Head of Firmware

Job description

ABOUT BASE Base is America’s next-generation power company. We’re rebuilding the foundation of modern civilization–electricity–by deploying a vast network of distributed batteries that is transforming today’s fragile, centralized grid into a resilient and abundant system. We are engineers, operators, and creatives solving some of the most complex, interdisciplinary challenges of our time. ABOUT THE ROLE We're hiring a Head of Firmware to own every line of code that runs on a Base battery. You'll design and build firmware systems and set the direction for the team that delivers it. You'll design the platform, hire the team, and ship the firmware. If you'd rather review RFCs than write them, this isn't the role. If you'd rather only write code, this also isn't the role. This is for someone who wants to do both, and build an organization while they do it. You'll report to the Head of Software and work most closely with the hardware, power electronics, and energy-markets teams. What You'll Do Set the technical direction - Own firmware architecture end to end — from the MCU on the BMS, up through edge gateways, and into the telemetry pipeline in the cloud. - Choose the platform: processor and SoC selection, RTOS vs. embedded Linux, toolchains, CI, HIL, OTA, observability, and security. - Write the high-leverage code. Review the hard PRs. Own the technical bar. - Keep firmware compliant with UL 1973, 1741, 9540, and 9540A — without slowing the fleet down. Own the systems that run the fleet - Real-time grid-balancing firmware and safe participation in ancillary services. - Sub-second telemetry from battery to cloud, in partnership with the software org. - Automated fault detection, isolation, and recovery across the fleet — because every truck roll is a loss. - Bidirectional comms: Modbus, MQTT, cellular backhaul, and a commissioning flow a field tech can run in under 10 minutes. - OTA update and rollback for a fleet that can never go dark. Build the team - Hire the firmware org. Define levels, interview loops, and the bar. - Coach engineers — not as a full-time manager, but as the person who sets the standard. - Partner with hardware and software to staff the right problem at the right time. What You'll Bring - 10+ years writing production firmware for high-reliability embedded systems — ideally in power electronics, energy storage, EVs, industrial controls, or other safety-critical domains. - Deep experience with C/C++ on MCUs and embedded Linux, real-time control loops, BMS or inverter firmware, and OTA systems running on installed fleets. - You've built and scaled a firmware team before, or you've been the most senior firmware IC at a company that scaled around you. Either works — but you've done this once. - A strong architectural point of view, and the humility to change it when the data says so. - Fluency with the tradeoffs between speed and rigor on a fleet that's both shipping fast and running 24/7 in someone's home. - Based in Austin, or willing to relocate. This role is in-person. Preferred Skills - You've shipped hardware through UL certification. - Background in grid-edge systems, utility-scale energy, or ancillary-services participation. - You've built HIL infrastructure from scratch. - Prior founding-engineer or founding-director experience at a hardware-forward startup. About the Team America's power grid is failing—electricity costs have risen even as generation gets cheaper, and blackouts are becoming more common. We're building the software that fixes it. Our team owns the entire stack: firmware that controls batteries in thousands of homes, trading algorithms that buy and sell power in real-time markets, distributed commanding systems that orchestrate a growing fleet as a single grid asset, factory software for our Austin manufacturing line, and the product experience that makes it all invisible to homeowners. If you want to write code that physically moves electrons, ships hardware, and reshapes critical infrastructure, this is the job. Please note: Base is a startup, which means priorities shift and evolve quickly. Your role may expand or change based on the needs of the business at any given time, so the responsibilities listed may not be exhaustive. OUR VALUES - First Principles Thinking: Question assumptions. Principles > rules. - Operate at Base Pace: Focus on what matters, act quickly, and learn by doing. - Give & Get Feedback: Be direct, be humble, and maintain a growth mindset. - Everyone’s an Owner: Follow through on commitments and own results. - Strong Opinions, Loosely Held: Drive clarity and make calls with imperfect information. - Committed to the Mission: Rebuilding the grid is a big challenge. We work hard because we care deeply about the impact we’re creating. We work in-person. It’s not a 9-to-5. We are all-in. - Fun & Optimism Coexist with Grit: Collaboration and celebration coincide with the intensity of building real things. DO THE BEST WORK OF YOUR LIFE AT BASE.