Sr Specialist Embedded Firmware Developer (C/C++ Coding, System design & Networking)

Job description

Sr Specialist Embedded Firmware Engineer – Residential Gateways (prplOS & Wireless)Role Overview We are looking for an Embedded Firmware Developer with 5+ years of experience to drive the design direction, optimization, and scaling of our next-generation Residential Gateway products. Our software architecture leverages prplOS, making our platform inherently SoC-independent across diverse silicon, including Broadcom and MaxLinear SoCs.

In this role, you will serve as the technical authority for our embedded firmware and wireless stack. You will own the Linux wireless architecture, scaling our platform to support cutting-edge Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 capabilities, while ensuring carrier-grade stability through deep system-level profiling and optimization using tools like perf and Valgrind. Additionally, you will champion automation by using Python scripting to build robust testing and unit testing framework methodologies that ensure code quality across the entire lifecyle.

Key Responsibilities

Test Automation & Scripting: Architect and implement automated testing and unit testing frameworks using Python to validate system components, APIs, and overall firmware reliability.

Performance Profiling & Optimization

Use perf, Valgrind (Memcheck, Massif, Helgrind), and kernel utilities to profile OS memory and CPU management, eliminate memory leaks, resolve race conditions, and minimize CPU bottlenecks.

Wireless Stack & Driver Integration

Design, configure, and optimize Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 features using hostapd, wpa_supplicant, and iw sub-systems.

Firmware Development

Architect, develop, and maintain high-performance firmware in C and C++ across various gateway hardware platforms.

SoC Abstraction

Leverage prpl APIs to maintain hardware-agnostic implementations across multiple carrier-grade SoCs.

Inter-process Communication (IPC)

Develop and maintain scalable services utilizing ubus and/or iMTP to ensure reliable internal bus communication.

Network Stack Management

Design and troubleshoot robust Layer 2 and Layer 3 network stacks to ensure optimal routing, bridging, and packet forwarding.

Service Management & Provisioning

Implement and maintain device management and service models, including TR-181 data models and USP (User Services Platform / TR-369).

Containerization & Lifecycle Management

Configure and manage containerized microservices and virtual execution environments using Docker and prpl LCM (Lifecycle Management).

Version Control

Manage source code, branching strategies, and firmware release pipelines using Git.

Must-Have Requirements Experience

5+ years of hands-on embedded firmware development experience in the telecom, networking, or residential gateway industries.

Languages

High proficiency in C and modern C++ programming within resource-constrained embedded systems.

Platform Expertise

Strong working knowledge of Embedded Linux development within OpenWrt or prplOS ecosystems.

Device Management

Deep, production-level expertise with broadband management standards, explicitly TR-181 data models and USP (TR-369).

Containerization

Demonstrated experience deploying, isolating, and configuring containerized microservices using Docker and lifecycle tools like prpl LCM.

Advanced Linux Wireless

Deep knowledge of the Linux Wireless stack, including hostapd, wpa_supplicant, iw, and Linux wireless drivers.

Networking Protocols

Deep understanding of Layer 2/3 networking and core routing/bridging concepts.

Profiling & Debugging

Hands-on experience with Linux profiling and debugging tools, specifically perf and Valgrind.

Version Control

Strong expertise managing source code and branching strategies via Git.

Good-to-Have Requirements Next-Gen Wi-Fi

Experience implementing, configuring, or debugging next-generation wireless features like Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7.

Scripting & Automation

Proficiency in Python for creating automated test scripts, hardware validation, or test execution.

Testing Frameworks

Experience building or maintaining unit testing frameworks (e.g., CUnit, Unity, PyTest) in an embedded context.

IPC Frameworks

Deep familiarity with OpenWrt ubus and message bus architectures like iMTP.

Hardware Abstraction

Hands-on experience developing abstraction layers on Broadcom or MaxLinear residential gateway SoCs.

Weekly Hours

40 Time Type: Regular Location: Bangalore, India, Hyderabad, India AT&T and its subsidiaries are committed to equal employment opportunity. All hiring, promotion, and other employment decisions remain merit-based and free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, pregnancy, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

In addition, AT&T will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. AT&T is a fair chance employer and does not initiate a background check until an offer is made. Click here to learn more or request an application accommodation here .