Product Prototyping Expert - Firmware

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Prototyping Expert - Firmware

Company: PQShield

Location: Remote (within the countries we operate in), Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany, UK.

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Embedded Systems Firmware Prototyping / Post-Quantum Cryptography Integration

Date Posted: 2025-06-12T10:36:39

Experience Level: 5+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (Remote within specified countries with occasional travel to offices)

🎨 Role Summary

• Focus on the integration and testing of cutting-edge Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and PQ/T hybrid cryptographic primitives within embedded systems environments, specifically on hardware platforms like FPGAs.
• Develop and implement robust demonstrators showcasing PQShield's innovative products, with a keen eye for optimizing performance, cost-effectiveness, and critical security trade-offs in firmware design.
• Conduct rigorous evaluation and measurement of key performance metrics vital for embedded security, including latency analysis, resource utilization (area and power consumption), and comprehensive security assessments against various physical attacks.
• Document technical details meticulously, creating comprehensive application notes covering firmware interfaces, hardware setups, detailed test procedures, and analysis of results, ensuring clarity and knowledge transfer.
• Engage in close collaboration with both software and hardware engineering teams to achieve seamless system integration, while also interacting effectively with cross-functional teams including Sales, Marketing, and Business Development to align technical development with business needs.
• Actively contribute to defining product requirements, shaping feature sets, and influencing the strategic direction of product roadmaps, ensuring the technical solutions meet market demands and security standards.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Integrate and test complex Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and PQ/T hybrid cryptographic primitives onto diverse hardware platforms, with a primary focus on Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), ensuring correct functionality and performance.
• Design, develop, and implement functional demonstrators utilizing PQShield products, strategically optimizing for critical factors such as performance efficiency, hardware cost considerations, and robust security against various threats.
• Perform detailed evaluations and measurements of key performance indicators for embedded systems, including latency, resource utilization (logic area, memory footprint, power consumption), and security resilience against physical attacks like side-channel analysis and tampering.
• Create thorough and clear technical documentation, including firmware API specifications, detailed hardware setup guides, step-by-step test procedures, and comprehensive result analysis in the form of application notes for internal teams and potentially external partners.
• Collaborate closely with software engineers on the application layer integration and with hardware engineers on board-level bring-up and verification, ensuring seamless interaction between firmware, software, and hardware components.
• Engage with Sales, Marketing, and Business Development teams to understand market needs, provide technical expertise, and support product demonstrations and customer engagements, bridging the gap between technical capabilities and market requirements.
• Actively participate in defining and refining product requirements, proposing new features based on prototyping outcomes and market feedback, and contributing to the strategic planning and execution of product roadmaps.
• Troubleshoot complex technical issues encountered during integration and testing phases, utilizing advanced debugging techniques and tools to identify and resolve root causes efficiently.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in Post-Quantum Cryptography, embedded systems security, and relevant hardware technologies, applying new knowledge to enhance product development and prototyping efforts.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related technical field focusing on embedded systems or digital hardware design.

