Lead Firmware Engineer at Humanoid (London, United Kingdom)
Humanoid· London, United Kingdom·
Role details
Humanoid at a glance
Humanoid builds commercially scalable, safe humanoid robots to automate labor-intensive industrial tasks in warehousing, logistics, and manufacturing.
Designs and builds general-purpose humanoid robots (the HMND 01 platform) that automate physical industrial tasks like goods handling, picking and packing, and kitting, orchestrated by an in-house AI fleet framework called KinetIQ.
Approximately $30M self-funded by founder Artem Sokolov; a ~$200M Series A was in talks as of early 2026 (not closed) raised · latest: Series A (in talks, ~$200M, no valuation set) as of February 2026 · backed by Artem Sokolov (founder, sole shareholder)
Job description
Here at Humanoid, we believe in a future where robots amplify human potential. That’s why we’ve set out on a mission to build the world’s most capable, commercially-scalable, and safe humanoid robots. We’re bringing that mission to life with HMND‑01 Alpha - our rapidly developed humanoid platform now running in real industrial pilots - and we’re growing the team to take it even further.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As a Lead Firmware Engineer on the Hardware team based in London, you will play a critical role in developing the firmware that powers our next generation of humanoid robots. This is a hands-on technical leadership role at the intersection of robotics, embedded systems, and real-time control, building the software that enables advanced motion, balance, and interaction with complex environments. You’ll collaborate closely with hardware and systems teams to integrate microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators, while designing robust, high-performance firmware and real-time algorithms.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Develop and debug firmware for humanoid robots, focusing on motion control, stabilization, sensor integration and ethernet-based communication.
- Collaborate with hardware teams to design seamless integration of microcontrollers and peripherals.
- Design and implement drivers for motors, sensors, and communication protocols.
- Optimize firmware for performance, reliability, and power efficiency.
- Develop and test real-time control algorithms for robotic movement and balance.
- Lead and mentor junior engineers, conducting code reviews and promoting best practices.
- Ensure robust security and fail-safe mechanisms in embedded systems.
- Maintain technical documentation and manage version control of firmware.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
- 10+ years of experience in embedded systems development, preferably in robotics.
- Strong C and C++ skills aimed at microcontrollers, with experience in various RTOS environments (e.g., FreeRTOS, Zephyr) as well as bare-metal systems.
- Hands-on experience with ARM Cortex, STM32, or similar platforms.
- Familiarity with communication protocols such as UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, and Ethernet.
- The ability to lead and mentor other engineering team members.
- Experience with debugging tools like oscilloscopes and logic analyzers.
- Working knowledge of Git, CI/CD, and Agile methodologies.
- Strong understanding of control systems, kinematics, and motion algorithms.
- Experience with and/or an interest in using Rust for embedded systems
WHAT WE OFFER
- Competitive equity: stock options with meaningful upside as we scale.
- 30+ paid days off, including 23 days of annual leave, all UK bank holidays, and additional company closure days (including Christmas–New Year shutdown).
- Private healthcare, including virtual and in-person care.
- Pension scheme with 8% total contribution (5% employee, 3% employer) on full earnings.
- Free daily breakfast, catered lunch, and snacks in-office.
- Work at the frontier - collaborate daily with world-class engineers, researchers, and product experts building the next generation of AI and humanoid robotics.
- Real ownership - direct access to founding leadership, meaningful input on product direction, and the ability to drive key initiatives from day one.
Why work at Humanoid
- High-growth environment: Company grew headcount by 139% in a single year, indicating rapid scaling and opportunity for career advancement. 65+ open roles suggest strong hiring momentum.
- Talent from top robotics firms: Team includes alumni from Boston Dynamics, Sanctuary AI, Dyson, Ocado Technology, Arrival, Wayve, and others — offering a deep learning and collaboration environment.
- Technical focus: Engineering and technical roles represent 38% of the workforce, with senior-level hires at 23% of the team. The company emphasizes hardware, AI, machine learning, and control systems.
- Mission-driven: Clear purpose to automate undesirable, unsafe, and repetitive work — appealing to candidates who want to make a tangible societal impact.
- Global presence: Offices in London (HQ), Cambridge (USA), and Burnaby (Canada), plus operations in 16 countries — offering potential for international mobility and remote collaboration.
- Innovation culture: Described as a place where engineers and researchers “move from demo to deployment” and “not just in the lab.” The CTO emphasizes building systems that perform in the real world from day one.
- Office/Hybrid policy: Not explicitly stated, but the company has physical offices in three countries and a distributed team across 16 nations — likely supports hybrid/remote with in-office collaboration for engineering roles.