Senior Member of Technical Staff

About the role

We're looking for a Senior Member of Technical Staff to join our tight-knit team of engineers who are passionate about building high-impact systems at the interface of hardware and software. This is a client-facing, hands-on role where you’ll lead technical engagements, shape solutions, and bring cutting-edge systems to life.

What you'll do

As a Senior Member of Technical Staff at LeafLabs, you will:

• Lead client engagements across industries like robotics, biotech, aerospace, and consumer electronics. You'll be the go-to expert shaping the technical direction of projects, often from the earliest feasibility stage through deployment.
• Architect systems that blend embedded firmware, custom electronics, FPGAs, and signal processing pipelines. You’ll define software-hardware boundaries, vet tradeoffs, and drive toward elegant, practical designs.
• Write code and build prototypes. We’re a hands-on engineering firm. You’ll be expected to write production-quality firmware in C/C++, spin up embedded Linux systems, or prototype on FPGAs—depending on what the project needs.
• Mentor and guide other engineers, contributing to a culture of rigor, learning, and collaboration.
• Act as a technical thought partner to our clients, helping them understand what’s possible, where the risks are, and how to get from idea to implementation.
• Shape LeafLabs itself. We’re small and nimble. You'll have an outsized voice in how we grow, what technologies we leverage, and how we define technical excellence.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in embedded systems, firmware, robotics, or FPGA/ASIC development
• Deep experience with at least one of the following:
• • Real-time embedded systems (C/C++)
  • Embedded Linux systems and device drivers
  • FPGA design in Verilog or VHDL
  • Mixed-signal system design or signal processing
  • Hardware design
• Strong grasp of systems thinking and the ability to reason across hardware/software boundaries
• Comfortable in ambiguity and capable of self-directed technical leadership
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. You’ll interface directly with clients, teammates, and external partners
• Prior consulting, startup, or cross-functional technical leadership experience is a strong plus
• B.S. in computer science/electrical engineering and 8+ years relevant professional experience, or the equivalent technical experience, is required.