Firmware Architect Embedded Systems IoT C/C++ Technical Leadership
Greenland, NH 603-502-5802 rongross@cherongroup.com
17 September 2026
Senior embedded software and firmware engineer / architect with 40+ years of experience designing real-time, connected and safety-critical systems. Deep hands-on expertise in C/C++, ARM and other microcontrollers, RTOS/Linux, wireless and wired communications, device drivers, system architecture, IoT/cloud connectivity, and engineering leadership. Proven record delivering products across medical, automotive, industrial automation, consumer electronics, robotics, energy and environmental sensing, from low-level firmware through application software and customer-facing technical support.
Embedded/Firmware: C, C++, C++17, bare-metal firmware, BSPs, bootloaders, device drivers, RTOS
Architecture: System-level design, distributed systems, multi-processor systems, OOA/OOD, UML, FSMs
Connectivity: BLE, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, CAN, I2C, SPI, UART/RS-232/485, TCP/IP, MQTT, Modbus, Zigbee
Platforms: ARM Cortex-M/A, STM32, nRF52/nRF53, PIC32MZ, MSP430, ESP32-C6, Raspberry Pi, Linux
Quality/Process: Requirements, architecture/design documentation, unit/integration testing, TDD, IEC 62304
Leadership: Engineering management, technical interviewing, customer requirements, applications support, consulting
Languages: C, C++, C#, VB.NET, Perl, PHP, JavaScript
Operating Systems / RTOS: Zephyr, FreeRTOS, VxWorks, Micrium uC/OS-II, ThreadX, TI-RTOS, QNX Neutrino, Embedded Linux, BusyBox, Arduino
Development: GCC/G++, Keil MDK, IAR, STM32Cube, ESP-IDF, PlatformIO, VS Code, Eclipse, Visual Studio, Yocto
Protocols: CAN/CAN-FD, Modbus RTU/TCP, TCP/IP, UDP/IP, MQTT, REST, BLE, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, HART, LonTalk/LonWorks, Fieldbus, BACnet, SECS/GEM
Source Control / Methods: Git/GitHub, Perforce, SVN, ClearCase, AccuRev, MKS Integrity, Jira, Agile/Kanban
Debug/Test: JTAG, GDB, J-Link, ST-Link, PEAK CAN Explorer, Wireshark, logic analyzers, CppUTest
2024Present
Develop embedded, firmware and connected-device solutions for clients across automotive, medical, semiconductor inspection and home automation.
Automotive IoT: developing C++/Zephyr firmware on nRF5340 for racing-vehicle g-meter measurement, with Azure IoT/AWS IoT connectivity over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cellular and support for field upgradeability.
Semiconductor inspection: developed bare-metal firmware for five PIC32MZ-based boards, including CAN interconnects, Ethernet host communications, digital/analog I/O, stepper-motor and serial drivers; enhanced the associated C# PC application.
Home thermostatic control: developed FreeRTOS/ESP32-C6 firmware with BLE, Wi-Fi, TFT touch UI, remote relay control and field firmware updates using ESP-IDF and C/C++.
Medical device: upgraded Renesas RX65N C++ battery-charger firmware with new communications and battery-management/measurement capabilities.
Technical interviewing: establishing engineering interview processes and technical evaluation procedures for permanent and contract recruiting.
20172024
Architected and developed embedded software for IoT, medical and consumer products using Nordic nRF52/nRF53, STM32 and embedded Linux platforms.
Developed drivers and application-layer software for environmental sensing devices integrating BLE, Wi-Fi, I2C and pressure, temperature, VOC, light and sound sensors.
Developed BLE interfaces for consumer products including a sensor-enabled gaming cube and nRF52-based devices supporting OTA firmware updates.
Developed STM32/FreeRTOS firmware for wireless earbuds, including NFMI communications and audio-codec integration.
Developed C++ control software for an AtMega2560 3D printer and Zephyr-based nRF5340 consumer/medical IoT device.
