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Find the perfect Embedded Software Engineer in Germany in minutes from over 15,000 CVs with the power of AI.

Access specialists in C, C++, RTOS, and microcontroller programming for automotive, IoT, and industrial automation projects. Get matched with vetted, available freelance engineering experts in minutes.

About the role

Hardware-Level Programming and Architecture

Freelance embedded software engineers bridge the gap between hardware design and software execution. They write the low-level code that controls physical devices, from medical equipment and automotive control units to smart home systems. Unlike application developers, these specialists work directly with physical constraints like limited memory, processing power, and strict real-time requirements.

Core Technical Skills and Microcontroller Architectures

A professional firmware developer must master hardware-adjacent programming and system integration. Companies in Germany look for experts who can navigate both legacy code bases and modern system designs.

  • Expert knowledge of C and C++ for resource-constrained systems
  • Experience with real-time operating systems such as FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or VxWorks
  • Hands-on experience with ARM Cortex, ESP32, and PIC microcontroller architectures
  • Mastery of communication protocols like CAN bus, I2C, SPI, and Modbus
  • Debugging with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG emulators

Freelance Integration in German Industrial Projects

Germany has a strong industrial base, making freelance embedded developers highly sought after for automotive, robotics, and manufacturing automation. Freelancers are typically brought in to solve specific bottlenecks, accelerate product launches, or provide specialized knowledge in functional safety standards like ISO 26262. While writing code can often be done remotely, hardware-in-the-loop testing and initial board bring-up often require periodic on-site presence at local labs.

Key Project Deliverables

Engaging an external specialist ensures structured progress throughout the hardware development lifecycle. They deliver clean, documented, and highly optimized code ready for production.

  • Complete board support packages and bootloader configurations
  • Optimized device drivers for custom sensors and actuators
  • Real-time control loops and communication stack implementations
  • Detailed technical documentation and automated hardware-in-the-loop test suites

Meet FRATCH Embedded Software Engineers

Muhammad Tanveer Baig

Muhammad Tanveer Baig

Embedded Systems | ADAS | RF Systems | Quantum Optics | R&D and Validation & Integration

Siegen

Last position:

Embedded Systems Consultant / Architect | Integration and Validation Engineer / Manager at Ingenieurbüro Baig

  • Led the hardware development and validation of a safety-critical 400 V battery management system (BMS) for the TOGG SUV program; performed system architecture reviews, schematic validations, EMC and reliability tests, and root cause analyses in line with relevant automotive standards (ECE-R10, CISPR25, ISO-26262). Coordinated cross-border EU engineering teams, customer reviews, and technical documentation to deliver a production-ready, validated system.

  • Architected and integrated 22 state-of-the-art ADAS validation vehicles for BMW ADCAM and LIDAR programs at Magna Electronics; synchronized up to 26 heterogeneous sensors (LIDAR, RADAR, cameras, GNSS/INS) using PTP-based timing architectures. Defined the system architecture, HW/SW interfaces for hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) reprocessing, sensor integration strategies, and data acquisition frameworks. This enabled scalable vehicle-level validation, improved validation efficiency by 25%, and reduced project costs by €1.45 million.

  • End-to-end validation and integration of automotive radar platforms for a Daimler project at Continental. Developed automated open-loop hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments to accurately test target tracking KPIs, field of view limits, and thermal and voltage-related ECU state machines. Used a highly complex toolchain consisting of CANoe, Lauterbach Trace32, RADAR target simulators, and EMC shielding chambers for RF and system validation. Synchronized global, interdisciplinary teams to speed up troubleshooting and close critical technical gaps.

  • Reconstructed and validated the product architecture of an electromechanical e-bike by integrating and troubleshooting critical subsystems (BMS, motor control, sensors, HMI, electronic locking systems). Built a comprehensive system-level test bench for functional testing, fault reproduction, and performance analysis; coordinated suppliers and implemented corrective actions to improve reliability and traceability.

  • Defined the system architecture and validation strategy for a LIDAR platform developed in cooperation with Elmos Semiconductor; evaluated optical measurement concepts, SPAD detector integration, and system requirements, and created technical recommendations for product development and verification.

  • Developed LabVIEW-based automation and verification software for a high-precision hydraulic and electromechanical test system for FTE Automotive; integrated NI DAQ hardware for high-frequency real-time capture of physical measurement data. Developed automated test sequences, programmable endurance tests, troubleshooting routines, data logging, and analysis tools to improve test efficiency and traceability.

