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Senior Kernel Engineer

Open 17d

Summary

Develop and optimize low-level Qualcomm Android BSP, bootloaders, and kernel drivers for edge camera hardware in a safety-focused company.

The Problem

As Flock expands our next-generation hardware fleet across demanding outdoor environments, ensuring absolute operating system stability is critical to our camera networks. Deploying high-performance devices requires robust low-level chipset bring-up, custom bootloaders, and resilient kernel architectures. You will engineer low-level Qualcomm Android BSP solutions, optimize system performance, and build the foundational operating system powering our edge hardware.

What You'll Own

  • Lead low-level Qualcomm Android BSP bring-up, devicetree modifications, and pSIM framework integrations across next-generation camera platforms.

  • Architect and customize low-level bootloaders, including XBL and ABL implementations, to optimize device boot security and efficiency.

  • Develop and debug firmware for Application Digital Signal Processors, aligning ADSP architecture with system processing requirements.

  • Partner with electrical engineering and validation teams to define low-level hardware integration, build custom debug hooks, and expand automated testing.

  • Analyze system tombstones, kernel logs, and performance traces to eliminate hardware-software latency and memory bottlenecks.

What This Role is Not

  • This isn't a high-level Android application or UI development role, you will focus entirely on low-level kernel space, bootloaders, HALs, and BSP bring-up.

  • This is not a purely theoretical design role, you will directly debug physical devices, run CI builds, and deploy stable operating system builds directly to hardware.

  • This isn't a isolated engineering position, you will collaborate constantly across electrical engineering, validation, and cloud teams to align hardware and software behavior.

What You Bring

  • Mastery of C development and Linux kernel internals, including memory management, power management, IRQ handling, and subsystem architecture.

  • Hands-on experience with Qualcomm chipset bring-up, devicetrees, and Android system architecture spanning HAL and the Linux kernel.

  • Proficiency in bootloader development and customization, including familiarity with XBL and ABL concepts.

  • Experience developing or debugging firmware for Application Digital Signal Processors within embedded hardware environments.

  • A bachelor's, master's, or Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or a related technical field is required.

  • Experience with Linux kernel drivers for SPI/I2C/UART, Rust/C++, or Qualcomm proprietary subsystems is a plus.

Compensation

In this role, you'll receive a starting salary between $172,000 and $190,000 as well as Flock Stock Options. Base salary is determined by job-related experience, education/training, as well as market indicators. Your recruiter will discuss this in depth with you during our first chat.

Why Flock 💚

Every community deserves to be safe. Flock builds the technology that makes that real: last year we supported over 1 million criminal investigations and helped locate more than 10,000 missing people. We're 1,700 people building the impossible with over $1B in funding, and the expectations are high on purpose. If you want a role where the stakes are real and the pace matches, this is it.

📍Some problems get solved faster in the same room, so we prioritize candidates in Atlanta and Boston. Hub-based roles mean real in-person time with your coworkers. Remote roles exist, and when a posting is open to remote work, it says so.

🌟 the impossible takes every kind of mind. Flock is an equal opportunity employer, and we know the best solutions come from diverse perspectives, experiences, and skills working together with mutual respect. Everyone is welcome to apply. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, email [email protected]; your information stays confidential and is used only to arrange the right accommodation for your interviews.

💰 On compensation: we pay fairly for the work. Base salary is determined by job-related experience, education, training, and market indicators. The range in this posting covers base salary only and doesn't include equity, sales bonus plans where applicable, or benefits. The range may be adjusted over time, and this posting may span more than one career level.

📣 One last thing: all legitimate communication from Flock comes from an email ending in @ or [email protected]. We never make offers through messaging apps or third parties, and we never request payment or sensitive personal information during hiring. If you encounter suspicious outreach about a Flock role, report it to [email protected].

What this application asks

ashby

Name, Email, Location, Resume

  • Where are you based relative to our hubs? choose any
  • Phone Number
  • LinkedIn Profile optional
  • Preferred Pronouns optional
  • Select all that you are proficient in.  choose any
  • What's your current AI coding setup, and what's one thing you've stopped writing by hand? written answer
  • What's something you built or shipped that you're genuinely proud of, and why?  written answer
  • Github URL optional
  • Will you now or in the future require Flock Safety to commence ("sponsor") an immigration case in order to employ you (for example, H-1B or other employment based immigration case)? This is sometimes called sponsorship for an employment-based visa status. yes / no
  • Are you authorized to work lawfully in the United States for Flock Safety? yes / no
  • Do you have a family member, spouse or significant other that is currently employed by Flock? choose one
  • Some Flock’s roles require the ability to obtain and maintain Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) certification as a condition of employment. This includes meeting all FBI CJIS Security Policy requirements, including a fingerprint-based background check. Are you able to meet these requirements if certification is required? yes / no

See also

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