About the Role

Ctrack is looking for a seasoned Embedded Architect to join our Hardware & Firmware Engineering team!

In this critical hands-on technical leadership role, you will own the end-to-end architecture of our advanced embedded telematics products—ranging from processor and hardware platform selection to production firmware, vehicle bus integration, and global cellular connectivity. You will bridge high-level commercial requirements with robust, secure, and manufacturable designs that scale seamlessly across thousands of vehicles in the field.

Note: This is an expert engineering role focused on technical authority, hands-on development, and mentorship—not people management.

Key Responsibilities

• Architecture & Design Ownership: Define the end-to-end architecture of embedded telematics devices (processor selection, memory strategy, power topology, and hardware/firmware partitioning) while maintaining detailed design documentation.
• Hands-On Firmware Development: Write, review, and refactor production-quality embedded C and C++ code for resource-constrained targets, including bootloaders, RTOS scheduling models, and device drivers.
• Vehicle Interfacing & Connectivity: Architect non-intrusive vehicle bus integrations (CAN, CAN FD, J1939, OBD-II, UDS) and reliable cellular connectivity (LTE-M, NB-IoT, Cat-1/4, MQTT, TLS) built for harsh environments.
• Hardware Review & Bring-Up: Review schematics and power sequencing, lead new hardware bring-up, and specify production test requirements for volume manufacturing.
• Secure Design & Fleet Reliability: Implement secure boot, hardware-backed key storage, encrypted communications, and fail-safe over-the-air (OTA) firmware update capabilities.
• Technical Leadership & Mentorship: Serve as the designated design authority at technical review gates and actively mentor firmware and test engineers through design reviews and pair debugging.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Education (Mandatory): Completed BEng or BSc (Eng) in Electronic, Computer, or Electrical Engineering from a credible institution (ECSA-accredited for South African qualifications; Washington Accord or SAQA evaluation required for international equivalents).
• Experience: 5 to 10 years of post-graduate experience in embedded systems design, with at least 3 years in a senior, lead, or architecture capacity.
• Product Record: Demonstrable involvement in taking at least two embedded products from concept to volume production (including certification and field deployment).
• Core Skills:
• Expert in embedded C and C++ with strong bare-metal and RTOS experience (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, ThreadX).
• Deep proficiency with ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers.
• Solid mastery of communication protocols (CAN, J1939, OBD-II, I²C, SPI, UART).
• Experience with cellular modems, GNSS receivers, and lab test instrumentation (oscilloscopes, logic analysers).
• Eligibility: South African citizenship or valid work permit, valid driver's licence, clean criminal/credit record, and willingness to travel occasionally for testing and supplier engagements.

Closing Date: 12 August 2026 at 16:00