  • Successfully managed complete engineering life cycles for well-known industrial customers (Magna, Continental, Farasis, FTE Automotive, BMW, Daimler, TOGG) – from requirements engineering and proof of concept through system integration and validation to technical documentation, supplier coordination, and user training.

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Kapil Bhayani

Kapil Bhayani

Senior Embedded Systems Engineer

Poing

Last position:

Senior Embedded Systems Engineer at BMW group

Testing and verification of high-voltage systems

  • Performed integration and system tests for control units in PHEV/EV vehicles using ECU-TEST (TraceTronic), Vector CANoe, CANalyzer, ETAS INCA, Tornado, E-Sys, and EDIABAS.
  • Analyzed the interaction of high-voltage control units (including CCU, BMU, inverter, IPB, and IPF) and carried out software updates and flash processes to verify new software versions.
  • Worked closely with software, system, and integration teams in an agile development environment to analyze issues and verify new software versions.
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Giuseppe Abrignani

Giuseppe Abrignani

Software, AI & Automation Architect

Germering

Last position:

Embedded Software Developer at Inheco

  • AI Integration (LLM & RAG): Design and build of an internal intelligent RAG system (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) based on LLMs, n8n, and vector data for the automated analysis of technical documents and error logs.
  • Design & Implementation: Design of a robust RS-232/UART communication interface for an SBC-based embedded device to control medical shaker systems.
  • Architecture & Protocol Design: Implementation of a highly maintainable software structure (OOP, SOLID) and definition of hardware-close, resilient communication protocols including multithreading and advanced error handling.
  • Quality Assurance & DevOps: Test automation using xUnit, integration tests directly on the hardware target, and maintenance of technical documentation according to strict medical technology standards via Azure DevOps.

Label: C#, .NET, LLMs, RAG, n8n, RS-232, UART, Multithreading, async/await, xUnit, gRPC/protobuf, Blazor, MudBlazor, EF Core, Visual Studio 2026, Azure DevOps

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Olfa Azzabi

Olfa Azzabi

Embedded Software Engineer | Model-Based Software Design | HIL/SIL/MIL Validation

Hanover

Last position:

Senior Embedded Software Engineer / Function Developer at Enginius GmbH (FAUN GROUP)

  • Developed model-based software for hydrogen tank control units using MATLAB/Simulink, aligned with ISO 26262 functional safety requirements
  • Performed system integration and software verification across MIL and HIL environments using dSPACE and Vector tools
  • Defined software architecture (SADS) with interface specifications for CAN, analog, and digital communication protocols
  • Generated production-ready embedded C code using Simulink Embedded Coder; created and maintained A2L calibration files with CANape
  • Designed and executed MIL/HIL test cases ensuring full coverage of functional and safety requirements
  • Implemented CODESYS PLC applications on IFM ecomatController; applied CAN and Modbus TCP/IP communication protocols
  • Contributed to HMI/UI development using Qt/C++ on Linux (Qt Creator)
  • Applied agile Kanban workflow with Git-based version control (Bitbucket)

Tools: MATLAB, Simulink, CANape, CANalyzer, PCAN-View, Embedded Coder, CODESYS, TTC2038/PXROS, Codebeamer, Jira, Git

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S.r.k. Chandra

S.r.k. Chandra

Embedded Software Engineer | Classic AUTOSAR & Real-Time Embedded Systems

Coburg

Last position:

Senior Software Engineer at STEPPS GmbH / Motherson Dr. Schneider

Project: Intelligent Light Communication Software — Audi

  • Analysis and clarification of system requirements with the customer and translation into software architecture and design decisions
  • Architecture and implementation of CAN FD and SPI communication on NXP S32K312
  • Design and development of flash bootloader, flash driver, and boot manager for secure OTA-capable updates
  • Configuration of the AUTOSAR BSW architecture (Dcm, Dem, NvM, BswM, Os, Mcu, Port, Com stack, Rtc) for portability and maintainability
  • Design of the crypto stack (Csm, CryIf, Crypto) for secure flash and diagnostic data; integration of the NXP HSE core and wrapper layer
  • Integration of customer-specific modules (Sfd, Ivd, Npm) into the Vector AUTOSAR stack
  • Definition of the memory architecture: Memmap, CMake, and linker script configuration
  • Leading board bring-up for the Audi light demo platform; implementation of diagnostic routines and identifiers
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Omar Tag

Omar Tag

Senior ADAS & Embedded Integration Engineer — C++/Python · Perception, Parking Systems & AI Deployment

