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Firmware Engineer - San Francisco

Plaud

Híbrido San Francisco, CA
Uncategorized

Job Score

80 pts
Hybrid model (+80)

About Plaud Inc.

Plaud is building the world's most trusted AI work companion for professionals to elevate productivity and performance through note-taking solutions, loved by over 1,500,000 users worldwide since 2023. With a mission to amplify human intelligence, Plaud is building the next-generation intelligence infrastructure and interfaces to capture, extract, and utilize what you say, hear, see, and think.

Plaud Inc. is a Delaware-incorporated, San Francisco-based company pushing the boundary of human–AI intelligence through a hardware–software combination. With SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO27001, ISO27701, and EN18031 compliance, Plaud is committed to the highest standards of data security and privacy protection.

To learn more about Plaud, please visit https://www.Plaud.ai and follow along on Instagram, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube

Why You Should Join Us

Plaud is building the next generation intelligence infrastructure and interfaces to capture, extract, and utilize intelligence from what people say, hear, see, and think.

  • Plaud is a bootstrapped, skyrocketing, profitable company with a $250M revenue run rate achieved in just three years.

  • Define the next-gen paradigm for human-AI interaction.

  • Gain exposure to cutting-edge AI for Pro tools and play a direct role in our global expansion.

  • Work with passionate teammates who value innovation, collaboration, and customer success.

  • Grow your career in a culture that champions continuous learning and fast career development.

  • Market-competitive compensation, global exposure, and a vibrant, creativity-fueled work atmosphere.

What You Will Do

  • Develop embedded firmware for AI wearable prototypes, enabling communication between MCU, sensors, wireless modules, and other hardware components.

  • Bring up new hardware platforms, perform firmware debugging, and validate system functionality.

  • Collaborate closely with electrical and mechanical engineers to build fully integrated prototype devices.

  • Implement and optimize firmware for low-power operation, device control, and basic system functions.

  • Support rapid prototype iteration and prepare firmware architecture for handoff to the Shenzhen engineering team.

 

Skills, Qualifications and Experience We Look for

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field with 5+ years of embedded firmware development experience.

  • Strong programming skills in C/C++ for embedded systems, with experience on MCU platforms and RTOS environments.

  • Proficiency with development and debugging tools such as Keil, IAR Embedded Workbench, VS Code, or Eclipse, and familiarity with JTAG/SWD debuggers and logic analyzers.

  • Experience working closely with hardware teams using schematic/PCB tools such as Altium Designer, Cadence, or KiCad for hardware bring-up and debugging.

  • Experience with low-power systems, sensors, and wireless protocols (Bluetooth/BLE, Wi-Fi) used in wearable or IoT devices.

What We Offer

  • Founding Team: Opportunity to join the founding team of this new initiative, with meaningful ownership and impact on a fast-growing startup.

  • Competitive Compensation: $150K-$200K base salary+performance bonus+Equity.

  • Comprehensive Benefits: Top-tier healthcare for employees and dependents, including dental and vision, and a generous employer subsidy.

  • Retirement Planning: 401(k) plan for full time employees with company matching.

  • Paid Time Off: Unlimited PTO, plus 13 paid holidays.

  • New Parent Leave: 12 weeks of paid time off to spend time with your new family, regardless of gender.

  • Hybrid Office: Minimum of 3x in office per week.

  • Gear: New hires are equipped with their choice of new top-of-the-line laptops and workstation setups.

  • Perks: Best office equipment. Annual offsites. Free office drinks and snacks.

Plaud is and will continue to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

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Discover Other Areas

Understand the scope of work, key skills, and tools used in different career areas.

About Information Security

The Information Security area is one of the most strategic and in-demand fields in the technology market. With the rise of cyberattacks, data breaches, and regulations like LGPD and GDPR, companies of all sizes invest heavily in professionals who can protect their digital assets.

Key specializations include Network Security, Cloud Security (AWS, Azure, GCP), Offensive Security (Penetration Testing, Red Team), Defensive Security (SOC, Blue Team), AppSec, and Security Governance. Tools like SIEM (Splunk, QRadar), firewalls, EDR, and Vulnerability Management platforms are essential.

Certifications like CISSP, CEH, OSCP, CompTIA Security+, and AWS Security Specialty are important differentiators. Information security professionals are among the highest-paid in the sector, with growing demand especially in fintechs, healthtechs, and large enterprises.

About Advertising

The Advertising area is aimed at the planning, creation, and delivery of communication campaigns to promote brands, products, ideas, or services. Professionals in the sector work in advertising agencies or in-house marketing departments in creative fields (art direction, copywriting), strategic planning, account management, and media buying.

