Embedded Software Engineer

Overview

The Micro:bit Educational Foundation is looking for a senior embedded software engineer with a willingness to get involved in all aspects of embedded software development and testing as part of a small team.

Your work will support and positively impact students, teachers and partners around the world. Working with the Embedded Software lead and wider tech team, you will develop, improve and research the embedded software that runs on the 11 million BBC micro:bit's distributed around the world.

The device helps children and teachers get creative with digital technology, with a specific focus on broadening the diversity of students passionate about computing. This is a broad role in a small organisation, working predominantly on open source projects, in collaboration with other organisations like Lancaster University, Arm and Microsoft. Current projects include:

• The micro:bit CODAL - the abstractions on which the primary, web-based editors for the micro:bit are built (
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• DAPLink - the micro:bit’s firmware that enables the seamless experience in classrooms so the micro:bit can be programmed from the browser
• Micro Python for the micro:bit and pxt-microbit, from which Make Code is built.

We want to enable a diversity of people to create amazing and creative things with the micro:bit, so empowering them to do as many different things, as easily as possible, is a key goal. The successful candidate will help us push the limit of what can be done with the micro:bit hardware, with an emphasis on writing expandable, efficient software, with user friendly interfaces.

• More than 4 years experience developing C/C++ drivers and software to run on embedded devices (ideally Arm Cortex-M).
• Experience debugging software in embedded systems using electronic lab tools.
• Familiarity with test methodologies for embedded systems, including automated and manual tests.
• Excited to learn new tools and approaches.
• Diligent in delivering robust, tested and maintainable solutions.
• Empathetic and effective communication.
• Capable to work autonomously to achieve project objectives and to collaborate with internal teams, external organisations, and external collaborators.

This role requires building an understanding of our audience and working closely with teams across The Foundation. You’ll contribute to the planning and design of new features and day-to-day operations.

Don’t feel discouraged if you don’t match many (or any!) of the entries from this section. These are beneficial for the role but are not necessary. Ability to learn on the job and adapt to evolving challenges is more valuable than anything listed here.

• Experience working on firmware that runs at scale on consumer or industrial devices
• Experience managing open source projects & documentation
• Experience managing continuous integration pipelines for embedded systems with or without hardware-in-the-loop
• Experience with wired (USB, I2C, SPI, UART) and/or wireless (BLE, Wifi) communication protocols
• Experience with low power design techniques
• Experience creating and reviewing hardware/firmware/software requirements and designs

If you don’t feel you match these requirements but are interested in the role, please feel free to apply and explain in your covering letter the areas where you might need support or would like to develop your experience.

• To facilitate maintenance and development of new features in micro:bit embedded codebases: DAPLink, Micro Python, the C++ abstraction layer for micro:bit V1 (DAL) and micro:bit V2 (CODAL), and to ensure continued improvement in the educational experience for users of both micro:bit devices
• To lead the process of maintaining these open source projects, including managing their Git Hub repositories, continuous integration pipelines, release management, triaging and prioritising bug reports and pull requests, and identifying when to raise prioritisation with senior members of the team
• To manage and continue development of the documentation required to facilitate the consumption of these open source projects by other projects (Make Code, Micro…