Firmware Specialist
Technology & Embedded Systems – Institute Itech
Full-time position
Hybrid work model (Milan, Italy – with international scope)
Travel and meeting expenses will be reimbursed upon approval
This position may evolve into Senior Firmware Specialist or Lead Embedded Systems Engineer, depending on performance and contribution to Institute Itech’s technology infrastructure.

Institute Itech is a private research, development and technological innovation institute based in Italy with an international vision. It was created to transform scientific knowledge, advanced engineering and emerging technologies into concrete solutions for the environment, health, data intelligence, artificial intelligence, urban systems and technological infrastructure.
The company is built on a multidisciplinary vision structured around six pillars: Education, Technology, Social, Nature, Research and Urban. Through these areas, Institute Itech develops high-impact projects capable of improving quality of life, making cities more sustainable and creating new models of scientific, industrial and social progress.

Its flagship projects include:
Memoria™ – AI-based neuroimaging and cognitive data intelligence
Oxyleaf™ – environmental monitoring and air quality technologies
Terra™ – advanced soil and ecological remediation systems
Polaris™ – strategic data infrastructure and positioning systems
Balloon™ – high-altitude sensing and urban climate platforms
Institute Itech is seeking a technically solid and experienced Firmware Specialist to join its embedded systems team in a hybrid capacity between Milan and international project contexts. The role is transversal in nature: the candidate will contribute across multiple flagship projects, developing and maintaining firmware solutions with a significant degree of autonomy across the full embedded development stack — from low-level microcontroller programming to IoT connectivity, real-time system management, and hardware-software integration.

The selected candidate will work alongside hardware designers, mechanical engineers, software developers, and project leads, taking ownership of embedded firmware workstreams and contributing to the design, development, and validation of systems that power Institute Itech’s environmental sensing platforms, urban monitoring infrastructure, and advanced technology projects.
This is an ideal opportunity for a mid-level firmware professional looking to deepen their expertise across a technically demanding and diverse project portfolio with meaningful real-world impact.

Firmware Development & Embedded Programming
Design, develop, and maintain firmware for microcontrollers and embedded processors (STM32, ESP32,



ARM Cortex, or equivalent)
Write clean, efficient, and well-documented code in C and C++
Implement and maintain device drivers, hardware abstraction layers (HAL), and Board Support Packages (BSPs)
Lead the porting and adaptation of firmware across different hardware platforms and configurations
Real-Time Systems & Peripheral Management
Develop and manage real-time applications using RTOS platforms (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or equivalent)
Ensure timing, scheduling, and interrupt management meet system-level performance requirements
Integrate and configure peripherals including UART, SPI, I2C, GPIO, ADC, and PWM
Debug and resolve real-time behavioral issues across hardware and software boundaries
Implement communication protocols for IoT-connected embedded devices (MQTT, BLE, LoRa, Wi-Fi, or equivalent)
Develop firmware for sensor data acquisition, local processing, and wireless transmission
Support the integration of embedded nodes with cloud platforms and backend data infrastructure
Contribute to the design of low-power embedded architectures for field-deployed systems
Testing, Debugging & Validation
Design and execute firmware testing procedures including unit tests and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation
Use debugging tools including JTAG, SWD, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers to diagnose and resolve issues
Document test results, bug reports, and firmware release notes in line with Institute Itech’s engineering standards
Support the transition of firmware from prototype to production-ready embedded systems
Cross-Project Technical Contribution
Contribute embedded firmware expertise across projects including Balloon™, Oxyleaf™, Terra™, and Memoria™
Identify and communicate firmware-level risks and propose mitigation strategies in collaboration with project leads
Mentor junior team members and support knowledge transfer within the embedded systems team
Maintain thorough technical documentation for all firmware development activities
Produce firmware specifications, integration guides, and release documentation
Contribute to internal technical wikis and engineering knowledge bases

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, Embedded Systems , or a closely related discipline




~4–6 years of experience in firmware or embedded systems development
~ Strong proficiency in C and C++ for embedded applications
~ Hands-on experience with microcontrollers and embedded processors (STM32, ESP32, ARM Cortex, or equivalent)
~ Solid experience with RTOS platforms (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or equivalent)
~ Solid knowledge of standard communication protocols (UART, SPI, I2C, BLE, LoRa, Wi-Fi, or equivalent)
~ Experience with hardware debugging tools (JTAG, SWD, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers)
~ Proficiency in version control with Git
~ Fluent Italian (mandatory)
~ Fluent English (mandatory)
~ Experience with low-power design techniques for battery-operated and field-deployed embedded systems
Knowledge of wireless communication stacks and RF system integration
Familiarity with Linux-based embedded systems (Yocto, Buildroot, or equivalent)
Experience supporting hardware bring-up and PCB validation processes
Background in environmental monitoring, aerospace, robotics, or urban technology applications
Knowledge of functional safety standards (IEC 61508, ISO 26262, or equivalent)
Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines applied to embedded firmware development
Basic knowledge of Python for scripting, test automation, or data visualization

Benefits Provided
Mid-level role with significant autonomy and ownership across a technically diverse project portfolio
Direct collaboration with hardware engineers, software developers, and multidisciplinary research teams
Transversal experience across multiple flagship projects spanning environmental sensing, urban intelligence, and advanced technology platforms
Growth path toward Senior Firmware Specialist or Lead Embedded Systems Engineer
Hybrid work model with exposure to international project contexts
Reimbursement of approved travel and project-related expenses

Annual Gross Salary: €45,000 - €50,000 , in line with mid-level embedded systems profiles.
Additional performance-based incentives may be provided based on project contribution and technical milestones achieved.

Important: applications including a description of relevant firmware projects — including hardware platforms used, protocols implemented, and system complexity managed — will be given stronger consideration during the selection process.

GitHub profile or code samples (strongly recommended)
Your experience in firmware and embedded systems development
Hardware platforms, peripherals, RTOS environments, and communication protocols you have worked with
Your motivation for joining Institute Itech and contributing to its embedded technology infrastructure

WE2026 Job Application (IT ) – Firmware Specialist – (Name Surname)

📌 Firmware Specialist Engineer (Milano)
🏢 Institute Itech
📍 Milano