Firmware Design Engineer

A drone can only stay in the air as long as its battery lasts. Push it too hard and the battery gets hot, or dies early, or stops being safe. That is the limit on almost everything a drone can do.

At Tulip Tech, we build the technology that pushes that limit further. We design and manufacture high-density battery packs and our own Battery Management Systems (BMS) for drones, electric aircraft and defense applications. Our packs deliver 30–100% more flight time than standard systems and already fly for customers such as Acecore and Avy. We also work with the Dutch Ministry of Defence and NLR, the Netherlands Aerospace Centre.

Research, electronics, firmware, simulation, prototyping and production all happen under one roof in Den Bosch. We are now scaling from an R&D company into a production company: we design, build, test and ship our products in Europe.

Why this role matters

The BMS is at the heart of our battery technology. It monitors every cell, manages balancing, tracks battery state and helps keep the system safe and reliable. As our firmware team grows, we are looking for an experienced Firmware Design Engineer to take ownership of key areas of our BMS firmware while continuing to develop technically.

You will work closely with our firmware and electronics engineers, contribute to the current BMS and help shape the next generation of the platform. You will also mentor a junior firmware engineer, giving you the opportunity to develop your technical leadership skills. This is a hands-on role where your work goes directly into products that fly.

What you will achieve

You will work on the development and improvement of our BMS firmware, from understanding system requirements through implementation, testing and troubleshooting. 

• Develop and maintain embedded firmware in C/C++ for our Battery Management Systems. 

• Take ownership of BMS firmware and understand the interaction between hardware and firmware.

• Establish and document the current system baseline, identifying improvements with the electronics team.

• Contribute to firmware architecture and technical decisions, focusing on reliable and maintainable solutions.

• Work closely with electronics and other engineering teams to solve technical challenges.

• Create and maintain firmware and customer-facing technical documentation.

• Support customers with technical questions related to BMS functionality and behaviour.

• Mentor and coach a junior firmware engineer.

• Deliver a high-performing solution using industry-standard product development methods. Our products always end up in the hands of our customers.

• At least 6 years of relevant experience in embedded firmware development.

• A degree in Electronics, Electrical Engineering, Embedded Systems or a related field is preferred.

• Strong programming skills in C, including low level drivers. 

• A hands-on approach to debugging, testing and problem-solving. 

• Ability to create clear firmware documentation, user manuals and customer-facing explanations that can be understood by non-firmware specialists.

• Ability to think at concept and system level, not only at implementation level. 

• Experience with mentoring, supporting or guiding engineers.

• Comfortable working closely with electronics engineers and other stakeholders to solve technical challenges.

• Ambition to continue developing your technical expertise and take on increasing responsibility.

If you meet most but not all of these, we still encourage you to apply.

Nice to have

• Strong understanding of TI BMS functionality and its inner workings. 

• Experience with CAN, SPI and I2C technologies.

• Experience working with real-time embedded systems and microcontrollers.

• Experience with UN38.3 or safety-related battery requirements. 

• Python scripting experience. 

• A strong understanding of the GCC toolchain.

• Experience in drones, UAVs, aerospace, automotive or EV applications.

Additional information

• Possibility to work 1 day from home. 

• Working language: English. Our team spans more than 10 nationalities.

• Work authorization: EU right to work required.

• Interview process: recruiter screen, technical deep dive with the Hiring Manager and a final conversation with the team.

Why join Tulip Tech?

• Work on technology that flies. Develop European-built battery technology for drones, electric aircraft and defence applications.

• Own meaningful technical challenges. Take responsibility for key areas of our BMS and contribute to the evolution of the firmware architecture.

• Grow with the team. Develop your technical leadership skills through mentoring while continuing to deepen your engineering expertise.

• 38 paid days off per year: 25 vacation days + 13 ADV through CAO Metaal & Techniek. 

• 8% holiday allowance, PMT pension and daily company lunch.

Ready to build the firmware behind the future of flight? Apply now.

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