Firmware Specialist Engineer

Firmware Specialist Technology & Embedded Systems – Institute Itech Full-time position Hybrid work model (Milan, Italy – with international scope) Travel and meeting expenses will be reimbursed upon approval An NDA must be signed This position may evolve into Senior Firmware Specialist or Lead Embedded Systems Engineer, depending on performance and contribution to Institute Itech's technology infrastructure. About Institute Itech: Institute Itech is a private research, development and technological innovation institute based in Italy with an international vision. It was created to transform scientific knowledge, advanced engineering and emerging technologies into concrete solutions for the environment, health, data intelligence, artificial intelligence, urban systems and technological infrastructure. The company is built on a multidisciplinary vision structured around six pillars: Education, Technology, Social, Nature, Research and Urban. Through these areas, Institute Itech develops high-impact projects capable of improving quality of life, making cities more sustainable and creating new models of scientific, industrial and social progress. Its flagship projects include: Memoria™ – AI-based neuroimaging and cognitive data intelligence Oxyleaf™ – environmental monitoring and air quality technologies Terra™ – advanced soil and ecological remediation systems Polaris™ – strategic data infrastructure and positioning systems Balloon™ – high-altitude sensing and urban climate platforms Biocity™ – integrated biourban planning and smart city ecosystems

About the Role
Institute Itech is seeking a technically solid and experienced Firmware Specialist to join its embedded systems team in a hybrid capacity between Milan and international project contexts. The role is transversal in nature: the candidate will contribute across multiple flagship projects, developing and maintaining firmware solutions with a significant degree of autonomy across the full embedded development stack — from low-level microcontroller programming to IoT connectivity, real-time system management, and hardware-software integration. The selected candidate will work alongside hardware designers, mechanical engineers, software developers, and project leads, taking ownership of embedded firmware workstreams and contributing to the design, development, and validation of systems that power Institute Itech's environmental sensing platforms, urban monitoring infrastructure, and advanced technology projects. This is an ideal opportunity for a mid-level firmware professional looking to deepen their expertise across a technically demanding and diverse project portfolio with meaningful real-world impact.

Responsibilities:
Firmware Development & Embedded Programming Design, develop, and maintain firmware for microcontrollers and embedded processors (STM32, ESP32, ARM Cortex, or equivalent) Write clean, efficient, and well-documented code in C and C++ Implement and maintain device drivers, hardware abstraction layers (HAL), and Board Support Packages (BSPs) Lead the porting and adaptation of firmware across different hardware platforms and configurations Real-Time Systems & Peripheral Management Develop and manage real-time applications using RTOS platforms (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or equivalent) Ensure timing, scheduling, and interrupt management meet system-level performance requirements Integrate and configure peripherals including UART, SPI, I2C, GPIO, ADC, and PWM Debug and resolve real-time behavioral issues across hardware and software boundaries IoT Connectivity & Sensor Integration Implement communication protocols for IoT-connected embedded devices (MQTT, BLE, LoRa, Wi-Fi, or equivalent) Develop firmware for sensor data acquisition, local processing, and wireless transmission Support the integration of embedded nodes with cloud platforms and backend data infrastructure Contribute to the design of low-power embedded architectures for field-deployed systems Testing, Debugging & Validation Design and execute firmware testing procedures including unit tests and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation Use debugging tools including JTAG, SWD, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers to diagnose and resolve issues Document test results, bug reports, and firmware release notes in line with Institute Itech's engineering standards Support the transition of firmware from prototype to production-ready embedded systems Cross-Project Technical Contribution Contribute embedded firmware expertise across projects including Balloon™, Oxyleaf™, Terra™, and Memoria™ Participate in technical design reviews, architecture decisions, and cross-functional planning sessions Identify and communicate firmware-level risks and propose mitigation strategies in collaboration with project leads Mentor junior team members and support knowledge transfer within the embedded systems team Documentation & Knowledge Sharing Maintain thorough technical documentation for all firmware development activit