Embedded Systems Engineer II

Embedded Systems Engineer

D-Wave is seeking a skilled Embedded Systems Engineer with FPGA experience to join our hardware engineering team. In this role, you will contribute to the development, integration, and testing of our quantum control and readout electronics. This position is ideal for engineers who enjoy working across both software and hardware domains, including hardware bring-up, embedded firmware development, and FPGA-based system integration.

What you'll do:

• Design, develop and test embedded firmware and software for our quantum control and readout systems
• Develop and extend automated testing frameworks (unit, integration, and hardware-in-the-loop tests)
• Coordinate with FPGA designers to diagnose and resolve cross-boundary bugs (latched values, timing mismatches, resets, interrupts, etc.)
• Assist in validating FPGA builds by writing firmware-side drivers, test programs, and data-capture tools
• Refactor and improve legacy C firmware to enhance reliability, readability, and maintainability
• Work closely with the multi-disciplinary teams in Engineering, Software and Processor Development
• Maintain version-controlled documentation integrated with development workflows
• Perform routine engineering tasks independently while seeking guidance on new or complex assignments, raising potential roadblocks early, and collaborating on problem-solving where appropriate

What you'll bring:

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, or equivalent experience
• 2–5 years of relevant experience (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
• Proficiency in C/C++ for embedded systems
• Familiarity with VHDL/Verilog sufficient to understand module interfaces
• Strong understanding of hardware/software co-design principles
• Solid grasp of digital logic fundamentals, timing concepts and low-level interfaces
• Experience working with FPGA register maps, memory-mapped interfaces, low-level timing requirements, and communication protocols
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively and ask clarifying questions when needed
• Demonstrated ability to organize work, make small independent decisions, and take ownership of assigned tasks

Additional Qualifications:

• Master's degree or higher in a related discipline (Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Engineering Physics, Experimental Physics)
• Experience with high-speed interfaces (PCIe, DDRx, Ethernet, SERDES)
• Exposure to test-driven development or property-based testing for embedded systems
• Experience with CI pipelines for embedded/FPGA development (e.g., GitLab, Jenkins)
• Strong software engineering skills in experimental design, data acquisition, and data analysis
• Experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG/SWD, and hardware bring-up processes
• Experience in safety-critical, high-reliability, or regulated design environments
• Linux device driver development experience
• Registered as an EIT or Professional Engineer in British Columbia (or eligible to register)

A D-Waver's DNA:

• We look at the future and say "why not"; we see possibilities where others see problems or routines. We show the way ahead and are committed to achieving ambitious goals.
• We practice straight talk and listen generously to each other with empathy. We value different opinions and points of view. We ensure that we connect outside as well as inside to learn from others and inspire each other.
• We hold ourselves accountable for delivering results. We make decisions & take responsibility so that we can act & support each other.
• As leaders we motivate & engage our teams to undertake beyond what they originally thought possible, by developing our teams & creating the conditions for people to grow and empower themselves through enabling & coaching.

Our Compensation Philosophy is Simple but Powerful:

We believe providing D-Wavers with company ownership, competitive pay, and a range of meaningful benefits is the start of creating a culture where people want to give the best they've got — not because they're simply making money, but because they've fallen in love with our vision, mission, values, and team.

During the interview process, your Recruiter will review our total rewards (base, equity, bonus, perks, benefit, culture) offerings. The final offer is determined by your proficiencies within this level.

Inclusion:

We celebrate diverse perspectives to drive innovation in our pursuit. Our employees range from distinguished domain experts with decades of experience in their respective fields, to bright and motivated graduates eager to make their mark. Our diverse and innovative team will make you feel appreciated, supported and empower your career growth at D-Wave.

The base pay range for this role is: 86,880 - 130,320 CAD per year (Burnaby)