Senior Embedded Engineer

Since we opened our doors in 2009, the world of commerce has evolved immensely, and so has Square. After enabling anyone to take payments and never miss a sale, we saw sellers stymied by disparate, outmoded products and tools that wouldn’t work together.

So we expanded into software and started building integrated, omnichannel solutions – to help sellers sell online, manage inventory, offer buy now, pay later functionality through Afterpay, book appointments, engage loyal buyers, and hire and pay staff. Across it all, we’ve embedded financial services tools at the point of sale, so merchants can access a business loan and manage their cash flow in one place. Afterpay furthers our goal to provide omnichannel tools that unlock meaningful value and growth, enabling sellers to capture the next generation shopper, increase order sizes, and compete at a larger scale.

Today, we are a partner to sellers of all sizes – large, enterprise-scale businesses with complex operations, sellers just starting, as well as merchants who began selling with Square and have grown larger over time. As our sellers grow, so do our solutions. There is a massive opportunity in front of us. We’re building a significant, meaningful, and lasting business, and we are helping sellers worldwide do the same.

Our hardware team builds the tangible connection to all that is Square. As we introduce more and more of our products to the world, our hardware footprint expands. In this role, you will be responsible for developing the embedded software in Square’s hardware products. This role will report to the firmware engineering manager for our Connected Hardware products.

You will: 

• Build a common firmware platform for all of Square’s hardware products
• Write code within the constraints of tiny embedded systems
• Own firmware driving NFC and contactless payment subsystems 
• Move up the stack to write and collaborate on system-side code; including protocol design
• Develop tests to validate product features, drivers, and system functionality
• Build reliable tools to support firmware development and product debugging
• Collaborate with manufacturing, electrical engineering, and release teams

You have:

• Experience developing and debugging wireless connectivity solutions in embedded systems, using technology such as NFC, RFID, Bluetooth Classic, BLE, or Wi-Fi
• A  software development discipline, including modularization, documentation, and test methods
• Firmware / Embedded software development experience
• Experience leading large multi-person projects, from design, implementation, deployment and monitoring phases
• Expertise in C  software development, tools, and debugging
• Understanding of common communications protocols (e.g. SPI, UART, I2C, USB), debugging practices (e.g. JTAG and associated GDB integrations), and electrical design principles
• BS in CS, CE, EE, or equivalent practical experience
• Experience with real-time operating systems
• Experience shipping consumer electronics products
• Experience debugging issues cross functionally, using a combination of software and lab equipment such as oscilloscopes and protocol analyzers

Even better if you have experience in any of the following:

• Experience developing wireless communication solutions using NFC or RFID
• Experience developing contactless payment solutions
• Experience using Python (or similar scripting languages) in automated testing, build systems, or device firmware communication

Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S. locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.

Zone A: USD $163,600 - USD $245,400
Zone B: USD $155,400 - USD $233,200
Zone C: USD $147,300 - USD $220,900
Zone D: USD $139,000 - USD $208,600

To find a location’s zone designation, please refer to this resource. If a location of interest is not listed, please speak with a recruiter for additional information. 

Full-time employee benefits include the following:

• Healthcare coverage (Medical, Vision and Dental insurance)
• Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Plans including company match 
• Employee Stock Purchase Program
• Wellness programs, including access to mental health, 1:1 financial planners, and a monthly wellness allowance 
• Paid parental and caregiving leave
• Paid time off (including 12 paid holidays)
• Paid sick leave (1 hour per 26 hours worked (max 80 hours per calendar year to the extent legally permissible) for non-exempt employees and covered by our Flexible Time Off policy for exempt employees) 
• Learning and Development resources
• Paid Life insurance, AD&D, and disability benefits 

These benefits are further detailed in Block's policies. This role is also eligible to participate in Block's equity plan subject to the terms of the applicable plans and policies, and may be eligible for a sign-on bonus. Sales roles may be eligible to participate in a commission plan subject to the terms of the applicable plans and policies. Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation or benefit plans.

We’re working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is a proud equal opportunity employer. We work hard to evaluate all employees and job applicants consistently, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other legally protected class. 

We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we’re doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page.

Additionally, we consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment on our team, assessing candidates in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) is a global technology company with a focus on financial services. Made up of Square, Cash App, Spiral, TIDAL, and TBD, we build tools to help more people access the economy. Square helps sellers run and grow their businesses with its integrated ecosystem of commerce solutions, business software, and banking services. With Cash App, anyone can easily send, spend, or invest their money in stocks or Bitcoin. Spiral (formerly Square Crypto) builds and funds free, open-source Bitcoin projects. Artists use TIDAL to help them succeed as entrepreneurs and connect more deeply with fans. TBD is building an open developer platform to make it easier to access Bitcoin and other blockchain technologies without having to go through an institution.

While there is no specific deadline to apply for this role, on average, U.S. open roles are posted for 70 days before being filled by a successful candidate.