Regensburg

Last position:

Founder & Technical Solutions Consultant at TAG Pro

  • Engaged by MILLA Group (autonomous shuttle manufacturer) to integrate and harden a safety-critical AD stack toward production: audited the architecture across perception, HD mapping, and positioning, and delivered a gap analysis with remediation roadmap.
  • Lead root-cause analysis of sensor failures across a deployed shuttle fleet; shipped remediation in a versioned AD release and drove vehicle-level field validation at multiple operational sites.
  • Design and implement interfaces between perception, localization, and vehicle systems in C++; identify integration risks and drive resolution of cross-subsystem technical issues across the AD stack.
  • Standardized the client's software development lifecycle by introducing Agile workflows and CI/CD pipelines, shortening integration and validation cycles.
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Evrard Amindjou Tsafack

Evrard Amindjou Tsafack

Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Pforzheim

Last position:

Senior Embedded Software Tester at Bosch GmbH

  • Ensure the system maturity and operational readiness throughout the entire lifecycle of automotive products according to ASPICE and internal quality processes
  • Analyze system behavior and system performance to identify inefficiencies, integration issues, and gaps in diagnostic coverage
  • Support development milestones by validating system interactions, configurations, and boundary conditions
  • Derive test specifications from software and system requirements
  • Implement test cases using RobotFramework and Python
  • Work closely with system, software, hardware, and calibration teams to ensure stable and high-performing system behavior before release
  • Perform end-to-end system performance analyses through endurance tests and automated result evaluation using Python and RobotFramework
  • Introduce KPI-based system monitoring and performance analysis and set up automated evaluation and feedback pipelines
  • Organize and facilitate cross-functional debugging and integration workshops
  • Successfully integrated and validated system and software components for mass-production truck platforms, achieving sustainable improvements in performance quality, test quality, and integration stability
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Muhammad Jamshaid Iqbal

Muhammad Jamshaid Iqbal

Embedded Software Engineer | C & C++ | Low-Level Drivers | Embedded Linux | RTOS

Bonn

Last position:

Embedded Linux Intern – IoT Sensor Prototype Development at DHL

  • Built a modular C++ 20 embedded Linux acquisition system on a Raspberry Pi, synchronizing IMU and dual-camera data streams to sub-millisecond accuracy.
  • Integrated retro-reflective and contrast sensors to trigger acquisition and detect gaps between sorter rails.
  • Implemented SPI & I2C sensor communication, GPIO interrupt handling with libgpiod, and CSV & JSON output.
  • Designed a multi-threaded acquisition pipeline and an SPSC queue between acquisition and writer threads.
  • Built a Python/HTML/CSS based web-server and validated the prototype in a DHL warehouse for defect detection.
  • Documented software behavior, configuration, and results for maintainable handover and further development.
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Alexander Döhrmann

Alexander Döhrmann

Senior Software Engineer - From low-level embedded to high-level Applications

Wiesenthau

Last position:

Systems Engineer at infoteam AG

  • Further development and maintenance of data management software in the nuclear sector
  • Processing and resolution of problem reports
  • Bug fixing and defect remediation
  • Performance optimization of legacy code
  • Analysis and remediation of security vulnerabilities
  • Specification and conceptual design of new features
  • Modernization of legacy codebase to C++17
  • Technologies & tools: C++, ClearCase, SQL, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Git, Linux, Solaris, Shell-Script, VisualStudio
  • Frontend – Smart Sensor Dashboard: development of a browser-based dashboard for real-time visualization of smart sensor data
  • Technologies & tools: TypeScript, Angular, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, MQTT, VisualStudio
  • Implementation of embedded safety software for a magnetic levitation elevator system
  • Requirements engineering
  • Documentation and implementation of safety software for the magnetic levitation elevator control system and the central management system
  • Creation and execution of unit tests for all implemented modules
  • Technologies & tools: C/C++, Jira, Bitbucket, Confluence, VectorCAST, MISRA-C, Lint, Doxygen, Git
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Kai Wolf

Kai Wolf

Freelance C++/Embedded Consultant — Computer Vision, Embedded ML & Build Systems

Wiesbaden

Last position:

Schwarz IT KG

  • Migration of the software development process of a medical technology software to C/C++ package manager Conan and development of macOS-specific system components
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Paul Privler

Paul Privler

Independent Consultant – Industry/ Embedded/ IoT

Krailling

Last position:

Independent Consultant – Industry/ Embedded/ IoT at Self-employed

Consulting and support in the areas of sales/business/technology/development/marketing:

  • Sales, Key Account Management
  • Business Development, business/corporate development
  • Partner management
  • Program/project management
  • Product management & marketing
  • Technical marketing, content marketing
  • New business, innovation and technologies

Until July 2021 active as advisor and consultant for Mixed Mode in the areas of Key Account Management, Project Management and Business Development.