Experience: A minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience in embedded systems development, firmware engineering, or hardware prototyping, with a proven track record of successfully integrating complex software/firmware onto hardware platforms. Experience prototyping security-focused embedded solutions is highly valued, and a portfolio demonstrating successful projects in this area is essential.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in bare-metal programming for various embedded systems and microcontrollers (MCUs), demonstrating a deep understanding of hardware-software interaction at a low level.
• Extensive knowledge of firmware development toolchains, including compilers, debuggers, and integrated development environments (IDEs) specific to embedded systems.
• Strong hands-on hardware debugging skills utilizing standard lab equipment such as multimeters, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers to diagnose and resolve hardware-related issues.
• A solid understanding of fundamental security principles applicable to embedded systems, including secure boot processes, rollback protection mechanisms, input validation, and trusted execution environments.
• Experience working with Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) for managing concurrent tasks and resources in embedded applications, and familiarity with embedded Linux environments for more complex systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate technical concepts, document procedures, and collaborate effectively with both technical and non-technical teams.
• Robust analytical and problem-solving skills, with the capacity to diagnose complex technical challenges in embedded systems and develop practical, efficient solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience programming on CHERI RISC-V devices, demonstrating familiarity with Capability Hardware Enhanced RISC Instructions and their application in secure systems.
• A strong track record of successfully prototyping firmware demonstrators for embedded security applications, showcasing the ability to translate concepts into functional hardware implementations.
• Knowledge of advanced security concepts relevant to embedded systems, including timing attacks, fuzzing techniques for vulnerability discovery, tamper resistance mechanisms, and power side-channel security countermeasures.
• Familiarity with the RISC-V architecture and CHERI concepts beyond basic programming, including understanding of memory safety and protection mechanisms.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Include detailed case studies of embedded firmware development and prototyping projects where you successfully integrated complex functionalities onto hardware platforms. Highlight the specific hardware (e.g., FPGAs, MCUs), the software/firmware components, and the challenges overcome.
• Present projects demonstrating your experience with security-focused embedded systems, showcasing your understanding of secure coding practices, vulnerability analysis, and implementation of security principles like secure boot or tamper resistance.
• Showcase projects involving hardware bring-up, debugging using lab equipment, and interaction with peripherals via standard interfaces (UART, I2C, SPI, etc.). Provide examples of how you diagnosed and resolved hardware/firmware interaction issues.
• If applicable, include projects related to performance optimization in embedded systems, demonstrating how you measured and improved metrics like latency, memory usage, or power consumption. Quantify the improvements achieved.

Process Documentation:

• For each relevant project, document your entire development process, from initial requirements understanding and system architecture design to implementation, testing, and debugging phases. Explain your decision-making process regarding technology choices and implementation strategies.
• Detail your approach to integrating third-party libraries or cryptographic primitives into embedded environments, including challenges related to resource constraints, licensing, and security considerations.
• Describe your testing methodology for embedded firmware, including unit testing, integration testing, and hardware-in-the-loop testing. Provide examples of test cases and how you validated the correctness and performance of your implementations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on market data for similar roles in the specified European countries (UK, Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium) for a senior-level embedded firmware and security engineer with 5+ years of experience, we estimate a competitive salary range. This range typically falls between €60,000 and €100,000 annually, depending on the specific country's cost of living, the candidate's precise experience level, technical expertise (especially in cryptography and specific hardware like CHERI RISC-V), and interview performance. This estimate is based on publicly available salary data for embedded systems engineers and security engineers in Western Europe and should be confirmed with the hiring team. Research sources include Glassdoor, Payscale, and regional tech salary reports, adjusted for the specialized nature of Post-Quantum Cryptography.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary package that reflects your experience and contributions to a cutting-edge field.
• Participation in a share option scheme, offering an opportunity to benefit from the company's growth and success.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements to support work-life balance, accommodating remote work within the specified operating countries.
• A dedicated working from home budget to help set up a comfortable and productive remote workspace.
• Comprehensive private health insurance coverage for yourself and your family, providing access to quality healthcare.
• Generous annual leave policy with 25 days of paid time off, in addition to national bank holidays and two dedicated wellness weeks per year.
• A 50% discount on gym memberships to support your health and wellness goals.
• Opportunities for unparalleled learning and accelerated career development within a rapidly expanding segment of the embedded security industry.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours, typically around 40 hours per week. The flexible/hybrid working policy allows for some adaptability in daily scheduling, accommodating different time zones within the operational countries and supporting a healthy work-life balance. Collaboration with teams across different locations may require flexibility for meetings.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Computer and Network Security, specifically specializing in Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) solutions for both software and hardware. This places the company at the forefront of addressing future cybersecurity threats posed by quantum computing.

Company Size: 51-200 employees (LinkedIn data: 83 employees). Working in a company of this size typically means a dynamic environment where individual contributions have a significant impact. For a prototyping expert, this implies direct involvement in product development and closer collaboration across different functional teams.

Founded: 2018. As a relatively young company, PQShield likely has an agile and innovative culture focused on rapid development and market leadership in a nascent but critical field. Being founded recently also suggests a modern approach to technology and work practices.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the Product team, indicating a focus on bringing technology to market and solving real-world problems.
• Direct interaction is expected with founders, sales, marketing, R&D, and engineering teams, suggesting a highly collaborative and cross-functional environment.
• The team structure likely involves embedded engineers, hardware engineers, software engineers, and potentially cryptographers, requiring strong technical communication and collaboration skills.