About QA and Testing

QA and Software Testing are fundamental to ensure the quality and reliability of applications. QA professionals ensure that the delivered product meets requirements and is free of critical defects.

Key skills include manual and automated testing, Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, Postman, JMeter, and CI/CD pipeline knowledge. Performance and security testing are differentiators.

With the adoption of DevOps and continuous deployment, the demand for automation QAs and SDETs continues to grow.

About IT Governance

IT Governance is the area responsible for ensuring that information technology resources are used strategically, efficiently, and in compliance with standards and regulations. IT governance professionals ensure that technology supports business objectives in a secure and reliable manner.

Key skills include IT service management (ITIL), IT audit and compliance, risk management, business continuity, disaster recovery, metrics and indicators (SLAs, KPIs), and strategic alignment between IT and business. Frameworks like COBIT, ITIL, ISO 27001, and compliance standards are essential.

IT Governance professionals in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master ITSM, IT audit, and risk management. The field offers opportunities from governance analyst to CIO/CTO, with a focus on efficiency, compliance, security, and business value.

About Social Media

The Social Media area is one of the most dynamic and constantly evolving fields in digital marketing. Social media professionals are responsible for creating, managing, and optimizing brand presence on digital platforms, building engagement and community with the target audience.

Key skills include social media management (Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube), social media content creation, community management, paid social media (Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, TikTok Ads), metrics analysis, and strategic planning. Tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Buffer, Later, and analytics platforms are essential.

Social media professionals in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master paid social, social media analytics, and content strategies for different platforms. The field offers opportunities from analyst to head of social media, with a focus on growth, engagement, and return on investment.

Career Guides

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Tech & Remote Glossary

Stop getting lost in interviews and job descriptions

The job market, especially within tech and global companies, has developed its own dialect. Not understanding these acronyms can make you lose valuable opportunities or poorly negotiate your contract. To end this problem, we created the Definitive Glossary for the Remote Professional.

🏢 Work Models & Routine

Async (Asynchronous Work)
A communication model where responses don't need to be immediate. Instead of back-to-back meetings, the team relies on well-structured documents, threads, and messages. It's the gold standard for global companies spanning multiple time zones.
Sync (Synchronous Work)
The opposite of Async. It requires the team to be online and available at the same time for meetings, live chats, and real-time collaboration.
Daily / Stand-up
A quick daily meeting (usually 15 minutes) common in Agile (Scrum) methodologies. The team answers three questions: What did I do yesterday? What will I do today? Are there any blockers?
All-Hands / Town Hall
A company-wide meeting involving all employees. Usually led by the founders (C-Levels) to present results, new goals, and answer team questions.
1:1 (One-on-One)
A recurring individual meeting between a professional and their direct manager. It is used for career alignment, feedback, and problem-solving, not just for project status updates.

💰 Contracts, Benefits & Compensation

PTO (Paid Time Off)
Instead of strict, categorized leave policies, modern US companies usually offer a flexible pool of days (e.g., 20 days of PTO, or even "Unlimited PTO") that you can use for vacations, sick days, or personal matters, while receiving your regular compensation.
Equity / Stock Options
Company ownership. The startup offers you the right to buy shares at a heavily discounted strike price in the future. If the company grows, goes public, or is acquired, these shares can be highly lucrative.
Vesting (Vesting Schedule)
The rule that controls your Equity. It usually lasts 4 years. You don't get all the shares on day one; you "earn" them gradually as you stay with the company. A "1-year Cliff" means you must stay for at least one year to receive your first batch of shares.
RSUs (Restricted Stock Units)
Unlike Stock Options (where you have the right to buy the stock), RSUs are actual shares the company grants you as a bonus or part of your compensation package, following a strict Vesting schedule.
Independent Contractor (1099 / B2B)
The most common international hiring model for global talent working for US companies. You act as a service provider (business-to-business), receiving the gross salary (often six-figure compensation) without standard local payroll tax deductions at the source.

🤖 Recruitment & Hiring Process

ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
The "robot" that reads your resume. Software like Greenhouse, Ashby, and Workday are used to filter candidates by keywords before a human even looks at the document. (Pro tip: this is why your resume must be clean, semantic, and have the right keywords).
JD (Job Description)
The document that lists the responsibilities, technical requirements, and benefits of the open position.
Cultural Fit
The interview stage that evaluates if your core values, communication style, and worldview align with the company's culture. This is the ultimate test of your Soft Skills.
Onboarding
The integration process. It's the period of your first few weeks at the company, where you get your access credentials, learn about the culture, study the internal documentation, and understand how the product works.

🚀 How to use this to your advantage?

