Application Guide

How to Apply for Embedded Software Engineer

at Pyka

šŸ¢ About Pyka

Pyka is a pioneering company in autonomous electric aviation, focusing on eco-friendly transportation. Their work on large-scale autonomous aircraft for agriculture and cargo aims to revolutionize safety, sustainability, and accessibility. Joining Pyka means contributing to cutting-edge technology that has real-world environmental impact.

About This Role

As an Embedded Software Engineer at Pyka, you'll develop and own firmware for flight and auxiliary computers, directly impacting the safety and performance of autonomous aircraft. You'll work on sensor drivers, HIL testing, and real-time systems, playing a critical role in bringing revolutionary aviation technology to life.

šŸ’” A Day in the Life

You might start your day reviewing pull requests or debugging a sensor driver issue with the hardware team. After a standup, you could write code for a new firmware feature, then test it on the HIL simulator. Afternoons often involve integrating your changes, running automated tests, and documenting your work for certification.

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Interview Prep

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šŸŽÆ Who Pyka Is Looking For

  • Strong proficiency in C/C++ with 2-4 years of embedded software experience, ideally in safety-critical or real-time systems.
  • Hands-on experience with microcontrollers (e.g., STM32, ARM Cortex) and embedded Linux, comfortable with low-level driver development.
  • Expertise in communication protocols: IĀ²C, SPI, CAN, UART, and Ethernet, with a track record of implementing robust drivers.
  • Proficient with git and collaborative workflows, including code review, CI/CD, and agile development.

šŸ“ Tips for Applying to Pyka

1

Highlight any experience with autonomous systems, drones, or aviation-related projects, even if academic or personal.

2

In your resume, emphasize specific sensor driver implementations and mention the protocols used (IĀ²C, SPI, CAN, etc.).

3

Showcase your familiarity with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing or simulation environments; mention any relevant tools like Simulink or dSPACE.

4

Tailor your cover letter to mention Pyka's mission of eco-friendly aviation and connect it to your passion for sustainability.

5

Include links to GitHub repositories or open-source contributions that demonstrate your embedded software skills and git proficiency.

āœ‰ļø What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Express enthusiasm for autonomous electric aviation and Pyka's role in transforming transportation.", 'Detail specific experience with sensor driver development and real-time systems, using examples from past projects.', 'Mention your comfort with hardware-software integration and HIL testing, showing you understand the full development cycle.', 'Highlight your collaborative nature and experience with git workflows, emphasizing your ability to work remotely.']

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šŸ” Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • ā†’ Read about Pyka's autonomous aircraft models (e.g., Pelican, Sparrow) and their operational use cases in agriculture and cargo.
  • ā†’ Understand Pyka's approach to safety and certification in autonomous aviation; check their blog or news articles.
  • ā†’ Familiarize yourself with the technical stack they use: likely ARM-based MCUs, Linux Yocto/Buildroot, and communication buses.
  • ā†’ Look into Pyka's team and culture: check LinkedIn profiles of current engineers to understand their backgrounds and projects.

šŸ’¬ Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Explain how you would implement an IĀ²C driver for a custom sensor, including initialization, data reading, and error handling.
2 Describe your experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS) or bare-metal programming on microcontrollers.
3 Discuss a challenging debugging scenario involving hardware-software interaction, such as a sensor communication issue.
4 How would you design a firmware module for a safety-critical function in an autonomous aircraft?
5 Walk through your experience with git branching strategies and how you handle code reviews in a remote team.
Practice Interview Questions ā†’

āš ļø Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic resume without highlighting embedded systems experience or relevant protocols.
  • Ignoring the remote aspect: failing to mention remote work experience or self-discipline in your application.
  • Overlooking safety-critical considerations: not addressing reliability, testing, or failure modes in your examples.

šŸ“… Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

āœ“

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Pyka!

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