Methodology:

• Given the industry and product focus, the methodology likely involves rigorous research and development cycles focused on cryptographic algorithm implementation and hardware integration.
• Prototyping is a key part of the process, involving iterative development, testing, and performance/security evaluation on target hardware.
• Collaboration and knowledge sharing are likely emphasized due to the specialized nature of the work and the need to bridge different technical domains (cryptography, hardware, software, security).

Company Website: https://pqshield.com/

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This role is positioned for an experienced professional, likely at a Senior or Lead level within the embedded firmware and prototyping domain. The requirement for 5+ years of experience and the nature of the responsibilities (integrating complex cryptography, optimizing for performance and security, contributing to product roadmaps) indicate a need for significant technical depth and autonomy.

Reporting Structure: Reporting lines are not explicitly stated but being within the Product team suggests reporting to a Product Manager or Head of Product, or potentially a technical lead within the product engineering group. Direct work with founders and other senior teams indicates high visibility.

Design Impact: The role has a direct and significant impact on the company's product development by translating cryptographic research into tangible, secure, and performant hardware prototypes. The work directly influences the feasibility, performance characteristics, and security posture of PQShield's offerings, which are critical for customer adoption in security-conscious markets.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in Post-Quantum Cryptography integration on specific hardware architectures (e.g., FPGAs, RISC-V), becoming a subject matter expert in this niche and critical field.
• Technical Leadership: Grow into a technical lead role, mentoring junior engineers, defining best practices for embedded security prototyping, and leading complex integration projects.
• Product Strategy Influence: Increase influence on product requirements and roadmaps by providing key technical insights from prototyping efforts, helping shape the future direction of PQShield's products.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Enhance skills in collaborating with diverse teams (R&D, Sales, Marketing, Engineering), gaining a broader understanding of the business and potential for roles bridging technical and business functions.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: This is a hybrid role, combining remote work within specified European countries with occasional travel to company offices. The work environment is a blend of a distributed setup for focused individual work and physical office presence for collaborative sessions, team meetings, and potentially hardware-specific development or testing that requires lab access.

Office Location(s): PQShield has offices in Oxford, UK; Paris, France; and Amsterdam, Netherlands. Occasional travel to these locations will be required for team collaboration, hardware development activities, or specific project milestones.

Design Workspace Context:

• Remote Setup: Requires a dedicated and effective home office setup with reliable internet access for remote collaboration and development tasks. A working from home budget is provided to support this.
• Office/Lab Access: When on-site, access to dedicated hardware labs, test equipment (multimeters, logic analyzers, etc.), and collaborative meeting spaces for hands-on prototyping and team interactions will be available.
• Collaboration Tools: Reliance on digital collaboration tools (video conferencing, chat, project management software like Jira, code repositories like GitHub/GitLab) for daily communication and project coordination across distributed teams.

Work Schedule: Primarily standard business hours within the European time zones. The hybrid nature allows for flexibility, but coordination with team members across potentially different time zones within the specified countries will be necessary. Occasional travel will require adapting to office schedules.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Expect an initial screening call, likely with HR or a technical recruiter, to discuss your background, experience (especially in embedded systems and security), and interest in the role. Be prepared to briefly highlight relevant projects from your portfolio.
• Technical Interview(s): Multiple technical interviews focusing on your expertise in bare-metal programming, firmware development, debugging, embedded security principles, and possibly specific technologies mentioned (C, assembly, RTOS, embedded Linux, FPGA interaction). Be prepared for in-depth discussions about your past projects and problem-solving approaches.
• Portfolio/Project Deep Dive: A dedicated session where you will be asked to present and discuss key projects from your portfolio in detail. Focus on explaining your technical contributions, design decisions, challenges faced, and outcomes achieved. Be prepared to walk through code snippets or hardware setups if applicable.
• System Design/Problem Solving: You may be given a technical challenge or asked to discuss how you would approach designing or debugging a specific embedded system or security feature. This assesses your analytical skills and ability to apply your knowledge to new problems.
• Team/Cultural Fit Interview: Discussions with potential team members and managers to assess your collaboration style, communication skills, and fit within the company culture. Be prepared to ask questions about the team, projects, and work environment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Embedded & Security Projects: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature projects most relevant to embedded systems firmware, hardware interaction, and security implementations.
• Detailed Case Studies: For each project, provide a structured case study that outlines the problem, your role, the technical solution implemented (including hardware and software/firmware details), the development process, challenges encountered and how you overcame them, and the final outcome or impact. Include diagrams or visuals where helpful.
• Highlight Technical Depth: Go beyond a high-level description. Explain your technical decisions, the specific tools and technologies used, and any optimizations or security considerations you implemented. Quantify results where possible (e.g., performance improvements, resource reduction).
• Showcase Debugging and Problem-Solving: Include examples where you had to diagnose and fix complex hardware/firmware issues, demonstrating your debugging methodology and persistence.
• Document Your Process: Clearly articulate your development process, from requirements gathering to testing and validation. This shows your systematic approach to engineering.

