How to hire a senior embedded engineer

How to hire a senior embedded engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior embedded engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a senior embedded engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior embedded engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior embedded engineer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a senior embedded engineer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a senior embedded engineer that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of senior embedded engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Senior Embedded Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Embedded Engineer	Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device... Show more	$44-76
   Firmware Developer	A firmware developer mainly develops firmware and designs hardware for online supervision systems and protocol converters. Firmware developers lead workflow resolution and automate the process by routing information to queues for flexible management of exceptions... Show more	$31-56
   Systems Engineering Internship	In a systems engineering internship, an intern is primarily responsible for following a supervising officer or manager's directives. Most of an intern's tasks revolve around assisting engineers in installing and maintaining systems, troubleshooting, and even providing corrective measures... Show more	$12-26

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Python
   • Firmware
   • Linux
   • SPI
   • Embedded Systems
   • I2C
   • Software Development
   • C
   • C++
   • Embedded C
   • Wifi
   • UART
   • Debugging
   • USB

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all DSP software revision control activity
   • Test the interface on various platforms like windows, Linux.
   • Port I2C driver for EEPROM.
   • Develop python scripts for diagnostic purposes.
   • Develop FPGA base solution for Mobeam using VHDL.
   • Develop LCD frame buffer driver with lower data transfer via SPI bus.

   More senior embedded engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior embedded engineer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A senior embedded engineer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, senior embedded engineers' average salary in missouri is 43% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior embedded engineers 42% less than senior-level senior embedded engineers.
   • Certifications. A senior embedded engineer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a senior embedded engineer's salary.

   Average senior embedded engineer salary

   $121,757yearly

   $58.54 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior embedded engineer salary

   $93,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average senior embedded engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$161,705	$78
   2	New York	$128,411	$62
   3	Virginia	$127,865	$61
   4	Massachusetts	$121,779	$59
   5	Texas	$121,286	$58
   6	Illinois	$116,411	$56
   7	Pennsylvania	$114,526	$55
   8	Maryland	$105,814	$51
   9	Wisconsin	$103,478	$50
   10	Colorado	$103,169	$50
   11	Michigan	$100,021	$48
   12	Georgia	$97,192	$47
   13	Tennessee	$96,623	$46
   14	Indiana	$89,722	$43

   Average senior embedded engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$154,680	$74.37	118
   2	Rivian	$147,716	$71.02	24
   3	NVIDIA	$145,827	$70.11	123
   4	GoPro	$141,312	$67.94
   5	Amazon	$139,370	$67.00	188
   6	Dolby Laboratories	$138,573	$66.62
   7	SmartThings	$136,952	$65.84	2
   8	Nikola Motor	$136,847	$65.79
   9	CyberCoders	$135,670	$65.23
   10	NIO	$134,958	$64.88	1
   11	Synaptics	$132,085	$63.50
   12	Enphase Energy	$130,392	$62.69	5
   13	Vizio	$128,410	$61.74
   14	Wind River	$127,860	$61.47	5
   15	Motion Recruitment	$127,493	$61.29	6
   16	Ouster	$125,296	$60.24	7
   17	Jobot	$123,626	$59.44
   18	Bio-Rad Laboratories	$123,585	$59.42	3
   19	Luminar Technologies	$123,171	$59.22
   20	Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty	$122,577	$58.93

4. Writing a senior embedded engineer job description

   A senior embedded engineer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a senior embedded engineer job description:

   Senior embedded engineer job description example

   At UEI you will be part of a world class team that is working to innovate and revolutionize the meaning of 'wireless control'. Whether it's via chips, software licenses or turnkey products, we are continuing to reinvent how consumers interact with devices and services in their home.
   
   Each day we make the connected home smarter, easier to connect and use, and more sustainable. We delight our Fortune 100 customers such as Comcast, Apple, Samsung, Google, Vivint and Daikin with ground breaking wireless technology solutions such as advanced, voice-enabled remote controls, cloud control solutions, extreme low power Bluetooth silicon with energy harvesting capabilities, smart thermostats and sensors and many other IoT solutions.
   The Senior Embedded Engineer will work with collaborative engineering teams to integrate various sensors, RF technologies, and protocols like Matter into working solutions for HVAC controls/Thermostats and other IoT devices. Ideally, we are looking to add a strong engineer to the team, who has strong CE interest and passion and who understands what it takes to succeed in a consumer driven industry. The technology is evolving, and the product offerings are growing.
   
   Essential Duties and Functions
   Design, develop, and validate embedded firmware on various micro controllers. Create software design specifications from the requirement specification. Collaborate with cross functional teams to resolve product issues in different phases. Lead large/small scale projects with complex features. Handle multiple projects at various phases. Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
   
   Qualifications
   Experience with all phases of embedded firmware development in platform independent environments. Strong knowledge of various RF technologies and profiles such as Z-Wave, ZigBee, BT/BLE, Wi-Fi. Thread and Apple HomeKit experience a plus. 10 + years of experience with C and Java programming. Software development methodologies and quality control processes. Experience developing on Bare-Metal or RTOS Hands on experience with various MCU cores (16 to 32-bits, common ARM Cortex) and peripherals. Scripting languages and for test automation (Perl, Python or similar) big plus. Debug skills with tools such as JTAG/serial debugger, protocol analyzer and oscilloscopes. Experience in consumer electronics product development, especially HVAC controls, thermostats and sensors a plus. Capable of working on multiple projects in a deadline driven environment. Problem solving skills a must.
   
   Education
   Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering or related fields. Master's preferred
   
   Universal Electronics Inc. (NASDAQ: UEIC) is the worldwide leader in universal control and sensing technologies for the smart home. Its broad portfolio of patents includes QuickSet® software that utilizes the world's most complete knowledge graph to detect and interact with thousands of entertainment and smart home devices. The company designs, develops, and manufactures innovative products that are used by the world's leading brands in the audio, video, subscription broadcasting, connected home, home energy management, and mobile device markets. UEI's many first-to-market innovations have helped transform the home entertainment control, home security, and home energy management and sensing industries.
   
   Universal Electronics Inc. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We are proud of our diverse workforce and we believe having diverse teams that everyone brings their whole self to work everyday is key to all of our success. We welcome all people of different experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and abilities.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find senior embedded engineers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any senior embedded engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level senior embedded engineers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior embedded engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit senior embedded engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit senior embedded engineers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   If your interviews with senior embedded engineer applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior embedded engineer

   Once you've selected the best senior embedded engineer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new senior embedded engineer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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