From Q3/2021 successful delivery of various customer projects in the area of Business Development, corporate development, consulting, coaching, technical content management, sales and marketing:

  • EMS service provider and PCB test house, inspection systems: revision of company portfolio and presentation. Integration of specialized distribution for optical inspection systems from Japan: content management, marketing, communication, web, sales automation, lead generation
  • Full service marketing agency – technology marketing for industry: expansion of the existing B2B and B2C marketing portfolio with industrial and technology topics: content management, presentation and focus on "technical marketing", web, target market and customer analysis, lead automation, consulting
  • Software product manufacturer & software development in the field of security for Embedded & IoT: company alignment and portfolio definition for an IoT and Embedded Security company with a SaaS solution for IoT device management: building a partner network to offer complete Embedded/IoT security solutions, technical content, company alignment and portfolio definition, strategy & planning, target market and customer analysis, product marketing/USPs for the security device management tool "IoT-Suite", standards and regulations for cyber resilience (e.g. CRA, NIS2, RED), web content, SEO, management of marketing and sales agencies, CRM, sales, presentations, trade fairs, congresses, building company webinars & events
  • Software engineering service provider/system house for IoT, Embedded, web, mobile and desktop applications: business development, content creation, customer acquisition and sales
  • Manufacturer of memory products with security features as an add-on: memory products in standard form factors (SD, CF, SSD...) are extended with security modules such as HSM, TPM or secure elements and thus offer users secure data storage, transfer and access. Also interesting as an upgrade or retrofit solution to meet the coming new regulations and requirements regarding cybersecurity such as CRA, RED and NIS2. Business & New Business Development for the area "Embedded IoT Solutions & Security", sales & marketing. Expansion of the pure semiconductor business to include security solutions and services. Interface between management, marketing, sales and product management. Building business partners, technology partners, system integrators and resellers from the Embedded, IoT, OT and IT environment. Creating reference designs/demos/lighthouse cases and proof of concepts for cross- and reference selling. Co-marketing with security partners. Technical content creation for web, sales and marketing, webinars, social media etc. Networking, participation in trade fairs, congresses and events. Lead generation, qualification, follow-up and conversion to customer. Product definition, USPs, features. Analysis of competitors, market positioning, target markets - strategy, concept and measures - go to market.
  • Marketing agency group with sales and management consulting: consulting for companies on restructuring, market analysis and market entry, go-to-market concepts, customer acquisition and expansion, new customer generation, lead generation and management, concepts and execution of campaigns (web, mail, social media, phone outreach in person or with AI voice assistant, webinars...). Processing and managing customer product data for PIM product information and DAM data asset management systems. Focus on customers in the industrial and technology environment with products and services that need explanation.
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Kacper Kowalski

Kacper Kowalski

Senior Embedded Software Engineer / Lead Contributor

Solingen

Last position:

Author

Seqnaut and Sycosm (WIP) – Embedded Audio DSP & Synthesis Platform

  • Embedded audio DSP framework — synthesizers, effects, drum machines; modular audio graph
  • Sequencing: PianoRoll, StepGrid, MasterClock; 8-voice polyphonic synth; CLI + OSC
  • Transient Detector — dual-envelope adaptive threshold, guitar attack detection
  • Hardware: Teensy 4.1, custom AFE design tapping BOSS GX-100; MIDI FX integration

Label: C++23, C, Python, CMake, FreeRTOS, Teensy 4.1 (ARM Cortex-M7), Teensy Audio (Stoffregen), DaisySP, I2S/SAI, OSC, MIDI

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Oliver Ohly

Oliver Ohly

Embedded Software Engineering - Automotive

Kaufbeuren

Last position:

Embedded Software Architect at Automotive supplier

Stellar SR6 G7 line, 32-bit Arm® Cortex®-R52+ MCU.

  • MISRA-C, C99, Greenhills ARM compiler
  • Dassault AUTOSAR Builder
  • EB Tresos
  • Sparx Enterprise Architect 16.1
  • VS Code
  • Python xml, lxml, NumPy and Pandas

ISO 26262, ISO 21434, hypervisor, key management, HSM. Tooling & automation. LieberLieber LemonTree + Sparx EA. Jira, Confluence, SharePoint. Git/Github. DevOps through Jenkins & Conan.