Developed embedded Linux C++ classes for Wi-Fi, HTTPS and MQTT control and access.
19952017
Delivered embedded, firmware and application software for a broad range of industrial, medical, energy, networking and consumer-electronics clients.
Doble Engineering: developed Yocto BSP/build scripts to run Ubuntu Linux on Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC.
Abierto Networks: developed Qt/C++ Ubuntu kiosk software and cloud-connected update services.
Ecovent: developed Zigbee drivers on BusyBox Linux for connected home thermostats.
TempControl Logic: developed distributed IoT temperature monitoring/control using ARM Cortex-M3 sensors, Raspberry Pi/Linux controllers, Wi-Fi/TCP/IP and Qt touch-screen interfaces.
GridCo: developed multithreaded, object-oriented C++ Linux drivers for photovoltaic and EV power systems using Modbus/TCP and Modbus/RTU.
Fitbit: developed Class II medical-device firmware on STM32F4, including BLE, Wi-Fi, analog measurement, LCD, OTA updates, logging and manufacturing support; followed IEC 62304, TDD, unit/integration testing and Agile practices.
PerkinElmer: developed MSP430 air-quality instrumentation, multi-processor I2C drivers, GPS/RTC collection and FatFs storage in TI-RTOS.
TransMedics: developed C++ QNX drivers for USB/Bluetooth Apple-device connectivity and blood-flow/oxygen sensors on i.MX6.
Curtis-Wright: developed redundant CAN communications firmware on STM32F407 with forward-error correction and CAN test tooling.
Autoliv: developed CAN communications and dual-processor automotive radar firmware plus C#/.NET configuration/programming applications.
Hologic: developed communications, diagnostics, logging and touch-screen software for a Class III medical device; produced requirements/design documents and a C++ communications simulator.
SecureCare: developed CAN communications for infant security systems and wandering resident solutions. Multiple PIC18 devices also using TCP/IP using MPLab tools.
Other companies: also engaged in projects with Beacon Power, Iwaki, SepSensor, Ellacoya, Walchem, Bel Fuse, Inc., Axcelis, Texas Instruments, TimeLab Corp, AXTiming Systems, Masoneilan/Dresser, iRobot, TempControl Logic, Walchem, Nexus/Senea, MKS Instruments, MTL, Schneider Automations, BinTel Systems, EATON, dbi Corporation, IRIS Graphics, H&L Instruments, ASTeX, Borst Automation. Information available on request.
19881994
Led software/system development for real-time distributed industrial I/O products based on 8051 and 80x86 architectures.
Designed a patented communications protocol and performed system-level design for the full product line.
Developed interfaces and drivers for Allen-Bradley, Modicon, RadiSys, VME Micro and OPTO-22 hardware/software.
Provided technical development and applications support to worldwide OEM customers including IBM and Fischer & Porter.
Ported 80x86 systems to Motorola 68020 using customer-developed real-time UNIX and worked on multi-processor architectures and Fieldbus/LonTalk/WorldFIP communications.
19871988
Developed real-time robotic control software for ion implanters using IBM PCs and Galil motion controllers.
Developed fiber-optic communications software for 80186/Z80-based systems and a VME 68020/VRTX maintenance and diagnostics prototype.
Upgraded product user interfaces to touch-screen operation and supported customer applications/installation requirements.
19841987
Developed data-acquisition systems for engineering and customer testing using IBM PCs and HP systems.
Developed a 68HC11 prototype for next-generation control systems and compiler extensions for BSO/Tasking on VAX.
Designed facility security/access-control systems and enhanced 68000/6805 engine and transmission control systems.
19831984
Developed plant process-control systems using Square-D and Allen-Bradley PLCs and embedded CPU boards for wire-manufacturing plants.
Enhanced wire-processing systems to increase throughput by approximately 3Χ.
U.S. Patent #5,021,777 Mode-Selectable Communications System
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Indiana Institute of Technology, Fort Wayne, IN