Challenge Preparation:

• If a technical challenge is part of the process, clarify the format (take-home, on-site coding/design exercise) and expected deliverables.
• Practice problem-solving in embedded systems contexts, focusing on resource constraints, real-time requirements, and hardware interaction.
• If the challenge involves coding, ensure your implementation is clean, well-structured, and includes comments explaining your logic.
• Be prepared to explain your solution and the technical trade-offs you made during the challenge.

ATS Keywords: Embedded Systems, Firmware Development, Bare Metal, RTOS, Embedded Linux, C, Assembly, Python, FPGA, Hardware Prototyping, Debugging, Logic Analyzer, Multimeter, Security Principles, Secure Boot, Rollback Protection, Input Validation, CHERI, RISC-V, Post-Quantum Cryptography, PQC, Cryptographic Primitives, Performance Optimization, Resource Utilization, Side-Channel Analysis, Tamper Resistance, UART, I2C, SPI, QSPI, GitHub, GitLab, Jira, Technical Documentation, Application Notes, System Integration, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Problem Solving, Analytical Skills, Real-Time Systems, Hardware-Software Interface, Low-Level Programming.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• C, Assembly: Core programming languages for bare-metal and low-level firmware development on microcontrollers (MCUs) such as STM32, RH850, RPI2350, and potentially other embedded processors. Proficiency in writing efficient and hardware-aware code is essential.
• Python: Used primarily for scripting, automation, and potentially for communicating with target boards from a host computer, facilitating testing, data collection, and automation of development tasks.
• FPGA Boards: Hands-on experience with handling and interacting with FPGA development boards is crucial for integrating and testing cryptographic primitives on reconfigurable hardware.
• Embedded Peripherals (UART, I2C, SPI, QSPI flash, etc.): Experience working with common embedded communication interfaces for interacting with sensors, memory, and other peripherals connected to the MCU or FPGA.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• GitHub/GitLab: Used for version control, code collaboration, and managing the development workflow. Familiarity with Git branching strategies and collaborative development practices is expected.
• Jira: Project management and issue tracking tool used for organizing tasks, tracking progress, and managing bug reports within the development lifecycle.
• Technical Documentation Tools: Tools and practices for creating comprehensive application notes, interface specifications, and test procedures, ensuring clear communication of technical details.

Research & Testing:

