Staff Scrum Master – Embedded Software & Firmware at Pivotal in Palo Alto, CA

Job description

• Pivotal is seeking a Scrum Master to support the development and delivery of embedded software and firmware for our next-generation aircraft. This role will work closely with firmware, software, systems, hardware, DevOps, and verification teams to establish clear priorities, maintain execution cadence, identify and remove blockers, and drive work from definition through integration and verification.
• This is a hands-on execution role in a fast-paced aerospace development environment. The successful candidate will understand how software is actually developed, integrated, tested, and released in complex hardware products and will be comfortable working across low-level embedded software, device drivers, firmware, automated test, DevOps infrastructure, and aircraft integration.
• The Scrum Master will own the operating rhythm of the team while helping engineering leadership maintain visibility into scope, schedule, dependencies, risk, and delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead Agile/Scrum execution for embedded software, firmware, DevOps, and software verification teams, including sprint planning, daily standups, backlog refinement, reviews, retrospectives, and release planning.
• Partner with engineering leads and product owners to maintain a prioritized, actionable backlog with clearly defined scope, acceptance criteria, dependencies, and completion criteria.
• Drive work to closure by identifying blockers, establishing owners and due dates, and following actions through completion.
• Maintain development plans and execution status across Jira, GitLab, Smartsheet, and Microsoft Project, ensuring that detailed team execution aligns with program-level milestones.
• Coordinate development activities spanning embedded firmware, low-level software, hardware abstraction layers, device drivers, communications interfaces, bootloaders, diagnostics, DevOps, test automation, and software verification.
• Track dependencies between software, electrical hardware, systems engineering, GNC, test, manufacturing, and aircraft integration teams.
• Support release planning, build and integration schedules, regression testing, hardware-in-the-loop testing, aircraft testing, and production software releases.
• Work with engineering teams to define and maintain appropriate Definition of Ready and Definition of Done criteria, including code review, testing, documentation, integration, and verification requirements.
• Use GitLab and Jira data to monitor sprint health, backlog maturity, development throughput, defects, aging work, and release readiness.
• Identify schedule, resource, technical, and integration risks early and ensure they are communicated and actively managed.
• Support defect triage and prioritization across development, integration, verification, and flight-test activities.
• Facilitate cross-functional technical discussions when dependencies or competing priorities prevent execution.
• Continuously improve team processes while avoiding unnecessary ceremony or administrative overhead.
• Help engineering leadership translate program milestones into executable software development plans and provide clear, fact-based status against those plans.
• Promote accountability, transparency, and predictable execution while maintaining the flexibility required in a rapidly evolving aircraft-development program.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of experience supporting software or firmware development teams in aerospace, automotive, robotics, autonomous systems, industrial controls, or another complex hardware/software environment.
• 3+ years of experience as a Scrum Master, technical program manager, software project manager, engineering project manager, or similar execution-focused role.
• Strong working knowledge of Jira and GitLab, including backlogs, issues, boards, releases, defects, and development workflows.
• Experience developing and maintaining integrated schedules using Smartsheet and/or Microsoft Project.
• Strong understanding of the software development lifecycle, including requirements, architecture, implementation, code review, continuous integration, integration testing, verification, release, and defect management.
• Experience working with embedded software or firmware teams and enough technical understanding to follow discussions involving low-level software, drivers, hardware interfaces, communications protocols, and software/hardware integration.
• Experience coordinating software verification, automated testing, regression testing, and release readiness.
• Strong organizational skills and demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, dependencies, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Ability to communicate clearly with engineers, functional managers, program leadership, and other cross-functional stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to identify execution problems early and drive teams toward resolution rather than simply reporting status.
• Experience developing aircraft, automotive, robotics, autonomous systems, or other safety-critical products.
• Experience working directly with embedded C/C++, Python, RTOS-based systems, device drivers, bootloaders, or hardware abstraction layers.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, build systems, automated testing, Git workflows, branching strategies, and release management.
• Experience with GitLab CI/CD or comparable DevOps environments.
• Experience coordinating Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL), Software-in-the-Loop (SIL), bench testing, vehicle integration, or flight-test activities.
• Familiarity with requirements and verification management tools such as Jama.
• Understanding of requirements traceability, verification methods, configuration management, and change control.
• Familiarity with aerospace or automotive software development standards and practices, including DO-178C, ARP4754A, ISO 26262, ASPICE, or similar frameworks.
• Experience managing software defects and technical debt alongside new feature development.
• Scrum Master, PMI-ACP, PMP, CSM, PSM, or similar certification.

Skills

Required

• Jira
• GitLab
• Smartsheet
• Microsoft Project
• Agile/Scrum methodologies
• Software development lifecycle
• Embedded software/firmware
• Software verification
• Automated testing
• Regression testing
• Release readiness
• Organizational skills

Preferred

• Embedded C/C++
• Python
• RTOS-based systems
• Device drivers
• Bootloaders
• Hardware abstraction layers
• CI/CD pipelines
• Build systems

Benefits

• Pivotal offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, and 401k plans.
• $150,000 - $215,000 a year