Embedded Software Engineer at Observable

Los Angeles, California, United States

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Not SpecifiedCompensation

Mid-level (3 to 4 years), Senior (5 to 8 years)Experience Level

Full TimeJob Type

UnknownVisa

Aerospace, Space TechnologyIndustries

Requirements

2+ years in embedded software engineering or systems-level development
Strong proficiency in C and modern C++—and good judgment about when not to overuse templates
Solid understanding of DC power systems, motor drivers, and common hardware interfaces (I2C, SPI, CAN, Ethernet, MIPI, PCIe)
Experience bringing up high-speed interfaces, especially PCIe and MIPI CSI-2 (D-PHY 1.4+)
Deep familiarity with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, multimeters, and power debugging tools
Ability to read and interpret schematics, understand board-level considerations, and debug at the electrical–software boundary
Strong debugging intuition—and the humility to know that debugging is 90% of the job
Experience in fast-paced prototyping environments and a bias toward quick iteration
Strong product sense: you prioritize manufacturing reliability, robustness, and long-term serviceability
Passion for astronomy, physics, and scientific exploration
Bonus Qualifications
Experience with Zephyr RTOS, embedded networking stacks, or sensor fusion
Experience with Qualcomm SoCs and their BSP/driver ecosystems
Background in vision processing, image pipelines, or camera-focused algorithms
Contributions to open-source embedded or Linux kernel projects

Responsibilities

Architect, implement, and document embedded Linux systems composed of multiple daemons, services, and hardware interfaces—designed for extreme reliability in remote and space environments
Own the BSP and driver stack across PCIe, SPI, I2C, UART, MIPI CSI-2, GPIO, and other hardware interfaces
Bring up high-speed peripherals (PCIe endpoints, MIPI cameras, high-bandwidth data links) and ensure their long-term robustness
Maintain build system health: keep Yocto builds unblocked, reproducible, and hardened through strict CI/CD testing gates
Design for resilience: create systems that can run autonomously for years with minimal human intervention
Collaborate on automated testing: help the test team build lab infrastructure that enables frictionless writing and execution of hardware-in-the-loop tests
Participate in product design reviews to ensure manufacturability, serviceability, and field reliability

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

Embedded LinuxYoctoBSPPCIeSPII2CUARTMIPI CSI-2GPIOLinux driversdevice drivers

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

Is this role remote or onsite?

The role is based in Los Angeles, CA with hybrid work, but listed as OnSite location type.

What are the basic qualifications for this position?

Candidates need 2+ years in embedded software engineering or systems-level development, strong proficiency in C and modern C++, solid understanding of DC power systems, motor drivers, and common hardware interfaces like I2C, SPI, CAN, Ethernet, MIPI, PCIe, plus experience bringing up high-speed interfaces especially PCIe and MIPI CSI-2.

What does the company do?

Observable Space builds end-to-end hardware and software infrastructure for space operations, including advanced telescopes, distributed compute platforms, precision opto-mechanical hardware, embedded computing, cloud orchestration, and developer-friendly APIs for continuous real-time observation of the cosmos.

What salary or compensation is offered?

This information is not specified in the job description.

Who will I report to in this role?

You will report to the Embedded Engineering Lead.

Observable

Collaborative platform for data visualization

About Observable

Observable provides a platform for data visualization and analytics, allowing users to create, share, and explore data through interactive notebooks. These notebooks are web-based documents that integrate code, data, and visualizations, enabling real-time data manipulation. The platform caters to data scientists, analysts, developers, and educators, making it especially beneficial for academic settings. Users can utilize various templates and examples to enhance their data visualization skills. Observable operates on a freemium model, offering basic features for free while charging for advanced features and services, which appeal to businesses and professional teams. The company also fosters a supportive community through forums and a Slack channel, encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing among users.

San Francisco, CaliforniaHeadquarters

2017Year Founded

$44.8MTotal Funding

SERIES_BCompany Stage

Data & Analytics, Consumer Software, EducationIndustries

11-50Employees

Risks

Freemium model faces competition from robust free features of Google Data Studio and Power BI.

Observable Cloud may face adoption hurdles if users resist migrating from current setups.

Pressure from investors for rapid growth may lead to strategic shifts alienating users.

Differentiation

Observable allows developers to build custom dashboards using code, unlike legacy BI tools.

The platform offers live, collaborative notebooks for real-time data exploration and iteration.

Observable's open-source framework supports any language or library for instant data app creation.

Upsides

Integration with AI-driven tools enhances insights generation and data interpretation capabilities.

The rise of low-code platforms could expand Observable's user base beyond developers.

Increasing demand for real-time analytics in finance and healthcare presents new opportunities.

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