RT & Kernel Engineer (human)

Your mission & challenges

We are scaling our real-time embedded Linux capability across NEURA's current and next-generation robot platforms — cobots, mobile manipulators, humanoids, quadrupeds, and the shared Compute Unit.

This role owns the operating system, kernel, and board-support layer that every control and communication stack on these platforms depends on.

You will collaborate closely with the RT Communication Bus engineer, hardware, simulation, and safety / certification stakeholders to deliver platforms that are deterministic, maintainable, and suitable for a controlled product lifecycle.

• Real-time Linux platforms — both co-kernel and kernel-preemption approaches — including RT scheduling policy and interrupt-latency budgeting to meet the timing requirements of the control and estimation loops running on the platform (k Hz-class whole-body control and high-rate state estimation).
• SOM board bring-up and the Yocto BSP for each robot platform hardware revision: boot flow, kernel configuration, device trees, and driver work at the C/C++ boundary, with hands‑on debugging on real hardware.
• Yocto layers, recipes, and images for development, validation, and release; structured evaluations and migrations across multiple So Cs and board variants as hardware evolves.
• WCET analysis across RT loop configurations, and RT memory management practice (memory locking, huge pages, NUMA‑aware allocation, priority inversion avoidance).
• Co-review of WCET budgets and cycle timing with the RT Communication Bus engineer at the OS / fieldbus boundary, ensuring scheduling, interrupt, and synchronisation assumptions hold under load.
• Safety integration at the kernel level (e. g.

E‑stop chain wiring, ISO 10218 safety PLC integration); design participation, documentation, and traceability for controlled change practices.

• Build, flash, and test automation; technical documentation kept current for the wider engineering organisation.
• What We Can Look Forward To
• Embedded Linux BSP engineering background with hands‑on Yocto / Open Embedded experience on production hardware.
• Hands‑on real‑time Linux kernel patching and tuning experience, with practical scheduling‑oriented reasoning (SCHED_FIFO/RR, priorities, affinity, interrupt path).
• Working knowledge of WCET analysis methodology and tooling (e. g. OTAWA, Chronos, or vendor equivalents).
• Solid C and C++ at the kernel/driver boundary; device tree authoring; practical scripting for engineering workflows.
• Experience on ARM So Cs with multi‑cluster configurations (e. g. Cortex‑A + Cortex‑R), or comparable platforms.
• A collaborative working style: shared design, constructive code review, proactive communication, and reliable coordination across hardware, communications, and safety disciplines.

Strong teamwork is essential for this role.

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Nice to Have
• Ether CAT familiarity sufficient for OS / fieldbus‑boundary co‑review (WCET budgets and cycle timing).
• Exposure to functional safety engineering practices (ISO 26262, IEC 61508, or ISO 10218) — documentation, evidence, review cycles.

Certification sign‑off is not required for this role.

• Experience with PTP / IEEE 1588 hardware timestamping at the kernel network driver level.
• Background in robotics, motion control, or industrial automation with strict timing expectations.
• Interest in growing scope as the platform team expands.
• What You Can Look Forward To
• Become part of an agile company, actively shape topics and benefit from flat hierarchies in a highly motivated team
• Enjoy an attractive salary, flexible working hours and 30 days of vacation
• The freedom to contribute your own ideas and drive them forward
• Celebrate successes together with company events
• Take advantage of our corporate benefits program
• And even more fun with great colleagues
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