• Debugging Tools (Logic Analyzer, Multimeter, Oscilloscope): Essential hardware debugging tools for diagnosing issues at the electrical and signal level, crucial for embedded systems development.
• Embedded Debuggers (JTAG, SWD): Software debuggers and hardware interfaces for stepping through code execution on the target MCU or FPGA, inspecting memory, and analyzing register values.
• Linux as Development OS: Proficiency in using Linux as the primary operating system for firmware development, leveraging command-line tools, scripting, and cross-compilation environments.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• Security First: A fundamental value emphasizing the critical importance of security in all aspects of design and development, particularly in the context of Post-Quantum Cryptography and embedded systems protection.
• Technical Excellence: A commitment to high technical standards, rigorous engineering practices, and continuous learning to stay at the forefront of embedded systems, cryptography, and security.
• Innovation & Research-Oriented Mindset: Encouraging an open and research-oriented approach to problem-solving, exploring new ideas and technologies to develop cutting-edge security solutions.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Fostering a collaborative environment where engineers work closely together and with other teams to achieve common goals, sharing knowledge and providing constructive feedback.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional: Strong emphasis on collaboration between firmware, hardware, software, R&D, and business teams to ensure seamless product development and market alignment.
• Technical Review & Critique: Likely involves code reviews, design discussions, and technical critiques to maintain high quality and identify potential security vulnerabilities or performance bottlenecks.
• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of expertise and insights, particularly given the specialized nature of Post-Quantum Cryptography and embedded security.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Integrating Complex Cryptography: Implementing and optimizing complex Post-Quantum Cryptography algorithms on resource-constrained embedded hardware, requiring deep understanding of both cryptography and hardware limitations.
• Performance vs. Security Trade-offs: Balancing the need for high performance in embedded systems with the requirement for robust security against physical attacks, which often involves implementing countermeasures that impact performance.
• Working with Cutting-Edge Hardware: Potentially working with new or less common hardware architectures like CHERI RISC-V, requiring adaptability and a willingness to learn new platforms.
• Staying Ahead of Threats: Continuously learning about new security vulnerabilities and attack techniques relevant to embedded systems and cryptography to ensure the developed solutions remain secure.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Post-Quantum Cryptography Expertise: Deepen knowledge and practical experience in implementing and securing PQC algorithms, a highly sought-after skill in the evolving cybersecurity landscape.
• Embedded Security Specialization: Become an expert in embedded systems security, including advanced topics like side-channel analysis countermeasures, secure element integration, and trusted execution environments.
• Hardware Platform Proficiency: Gain extensive experience working with various hardware platforms, including FPGAs and different microcontroller architectures.
• Contribution to Standards: Potentially contribute to the development of new standards or best practices in Post-Quantum Cryptography implementation for embedded systems.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• "Describe a complex embedded system firmware project you worked on. Walk me through your development process from requirements to testing." - Prepare detailed case studies from your portfolio, focusing on your technical decisions, challenges, and outcomes.
• "How do you approach debugging firmware issues on bare-metal systems? Describe a time you used hardware debugging tools to solve a difficult problem." - Be ready to discuss specific debugging strategies and provide concrete examples of using tools like logic analyzers or oscilloscopes.
• "Explain your understanding of secure coding principles for embedded systems. How do you ensure the firmware you develop is resistant to common vulnerabilities?" - Discuss practices like input validation, secure memory handling, and minimizing attack surface.

Company Culture Questions:

• "How do you approach collaboration with hardware engineers and software engineers during the integration phase of an embedded project?" - Provide examples of successful cross-functional collaboration and how you've handled communication challenges.
• "PQShield is at the forefront of Post-Quantum Cryptography. What interests you most about working in this field?" - Research PQShield's work and the importance of PQC, demonstrating your genuine interest and understanding of the domain.
• "Describe a time you had to learn a new hardware platform or technology quickly for a project. How did you approach the learning process?" - Highlight your ability to adapt and acquire new technical skills independently.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select 2-3 of your most relevant embedded firmware and security projects to present.
• Structure your presentation as concise case studies: briefly introduce the project, explain the technical problem, detail your approach and implementation (including hardware/software aspects), discuss the challenges and how you solved them, and highlight the results and impact.
• Be prepared to dive into technical details, discuss trade-offs, and answer in-depth questions about your code, hardware interaction, and security considerations.
• Focus on demonstrating your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and systematic approach to embedded systems development.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link
• Prepare a technical resume that clearly highlights your experience in embedded systems, firmware development, hardware interaction, and security. Use relevant ATS keywords from the list provided.
• Curate and refine your technical portfolio, focusing on detailed case studies of your most impactful embedded firmware and security projects. Ensure the documentation clearly articulates your process, technical contributions, and outcomes.
• Practice discussing your portfolio projects in detail, focusing on explaining technical challenges, design decisions, and the impact of your work. Be ready to explain your debugging and problem-solving methodologies.
• Research PQShield's products, recent news, and the specific challenges and opportunities in the Post-Quantum Cryptography and embedded security space. Understand their work and be prepared to discuss how your skills align with their mission.