Head of Firmware

The role

The Head of Firmware will own the firmware architecture and code for Base batteries. You will design the platform, hire the firmware team, and write high-leverage code.

What you will do

• Own firmware architecture end to end from MCU to cloud telemetry.
• Choose the platform including processor, SoC, RTOS, and toolchains.
• Write high-leverage code and review PRs.
• Keep firmware compliant with UL 1973, 1741, 9540, and 9540A.
• Develop real-time grid-balancing firmware and ancillary services participation.
• Manage sub-second telemetry and automated fault detection.
• Handle bidirectional comms including Modbus, MQTT, and cellular backhaul.
• Manage OTA updates and rollbacks for the fleet.
• Hire the firmware organization and define levels and interview loops.
• Coach engineers and partner with hardware and software teams to staff problems.

Required qualifications

• 10+ years writing production firmware for high-reliability embedded systems.
• Deep experience with C/C++ on MCUs and embedded Linux.
• Experience with real-time control loops, BMS or inverter firmware, and OTA systems.
• Experience building and scaling a firmware team or being a senior firmware IC at a scaling company.
• Strong architectural point of view.
• Fluency with tradeoffs between speed and rigor on a fleet.
• Based in Austin, or willing to relocate.

Nice to have

• Shipped hardware through UL certification.
• Background in grid-edge systems, utility-scale energy, or ancillary-services participation.
• Built HIL infrastructure from scratch.
• Prior founding-engineer or founding-director experience at a hardware-forward startup.

About the company

Base is America’s next-generation power company rebuilding the electricity foundation by deploying a network of distributed batteries. The team owns the entire stack from battery firmware to trading algorithms.