[Remote] Lead Embedded Firmware Engineer - Contract (1099)

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Very is a fully distributed technology firm that creates efficient, scalable solutions for various clients.

They are seeking a Lead Embedded Firmware Engineer to take end-to-end ownership of device firmware stack development, including schematic review and production firmware.

The role involves collaborating with cross-functional teams and debugging complex interoperability issues across Matter ecosystems.

Responsibilities Developing production-grade firmware for Matter-enabled devices from bring-up to certificationOwn firmware development across the full device lifecycle, including schematic review, board bring-up, driver integration, OTA updates, and certification readinessParticipate in hardware debugging and validation using tools such as JTAG/SWD, logic analyzers, and protocol sniffers to diagnose low-level issues across firmware, hardware, and network layersCollaborate closely with hardware engineers and cross-functional teams to deliver production-ready devicesDebug complex, real-world interoperability issues across Matter ecosystems (Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa), requiring deep protocol-level understanding and hands-on problem solving Skills 10+ years professional embedded/firmware engineering in C/C++Significant experience with ESP-IDF — not Arduino wrappers, but real ESP-IDF work: CMake/Kconfig build system, partition tables, NVS, OTA frameworks, FreeRTOS task management, and low-level driver integration (I2C, SPI, UART, ADC, GPIO)Direct, demonstrable work implementing Matter on ESP32-series silicon (ESP32, ESP32-C3, ESP32-S3, or ESP32-H2) using Espressif's ESP-Matter SDK or the upstream Connectedhomeip stackHands-on with at least one Matter transport at the firmware level — Wi-Fi or Thread (802.15.4)Experience debugging commissioning flows, interop failures, and protocol-level issues across ecosystems (Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa)Familiarity with secure boot, flash encryption, and device attestation in the Matter contextComfortable reading specs (Matter, Thread, 802.15.4) and translating them into working firmwareMust reside in the continental US (to facilitate overnight shipping to our clients and the majority of our software team)Must be authorized to work in the US without sponsorshipCan debug complex firmware and hardware interactions under real-time constraintsAre comfortable working with incomplete specifications and ambiguous device behaviorTake ownership of problems end-to-end, from root cause analysis through production resolutionCommunicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders in a client-facing environmentContributions to open-source Matter or ESP-IDF repositoriesExperience taking a Matter device through CSA certificationBackground in adjacent protocols — Zigbee, Z-Wave, BLE Mesh — demonstrating breadth across the connected device landscapeHistory of working in a consultancy or product development firm where they've shipped across multiple product lines, not just one internal productComfort with hardware debug toolchains — JTAG/SWD, logic analyzers, protocol sniffersExperience standing up CI/CD for firmware builds and automated test harnesses Company Overview Very is an IoT technology firm led by a team of expert problem-solvers It was founded in 2011, and is headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA, with a workforce of 51-200 employees.

Its website is https://www.verytechnology.com/.