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Distributed Spectrum builds systems for radio spectrum intelligence, combining signal processing, machine learning, and embedded systems. The company collects radio data globally, trains neural networks to interpret it, and deploys models on resource-constrained edge devices. The engineering stack includes custom embedding model architectures, GPU kernels, and purpose-built embedded platforms.
You will lead the embedded software team responsible for all on-device systems: embedded Linux platform, hardware interfaces, model runtime optimization for constrained compute, and field reliability across deployed sensors. This is a people-leader-first role with deep technical ownership—you won't write production code day-to-day, but you will own architecture decisions, review designs for real-world failure modes, and serve as a technical peer to your engineers.
Key responsibilities include:
- Owning the embedded and edge software platform (embedded Linux, build toolchain, service orchestration, sensor software)
- Managing the hardware-software boundary (board bring-up, drivers, hardware revision-to-shipping pipeline)
- Deploying ML models to constrained devices and maintaining runtime performance
- Ensuring field reliability through OTA updates, fleet health monitoring, and remote troubleshooting
- Defining and executing the embedded roadmap aligned with company goals
- Coaching, hiring, and developing embedded software engineers
- Partnering across ML, RF, hardware, and operations teams
Success means predictable software behavior under real power/thermal/connectivity constraints, faster hardware-to-shipping cycles, reliable remote updates to deployed sensors, engineers growing in technical judgment, and embedded decisions that scale with fleet and team growth.
The role is on-site in NYC. Distributed Spectrum operates in a technically rigorous, high-ownership environment where embedded constraints directly shape product experience. You'll work on problems at the intersection of embedded systems, ML, and hardware—where nothing from other fields works out of the box.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Led embedded, firmware, or systems engineers previously and wants to continue leading
- Strong embedded or systems engineering background with retained technical instincts
- Systems-level thinking: understand OS, memory, hardware, and network interactions
- Can hold technical positions with senior engineers without writing code yourself
- Shipped software to hardware in remote/inaccessible locations
- Comfortable with hardware timelines, board revisions, and undefined problems
- Eligible for US Security Clearance
- Must be US citizen, lawful permanent resident, or eligible for ITAR authorization
Technical experience required:
- Embedded Linux (kernel and user space) or real-time operating systems
- C, C++, and Python
- Yocto, Buildroot, or similar embedded Linux toolchains
- Docker, systemd, or service orchestration
- IP networking fundamentals and system-level debugging on constrained devices
- Communication protocols (SPI, I2C, UART, Ethernet)
- Build systems, packaging, OTA/deployment, CI/CD for hardware targets
- Understanding of hardware-software interaction boundaries
- Knowledge of failure modes under memory, power, thermal, and networking pressure
- Experience designing software for intermittent connectivity
- Fleet management, debugging, and trust for remote hardware
Nice-to-haves:
- Hardware accelerator experience (FPGA, DSP, GPU)
- ML model deployment to edge compute
- Rust, Golang, or Systemverilog
- Signal processing, ML, or computer vision fundamentals
- Electronic Warfare, Radar, Software Defined Radio, or related domains
- Existing US Secret or higher clearance