The secret isn't just knowing what these acronyms mean, but using them actively. If during an interview for a premium tech role you ask, "How does your PTO policy and Vesting schedule work?", the recruiter will immediately perceive you as a high-level professional, familiar with the global market standards.

The remote job market requires preparation. And having the right vocabulary is the first big step to securing six-figure proposals and standing out among thousands of applicants.

Expert Tip

The New Paradigm of Digital Marketing and Social Media

The New Paradigm of Digital Marketing and Social Media: Impact, Opportunities, and the Future of the Market

By Mondywork Team | 6-minute read

The Evolution: From "Just Posting" to True Revenue Engines

There was a time when digital marketing was viewed as a secondary department, heavily focused on vanity metrics like likes and follower counts. That era is officially over. In today's global market, Digital Marketing and Social Media Management are the beating heart of customer acquisition, acting as literal Revenue Engines.

Top-tier US startups, unicorns, and global B2B/B2C enterprises have realized that consumer attention is the most expensive asset on the internet. It's no longer just about creativity; it's about merging authentic communication with ruthless data analysis and Artificial Intelligence integrations.

How Does This Market Impact Global Companies?

The impact of modern marketing on the corporate world is absolute. According to the HubSpot State of Marketing report, companies that closely align their digital strategies with sales see a 20% higher revenue growth.

  • CAC Reduction and LTV Focus: Companies rely on marketing professionals to lower Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) through organic traffic and social media, while simultaneously increasing Lifetime Value (LTV) through retention strategies.
  • Community-Led Growth: Brands don't just want consumers anymore; they want raving fans. Social media has evolved into a community-building channel, where engagement breeds brand advocates who buy repeatedly.
  • Global and Borderless Presence: Digital marketing has shattered geographical borders. A startup in Silicon Valley can easily scale its sales in Europe using campaigns managed by a strategist based in Brazil, Portugal, or anywhere else, working 100% remote.

The 2026 Landscape: What Do Companies Expect?

The digital marketing job market has never been more technical and demanding. The era of the "jack-of-all-trades" generalist is making way for hyper-focused experts and strategists with a systemic vision—the highly sought-after "T-Shaped" professionals.

"Marketing has transitioned from an art based purely on intuition to a science driven by data, predictability, and hyper-segmentation."
— eMarketer Digital Trends

The barrier to entry has risen significantly due to the integration of Artificial Intelligence. Tools that generate copy or images in seconds (like ChatGPT and Midjourney) haven't replaced the professional; they've raised the bar. The market now seeks talent who can "pilot" these AIs to craft strategies, automate workflows using tools like n8n or Zapier, and analyze Business Intelligence (BI) dashboards in Looker Studio.

Golden Opportunities: The Hottest Roles

Highly qualified professionals are being fiercely fought over, especially on platforms like Mondywork, where international companies seek remote talent offering six-figure compensation and global remote flexibility. The areas with the highest demand include:

  1. Growth Marketer / Hacker: The professional focused on rapid experimentation across the marketing funnel (Pirate Metrics - AARRR). They blend marketing, data analysis, and a bit of product engineering to find scalable growth levers.
  2. Performance Manager (Paid Media): The traditional traffic manager has evolved. Today, this professional manages multi-million dollar budgets across Google Ads, Meta Ads, and LinkedIn Ads (essential for B2B), with an absolute focus on ROAS (Return on Ad Spend).
  3. Social Media Strategist & Community Manager: Going far beyond scheduling posts, this talent understands internet culture, dominates short-form formats (TikTok, Reels, Shorts), and knows how to convert a social audience into qualified leads within the company's sales funnel.
  4. SEO & Content Architect: With shifting search algorithms and the impact of AI (Search Generative Experience), the SEO professional who masters search intent, information architecture, and Core Web Vitals is indispensable for long-term organic acquisition.
  5. Marketing Operations (Marketing Ops): The architect behind the curtain. They manage CRMs (Salesforce, HubSpot), email automations, and ensure the entire marketing data infrastructure is flawless.

Is It Worth Entering or Transitioning into This Field?

Absolutely. If you are an analytical, curious professional who understands human behavior and isn't afraid of data spreadsheets, digital marketing offers one of the most promising and flexible career paths in the modern world.

To stand out in rigorous international recruitment systems (ATS like Greenhouse and Ashby), it is crucial that your resume and portfolio showcase real results. Forget generic descriptions; US tech recruiters and Heads of Marketing want to read hard metrics: "Increased organic traffic by 150% in 6 months" or "Managed $500k in ad spend while maintaining CAC 20% below target".

The global market is vast, decentralized, and pays incredibly well for those who know how to turn clicks and views into predictable revenue.