HirePortal

Embedded Platform Engineer (Linux Kernel / BSP)

  • Neat
  • Norway
  • NOK 800,000 – NOK 1,100,000

Neat designs video devices from the ground up — the hardware and the entire software stack that powers it, starting from the boot chain. We are hiring for the layer most people never see: the Linux kernel, custom drivers, and the engineering required to bring a brand-new board from first power-on to mass production.

This role operates directly below Android. While our devices run Android and you will occasionally surface into Hardware Abstraction Layers (HALs), your day-to-day focus is strictly on kernel development, device drivers, and Board Support Packages (BSPs).

Location & Work Setup: Based primarily at our global headquarters at Fornebu outside Oslo, where you'll collaborate closely with hardware on-site. We also welcome remote team members based in Norway or Europe, though proximity to our Oslo R&D hub is preferred given the hands-on nature of board bring-up.

What You’ll Do

  • Kernel & Driver Engineering: Develop, port, and debug low-level components and drivers including Device Tree, pinctrl, I2C, display, camera, USB, PCIe, power management, and suspend/resume cycles.
  • Hardware Bring-up: Take new board designs from first power-on to a stable platform, working directly from schematics alongside hardware engineers.
  • BSP Integration & Maintenance: Maintain BSPs from SoC vendors, rebase vendor trees, manage mainline drift, and drive kernel uprevs, GKI, and vendor module boundaries for new OS releases.
  • Deep System Debugging: Root-cause complex failures — boot hangs, kernel panics, race conditions, memory corruption, and thermal/power regressions — including intermittent issues in production environment setups.
  • Manufacturing & NPI Collaboration: Partner with manufacturing vendors through EVT/DVT/PVT stages, review factory board modifications, distinguish software bugs from hardware flaws, and support factory test/provisioning software.
  • Automation: Build and maintain reliable build, test, and flashing automation within CI/CD pipelines.

What We’re Looking For

  • Core Linux Expertise: Hands-on experience writing or porting Linux kernel drivers, with a deep understanding of Device Trees, Kconfig, and kernel build systems.
  • Silicon Bring-up: Demonstrated track record bringing up embedded systems, ideally on modern ARM-based SoCs.
  • Language Proficiency: Strong C programming skills, paired with Python and Bash for build and test automation.
  • Diagnostic Approach: An evidence-driven debugging mindset, comfortable operating at the intersection where software meets raw hardware execution.
  • Product Ownership: A desire to own a hardware platform across its entire lifecycle rather than shipping isolated patches.

Nice to Have (Not Required)

  • Experience working with vendor BSPs or upstream kernel contributions.
  • Direct involvement in the hardware manufacturing cycle (EVT/DVT/PVT), factory test tools, or working across international supply chain time zones.
  • Familiarity with AOSP, HALs, or the Android platform boundary (a dedicated team handles upper AOSP layers, but cross-layer visibility is welcome).

What We Offer

  • Direct Hardware Ownership: Work on hardware and software designed together under one roof, with direct access to the hardware teams down the hall.
  • Long-term Impact: See your code move from early bench prototypes straight to mass production lines and active customer spaces.
  • Growth & Culture: Flexible hybrid/remote options within Norway and Europe, with a collaborative, quality-focused culture centered around our workspace at Fornebu, Oslo.

Skills

  • Linux Kernel Development
  • Device driver development
  • Board support package (BSP)
  • Hardware Bring-up
  • C programming
  • Device tree
  • Debugging (kernel panics, boot hangs)

Related jobs

NeatApply for this job