Job Specifications
We are looking for an Embedded Software Engineer to join our mission-driven team. This role blends software engineering (35%), embedded firmware development (40%), and hardware & PCBA development (25%), contributing to the Python-based backend systems that power our platform while owning and maintaining the firmware running on our IoT devices. You will play a key role in ensuring seamless communication between hardware and software, as well as planning the evolution of our embedded systems towards on-chip computing.
If you’re excited about working across the software stack—from scalable backend services to embedded C firmware—and making a real impact on decarbonizing home heating, this is the role for you.
About us
Adia's mission is to try and decarbonise home heating - a sector which represents up to 30% of emissions in Europe. We operate across a spectrum of interesting engineering problems - electronics, IoT, thermodynamics, full stack software, controls and more. You can expect to own large problems and stretch your abilities, being exposed to new problems all the time.
Key Responsibilities
Software Engineering (35%)
Design, develop, and maintain scalable backend systems for home heating control in Python, ensuring reliability and performance.
Develop robust software to integrate IoT devices and manage communication with hardware components like heat pumps and valves.
Develop simulation environments to test and validate control strategies for heat pumps, valves, and other system components, enabling robust and efficient performance under diverse operating conditions.
Create secure, scalable APIs to support seamless data flow across the system.
Ensure system robustness, scalability, and reliability when processing large data sets and performing complex computations.
Embedded Firmware Development (40%)
Own the development, optimization, and maintenance of firmware for IoT devices, written in C, with a focus on energy efficiency and reliability.
Plan and contribute to the shift toward on-chip computing, ensuring balance between edge processing and cloud operations whilst considering cost implications.
Implement and manage over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates for secure, remote device upgrades.
Define and implement the testing, quality assurance (QA), and quality control (QC) strategy for firmware, ensuring reliable performance and smooth hardware-software integration.
Develop control algorithms to optimize real-time operation of valves, pumps, and other system components.
Hardware & PCBA Development (25%)
Develop test fixtures and testing scripts for outsourced manufacturing, work with the Operations team to put those test fixtures and testing scripts into practice
Develop a strong understanding of our current PCB designs and suggest improvements, especially as it relates to wireless communication
Support or lead conversations on PCB re-design and cost down efforts - component selection, supplier interaction and selection, PCB design feedback, PCB layout and design as needed
Develop and lead hardware lifecycle testing on an as needed
Support on testing and integrating any hardware revisions into the Adia Hub and associated components on an as needed
Collaboration & Cross-Functional Support
Work closely with backend engineers, hardware teams, and control engineers to ensure seamless system integration.
Partner with manufacturing teams to validate and support IoT devices during production and deployment.
Participate in system-level design discussions to define scalable solutions across hardware and software domains.
RequirementsEducation
Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Embedded Systems, or a related field.
Experience
Minimum of 5–7 years of experience in software and embedded systems development, with significant expertise in Python and C.
Technical Skills
Embedded C: Proven experience in developing and maintaining firmware for embedded systems, including real-time IoT applications and other resource-constrained environments.
IoT and Embedded Communication: Familiarity with communication protocols and frameworks such as MQTT, CoAP, REST APIs, or other protocols commonly used in Embedded Linux, RTOS, or IoT ecosystems.
Testing & Debugging: Proficiency in hardware-software integration testing and debugging for IoT systems.
PCBA Design and Debugging: Reading and reviewing schematics, contributing to electrical design. While we don’t expect this role to involve driving electrical designs, you have the skils to review a schematic, grab a soldering iron and quickly solve a problem.
Edge Computing: Understanding of edge computing principles and their trade-offs with cloud-based operations.
Manufacturing Experience: Real-world experience with scaling up / offshoring manufacture of products - implementing and putting in place appropriate QA and QC. Experience with certifying products (e.g. CE marking, EMC testing).
Python (or similar): Experience in other areas of full stack software development e.g. backend.
RF Electronics: (Nice to have) A strong understanding of antenna design, tuning etc will be invaluable in helping our product have good performance in the real world.
Soft Skills
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
Self starter - at times working along on a problem and needing to be the expert in the room.
A passion for sustainability and interest in decarbonizing home heating.
About the Company
Adia is on a mission to dramatically accelerate the decarbonisation of home heating by making heat pumps much easier to install. As one of the latest ventures to emerge from the Carbon13 Venture Builder program in Cambridge, Adia utilizes AI and affordable, easily installable sensor inputs to rapidly deploy digital twins of homes.
Our technology measures and simulates room-by-room heat loss, energy usage, and the fluid dynamics of wet heating loops. These simulations allow Adia Thermal to predict and control heating system...
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