Head Of Firmware

Namaskaram!AjnaLens is looking for a Staff Engineer – Firmware / Embedded / Edge AI to join our team at Thane (Maharashtra – India). We’re seeking a highly experienced engineer with deep expertise in embedded firmware, Linux kernel/device drivers, IoT connectivity, and edge AI/ML workloads. This senior role combines individual technical ownership with technical leadership, and plays a critical part in architecting firmware foundations for next-generation AI wearables, IoT edge platforms, and embedded AI devices.At AjnaLens, we are building cutting-edge AI-powered hardware that will redefine human interaction and intelligence augmentation. As a Staff Engineer, you will directly shape the core embedded software stack powering our future devices across AI glasses, audio wearables, health devices, industrial gateways, and more.We are also proud to share that Lenskart is now our strategic investor, marking a significant milestone in the purpose and impact of the technology we’re building. Join us as we co-create the future of conscious, intelligent hardware.Who Are We Looking For:● Someone with 10–18 years of experience in embedded firmware, Linux kernel/device drivers, AI/ML on edge, and IoT platforms.● A strong architect who can work across bare-metal, RTOS, and embedded Linux, including BSP bring-up, kernel subsystems, and secure firmware frameworks.● An engineer experienced with TinyML optimization, DSP workloads, MCU/SoC accelerators, and real-time ML pipelines.● A professional skilled in IoT stacks (BLE, Wi-Fi, UWB, Thread, Zigbee, MQTT, CoAP) and secure provisioning.● Someone who can mentor junior engineers, lead architecture discussions, and collaborate across hardware, ML, Android, and cloud teams.Top 3 Daily Tasks:1. Embedded Firmware & System Architecture:● Architect and develop low-level firmware (bare-metal, RTOS, embedded Linux user-space).● Implement bootloaders, PMIC interfaces, secure boot, OTA frameworks.● Build modular device abstraction layers, middleware, and system services.2. Linux Kernel, BSP & Device Drivers● Develop and maintain Linux kernel drivers for I2C, SPI, UART, GPIO, audio, sensors, camera, power, display, and USB/PCIe.● Write, debug, and maintain Device Tree overlays (DTS/DTB).● Bring up custom boards using Qualcomm QCS/QCM, NXP i.MX, MTK, Rockchip, STM32MP1, TI AM62/62A.3. AI/ML on Edge Devices● Bring up and optimize TinyML models on MCUs/SoCs (TFLM, Edge Impulse, QNN, ONNX).● Perform DSP optimizations for audio, IMU fusion, PPG/ECG sensing.● Work with accelerators (Ethos-U, HiFi DSP, Hexagon DSP, MediaTek APU).Minimum Work Experience Required:❖ 10–18 years in embedded firmware, Linux kernel, IoT stacks, device drivers, and edge ML.❖ Strong experience with: ➢ C/C++, MISRA, RTOS (Zephyr, FreeRTOS, ThreadX) ➢ SoCs like STM32, ESP32, nRF52/53, TI CC26xx, Qualcomm QCC, BES, Airoha ➢ Kernel subsystems (ALSA, V4L2, IIO, DRM, regulator, power) ➢ Build systems (Yocto/OE/Bitbake, Buildroot, CMake) ➢ BLE, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Thread, UWB, MQTT, CoAP❖ Education: BE/BTech or ME/MTech in ECE, CS, Embedded Systems, or related fields.Top 5 Skills You Should Possess:1. Embedded Firmware Architecture (MCUs, RTOS, bootloaders, OTA)2. Linux Kernel & BSP Development (drivers, DT overlays, platform bring-up)3. IoT Connectivity & Security (BLE, Wi-Fi, Thread, Zigbee, UWB, MQTT, TLS/DTLS)4. Edge AI/ML Optimization (TinyML, DSP, accelerators, IMU/audio ML)5. System Debugging & Profiling (JTAG, GDB, ftrace, perf, kprobes)What You’ll Be Expected to Do:● Develop firmware, kernel drivers, and system services for AI/ML edge devices.● Bring up new hardware platforms, enabling clocks, pinmux, regulators, thermal, memory initialization.● Customize Linux builds using Yocto, Buildroot, and manage systemd services, patches, recipes, and meta-layers.● Integrate AI/ML models and DSP operations with real-time constraints.● Implement secure boot, encrypted storage, provisioning, key management, and OTA.● Bring up complex peripherals (MIPI-CSI camera, depth sensors, PPG, audio chains).● Perform performance tuning, energy optimization, profiling, and reliability validation.● Mentor junior engineers and influence product and platform architecture.