Job Description
Our client is launching a new, first‑generation downhole sensor product line. We’re seeking a hands‑on Senior Embedded Engineer to act as the engineering and design technical lead—setting architecture, standards, and best practices for a team that does not yet have deep embedded expertise. You’ll own the embedded and electronics design from concept to field deployment in high‑temperature, high‑pressure environments.
What you’ll do:
- Lead technical delivery of embedded firmware and electronics design for downhole sensing products—from architecture through production release.
- Design firmware in C for microcontrollers (bare‑metal and/or RTOS) including board bring‑up, peripheral drivers (SPI/I²C/UART, ADC/DAC, GPIO, timers), bootloaders, and power‑management.
- Own electronics design: schematics, component selection, and guidance on PCB layout (signal integrity, EMI/EMC, grounding, thermal).
- Drive prototype bring‑up and validation using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG/SWD, and environmental/lifecycle tests (vibration, shock, burn‑in).
- Collaborate closely with mechanical, product, manufacturing, and field teams to ensure reliability in HPHT and other harsh downhole conditions.
- Establish development workflows (code reviews, CI, branching strategy, issue tracking), documentation, and design controls.
- Mentor hardware/firmware contributors; serve as the go‑to authority for embedded decisions and tradeoffs.
- Coordinate with vendors/fabricators for PCB manufacturing, assembly, and test fixtures; support DFM/DFT.
- Contribute to risk analyses and reliability plans; support regulatory and safety considerations relevant to oilfield tools.
This position requires an on-site presence in downtown, Houston 5 days / week. Based on knowledge and experience, this position offers an hourly pay rate of $50-75/hr.
We are a company committed to creating diverse and inclusive environments where people can bring their full, authentic selves to work every day. We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer that believes everyone matters. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, genetic factors, age, disability, protected veteran status, military or uniformed service member status, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to HR@insightglobal.com.To learn more about how we collect, keep, and process your private information, please review Insight Global's Workforce Privacy Policy: https://insightglobal.com/workforce-privacy-policy/.
Required Skills & Experience
- 5+ years professional experience developing embedded systems in C (low‑level, resource‑constrained microcontrollers).
- Proven experience acting as a design/architecture lead or primary owner for embedded deliverables.
- Circuit design proficiency (digital/analog fundamentals, ADC front‑ends, power regulation) and working knowledge of PCB design and layout best practices.
- Hands‑on lab experience: scopes, logic analyzers, current probes, JTAG/SWD debuggers, bench supplies.
- Experience with at least one MCU family (e.g., STM32, NXP, TI, Microchip/PIC) and an RTOS (e.g., FreeRTOS) or bare‑metal development.
- Solid grasp of signal integrity, noise/EMI, and design for reliability in harsh environments.
- Fluency with Git and modern embedded development workflows; clear, structured documentation and communication skills.
- BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field (or equivalent practical experience).
Nice to Have Skills & Experience
- Experience with downhole or oilfield tools (e.g., MWD/LWD, wireline, completions) or other HPHT/harsh‑environment electronics.
- Familiarity with relevant standards (e.g., ATEX/IECEx, API) and reliability qualification methods.
- Sensor interfacing & signal conditioning (pressure, temperature, vibration/accelerometers, flow, strain).
- PCB design tools (e.g., Altium, OrCAD, KiCad) and/or close collaboration with layout engineers.
- Telemetry/communications exposure (mud pulse, EM, wired pipe) or robust low‑bandwidth data logging/compression.
- Scripting for test automation (e.g., Python, MATLAB) and hardware‑in‑the‑loop test setups.
- Exposure to FPGAs/SoCs, DSP, or advanced power management for battery‑constrained systems.
Benefit packages for this role will start on the 1st day of employment and include medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as HSA, FSA, and DCFSA account options, and 401k retirement account access with employer matching. Employees in this role are also entitled to paid sick leave and/or other paid time off as provided by applicable law.