Embedded Software Engineer – Hard Real-Time

Are you the engineer who builds the systems that other engineers build their applications on?

We're partnering with a world-class advanced technology research organisation in Abu Dhabi to recruit exceptional Embedded Software Engineers with deep expertise in hard real-time systems , PX4 flight-control technology and low-level firmware development.

This isn't a conventional embedded software role.

We're looking for engineers who operate beneath the application layer — specialists who understand real-time operating systems, develop firmware for custom hardware and solve complex timing challenges where precision and reliability are non-negotiable.

You'll work at the intersection of secure embedded computing, autonomous systems and next-generation flight-control technology , developing sophisticated hardware/software platforms from the ground up.

What you'll be doing

• Developing low-level embedded software for advanced flight-control and mission-computing platforms.
• Porting, integrating and optimising PX4 and real-time operating systems on custom hardware.
• Developing board support packages (BSPs), firmware, device drivers and hardware abstraction layers.
• Solving challenges involving deterministic execution, interrupt handling, scheduling and strict real-time deadlines.
• Integrating sensors, microcontrollers, processors and hardware interfaces.
• Contributing to the security, reliability and performance of advanced embedded systems.

Essential requirements:

• Proven, hands-on PX4 autopilot development experience , ideally including integration, modification or porting to embedded hardware.
• Deep expertise in low-level embedded software, firmware and hard real-time systems.
• Strong knowledge of RTOS technologies, particularly NuttX or comparable environments.
• Experience developing BSPs, device drivers or bringing up new hardware platforms.
• Excellent programming skills in C/C++ .
• Strong understanding of ARM processors, microcontrollers, scheduling, interrupts and hardware interfaces.

Highly desirable:

• Experience with embedded security, secure boot or trusted computing.
• Knowledge of Rust, hardware/software integration and safety-critical engineering.
• Background in aerospace, avionics, UAVs, autonomous systems, semiconductors or defence R&D.

You might currently be a Senior Embedded Software Engineer, PX4 Developer, RTOS Engineer, Flight Control Software Engineer, Firmware/BSP Engineer or Embedded Systems Architect .

Perhaps you've worked with organisations such as Auterion, NXP, DJI, Saab, Embention or other advanced embedded technology companies.

We're looking for engineers who understand PX4 beyond the application layer — people who can explain how they've brought new hardware to life, developed low-level firmware or solved difficult real-time performance challenges.

Join an ambitious international research environment working on some of the most technically demanding challenges in embedded engineering.

• Develop pioneering, next-generation embedded and flight-control technologies.
• Work on fundamental hardware/software platforms, not just applications.
• Collaborate with world-class researchers and specialist engineers.
• Contribute to advanced secure and autonomous computing research.
• Relocate to Abu Dhabi for a potentially career-defining technical opportunity (and benefit from a tax free package and 300+ days of sunshine a year!)

If you have genuine hands-on PX4 development expertise and enjoy solving complex engineering challenges at the hardware/software boundary, we'd love to hear from you.

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