Firmware Engineer

At Tersa Earth Innovations, we believe the future of industry is green, profitable, and powered by biology. We're a dynamic biotechnology company developing TersaClean, a proprietary, modular synthetic biology platform designed to fundamentally disrupt the mining sector. Our technology doesn't just treat waste; it turns environmental liability into a massive asset by recovering valuable metals and neutralizing harmful effluent streams.

Consider the scale: an estimated $3.4 Trillion and rising in recoverable minerals remains trapped in global mining waste. Tersa Earth is capturing this opportunity, driving our mission to transform resource extraction with carbon-neutral biotech—restoring ecosystems while generating significant industry revenue. We offer a first-of-its-kind, scalable solution that addresses real-world industrial challenges with scientific elegance.

This is where you come in. We are seeking a visionary Firmware Engineer ready to translate our scientific breakthroughs into market-ready, industrial-scale reality. Join us and build the future of sustainable mining.

Position Overview

The Firmware/PLC Engineer role at Tersa Earth Innovations is critical to translating our proprietary synthetic biology platform, TersaClean, from scientific innovation into a commercially viable, industrial-scale reality. In this position, you'll act as the Firmware Lead , designing, developing, and deploying the core control systems that automate our metal recovery and waste neutralization processes. You'll be responsible for the entire control stack, from writing embedded firmware for sensors and microcontrollers to programming, configuring, and troubleshooting Industrial PLCs and SCADA interfaces.

Key Responsibilities

Firmware Development

- Design, develop, and test embedded firmware for microcontrollers, sensors, and industrial control devices. - Write efficient, reliable code in languages such as C/C++, Python, or embedded C for real-time systems.

- Conduct debugging, profiling, and optimization of firmware on target PLC hardware.

PLC Programming & Industrial Automation

- Program, configure, and troubleshoot PLCs (e.g., Siemens, Allen-Bradley, Schneider, Beckhoff).

- Create and maintain ladder logic, function block diagrams (FBD), structured text, and HMI/SCADA interfaces.

- Integrate PLCs with sensors, actuators, VFDs, and industrial communication networks.

- Validate and tune control loops, automated sequences, and safety interlocks.

System Integration & Testing

- Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, and process engineers to integrate firmware and PLC systems into machinery or plant processes.

- Develop test procedures and perform functional, performance, and stress testing of control systems.

- Troubleshoot hardware/firmware issues and perform root-cause analysis for system failures.

- Support commissioning, field deployment, and on-site debugging of equipment.

Documentation & Compliance

- Create and maintain technical documentation including firmware specs, PLC logic diagrams, communication maps, and test reports.

- Ensure control systems comply with relevant standards (IEC, ISO, safety regulations).

- Manage version control, release notes, and firmware revision tracking.

Continuous Improvement

- Optimize control logic, firmware performance, and system reliability.

- Identify opportunities for automation, efficiency improvements, and advanced monitoring.

- Research and implement new technologies, sensors, and communication protocols.

Qualifications

- 2+ years in firmware/software engineering, focusing on sensor networks (e.g., pH, flow, current integration) and PLC/SCADA (e.g., Siemens, Allen-Bradley) in cleantech or industrial applications.

- Proficiency in SCADA systems for real-time monitoring, data logging, and control of bioprocesses.

- Strong knowledge of communication protocols (e.g., Modbus, OPC-UA) and cybersecurity for industrial controls.

- Ability to optimize software for low-power operations in modular designs.

- Excellent debugging and testing skills for hardware-software integration

- Scaled software for environmental/Industrial systems

- Experience working in cross-functional teams under project management processes

What We Offer

- An opportunity to shape the commercialization strategy of breakthrough synthetic biology solutions with global environmental impact.

- A collaborative, mission-driven environment committed to scientific integrity and real-world impact.

- The chance to work across scientific, engineering, and business disciplines to bring world-changing technologies to market.

- Competitive compensation and benefits.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $40.00 per hour

Work Location: In person