Embedded Firmware Engineer

R&D Hardware       ·      Brooklyn, New York, United States       ·      Full time

About Synchron

Synchron is a clinical-stage endovascular brain computer interface (BCI) company. Since 2012, the company has been developing a BCI platform that avoids the need for open brain surgery by using a minimally-invasive procedure. The Synchron Switch™ BCI received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation in 2020, and is currently in human clinical trials in the US and Australia.

The company recently announced an oversubscribed $75 million Series C financing round led by ARCH Venture Partners, with participation from Gates Frontier, Bezos Expeditions and other top-tier investors. The funds will accelerate product development, facilitate commencement of a pivotal clinical trial, and advance Synchron towards a first-in-class BCI market approval for the treatment of paralysis.

The Synchron Switch™ brain computer interface is implanted in the blood vessel on the surface of the motor cortex of the brain via the jugular vein, through a minimally-invasive endovascular procedure. Once implanted, it is designed to detect and wirelessly transmit motor intent out of the brain, restoring a capability for severely paralyzed patients to control personal devices with hands-free point-and-click. Synchron is a dynamic, multi-disciplinary and rapidly growing team.

Join our mission of developing a first-in-class commercial BCI for more than 100 million people worldwide with upper limb impairment. Help people with previously untreatable conditions regain connection to the world.

EE/Embedded SW Engineer – Hardware 

The successful candidate will join the hardware team responsible for the development and testing of system components required to produce a commercial-ready Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) device. These system elements comprise of active implantable components and non-implantable elements that facilitate signal communication to everyday devices.  

As a team member, this individual will contribute as part of a cross functional team to FDA submissions. This role requires experience working in a regulated industry, such as chronically active implanted medical devices.  

This team member will work collaboratively with internal and external resources to drive on-schedule device builds. Experience in the planning and execution of design verification for complex medical devices is beneficial, in addition to experience contribution to Risk Management documentation.

Knowledge & Key Skills: 

• 5+ years of experience in a highly regulated industry. 
• BS in Electrical Engineering, or related technical field. 
• Results-oriented with a combination of mental flexibility, creativity, analytical ability, and sound judgment. 
• Personal drive, adaptability, individual accountability, and a strong bias for action. 
• Excellent organizational, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Experience in microcontroller firmware development.
• Experience with devices that feature wireless communication or charging.
• Experience with schematic capture/PCB layout.
• Experience with bring-up and electrical validation of new hardware and testing requirements.
• Experience using standard benchtop equipment and basic electrical safety.
• Experience developing test methods, protocols, and reports. 
• Experience with validating test methods and qualifying test equipment. 
• Proficiency programming in C/C++,
• Experience with communication protocols using Bluetooth LE,
• Deployment to embedded RTOS environments (such as Zephyr), 
• interfacing with customer electronic hardware, and
• managing source code with Git (or equivalent).

Python programming experience, Embedded Linux, and Medical device experience are preferred but not essential.

• Preferred: Working knowledge of regulatory landscape for medical devices (e.g. IEC 60601, ISO 13485, ISO 14971, MOPP, defibrillation and MRI compatibility, etc.) 

This position, for the qualified candidate, is eligible for salary range between $120k – $140K based experience.