, iterative development environment.

• Committed to rigorous documentation and testing practices

• Comfortable working in a start-up or high-velocity team environment, with a proactive, hands-on approach.

Nice-to-Haves:

• Exposure to secure boot, firmware update pipelines, and embedded cybersecurity.

• Background in camera hardware, ISP tuning, or vision sensor integration.

• Experience with Rust

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Pay transparency statement (for CA and NY based roles):

The reasonably estimated salary for this role at TFH ranges from $220,000 - $270,000, plus a competitive long term incentive package. Actual compensation is based on factors such as the candidate's skills, qualifications, and experience. In addition, TFH offers a wide range of best in class, comprehensive and inclusive employee benefits for this role including healthcare, dental, vision, 401(k) plan and match, life insurance, flexible time off, commuter benefits, professional development stipend and much more!

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