Principal Software Engineer
About Doodle Labs
Doodle Labs is a fast-growing technology company building high-performance wireless communications for the drone and unmanned systems ecosystem. Our technology enables reliable, high-bandwidth connectivity across airborne and mobile robotic platforms operating in complex environments.
We partner directly with leading drone OEMs, robotics companies, and defense organizations to deliver advanced networking solutions that power the next generation of autonomous systems. Our mission is to make connectivity for autonomous machines as reliable and ubiquitous as the internet itself.
About the Role
The Principal Software Engineer (Embedded / OpenWrt) will lead the development of OpenWrt-based firmware for Doodle Labs’ next-generation wireless routers and networking platforms.
This role serves as the technical authority across the OpenWrt software stack—including bootloaders, Linux kernel, wireless drivers, networking services, and system architecture. You will work closely with RF, hardware, product, QA, and manufacturing teams to deliver production-grade firmware for mission-critical wireless devices deployed in demanding environments.
This is a highly hands-on leadership role responsible for defining architecture direction, driving firmware quality and performance, and mentoring engineers while delivering scalable embedded software platforms.
What You’ll Do
- Own the end-to-end OpenWrt firmware platform, including kernel configuration, drivers, networking stack, system services, and release tooling
- Define the technical architecture for multi-radio Wi-Fi platforms (Wi-Fi 6/6E/7) supporting access point, station, and mesh configurations
- Lead development and optimization of wireless features including roaming, QoS, DFS, channel management, and multi-link networking
- Develop and maintain board support packages (BSPs) for Qualcomm/Atheros SoCs, including device trees, bootloaders, and factory provisioning flows
- Implement secure and reliable firmware systems including secure boot, firmware signing, OTA updates, rollback protection, and device provisioning
- Build and maintain networking capabilities such as routing, firewalling, VLANs, bridging, IPv4/IPv6 support, and secure tunnels (e.g., WireGuard/IPsec)
- Design observability and diagnostics capabilities including logging, telemetry, crash analysis, and remote debugging tools
- Establish CI/CD pipelines for OpenWrt firmware, including reproducible builds, automated testing, and artifact signing
- Define and implement test strategies including hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, RF automation, and performance benchmarking
- Work cross-functionally with RF, hardware, QA, and manufacturing teams to support product bring-up, calibration, and regulatory certification
- Mentor and guide firmware engineers, establishing strong coding standards, review practices, and engineering processes
What Success Looks Like
- A stable, scalable OpenWrt firmware platform deployed across Doodle Labs wireless products
- High-performance wireless networking capabilities optimized for demanding real-world deployments
- Reliable firmware delivery processes with automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, and repeatable build systems
- Strong collaboration across engineering, product, and manufacturing teams during product development cycles
- Well-documented architecture and development practices that enable long-term maintainability and scalability
- A high-performing firmware team supported by strong technical leadership and mentorship
Who You Are
- 10+ years of experience developing embedded Linux systems
- At least 6+ years of hands-on OpenWrt development experience
- Deep expertise in Linux networking including netfilter/nftables, routing, bridging, VLANs, IPv4/IPv6, and firewall systems
- Strong background in Wi-Fi technologies and 802.11 protocols, including roaming, mesh networking, and WPA2/WPA3 security
- Experience developing and debugging Linux kernel modules and device drivers
- Proven experience delivering production firmware for Qualcomm/Atheros-based wireless platforms
- Strong programming skills in C, shell scripting, and Python
- Experience working with version control and large-scale code review systems such as Git and Gerrit
- Proven ability to lead complex technical programs and mentor senior engineers
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 technologies, including MLO, MU-MIMO, and OFDMA optimization
- Familiarity with hardware acceleration frameworks such as NSS or packet steering technologies
- Experience implementing advanced firmware security features such as secure boot, TrustZone, TPM, or FIPS compliance
- Experience contributing to OpenWrt, Linux kernel, hostapd, or other open-source networking projects
Why Join Doodle Labs
- Work on cutting-edge technology powering the future of autonomous systems
- Collaborate with engineers and innovators building industry-leading connectivity solutions
- Opportunity to shape the architecture of next-generation wireless networking platforms
- Make a meaningful impact in a fast-growing company shaping the next generation of robotics and wireless networking
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