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Abdelrahman Hewala

Abdelrahman Hewala

FPGA / Embedded Software Engineer

Hamburg

Last position:

Research Assistant (WHK), FPGA Development – BrassSense Project at HAW Hamburg / Prof. Peter Schulz

  • Real-time tone detection on FPGA (~20 ms latency target) using a filter bank architecture with a fuzzy-logic decision stage, avoiding FFT due to its window-length/frequency-resolution tradeoff.
  • Responsible for system integration and architecture.
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Peter Jehle

Peter Jehle

Interim Teamlead

Zingst

Last position:

Interim Teamlead at Somnomedics

  • Interim Teamlead to setup a project with STM32 and NORA Bluetooth module.
  • Customer is planning new hardware to replace existing hardware with Bluetooth communication instead cable connection.
  • Project was already started but the requirements were not defined.
  • System based on STM32 and Nora B106 CPU.
  • Analyzing the existing available code base.
  • Checking for possible solutions to get the project working.
  • Defining the requirements.
  • Applying some rules to improve the team communication.
  • Working with the NRF tools to get the custom board based on NORA B106 (NRF5340) working.
  • Implementation of a simple device communication by Bluetooth.
  • Preparation of documentation.
  • Leading communication meetings.
  • Conducted discussions with customer.
  • Tools used: JIRA, OneNote, Git, Confluence, Nordic NRF, Nora B106.
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Discover over 15,000 top freelancers

Embedded Software Engineers statistics

Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.

Experience

20 years

Position duration

3.3 years

Positions per freelancer

13

Top business areas

Product Development, Information Technology, Quality Assurance

Top industries

Information Technology, Automotive, Manufacturing

Certification focus areas

Information Technology, Quality Assurance, Product Development

Bachelor's degree or higher

98%

Master's degree or higher

75%

Doctorate

3%

Certifications per freelancer

2

Most common languages

English, German, French

Speak two or more languages

100%

Daily Rate Distribution

0 10 20 30 40
<€400 €400-800 €800-1200 €1200+

The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this role are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.

Average rates for Embedded Software Engineers & Seniority distribution

Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.

800
600
400
200
Rate comparison chart
Daily rate avg. 733 €

The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.

800
600
400
200
Rate comparison chart
Median rate 708 €

The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.

Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Curious about FRATCH? Find the answers you need

An embedded software engineer designs, develops, and tests software that runs on physical hardware devices rather than general-purpose computers. They write low-level code to control microcontrollers, manage system resources, and handle real-time tasks. Their work is critical for devices to interact reliably with their physical environment.

An embedded developer works directly with hardware constraints like limited memory, power consumption, and real-time processing demands. Unlike application programmers who build desktop or web apps, they must understand electronic schematics, microcontrollers, and low-level communication protocols. Their code interacts directly with physical registers and sensors.

Hiring a freelance embedded systems engineer provides immediate access to specialized expertise for specific project phases, such as board bring-up or implementing a new communication protocol. This flexibility helps companies scale development teams rapidly to meet strict launch deadlines. It also avoids the long-term overhead of permanent hiring for short-term engineering bottlenecks.

While much of the code development and simulation can be done remotely, an embedded firmware programmer often requires physical access to hardware prototypes. For initial board bring-up, debugging, and hardware-in-the-loop testing, hybrid models are common. Many freelancers set up their own testing labs with specialized equipment to support remote work, but occasional on-site visits to your Germany-based facility are highly beneficial.

A qualified embedded software developer working in Germany must be familiar with industry-specific safety and quality standards. For automotive projects, familiarity with ISO 26262 and AUTOSAR is highly valued. In medical technology, adherence to IEC 62304 is crucial to ensure functional safety and successful product certification.

The vast majority of development is done in C and C++ due to their efficiency and direct control over hardware resources. A professional embedded systems programmer uses these languages to write highly optimized code that runs with minimal overhead. Increasingly, Rust is also gaining traction for safety-critical systems due to its memory safety features.

You can assess a freelance firmware developer by reviewing their past projects involving similar microcontroller architectures and peripheral interfaces. Ask about their debugging methodology and how they handle memory leaks or real-time scheduling conflicts. A strong candidate should be comfortable discussing hardware schematics and demonstrating how they write clean, maintainable code.

An embedded hardware programmer relies on integrated development environments like Keil, IAR, or STM32CubeIDE, alongside compiler toolchains. They also use physical debugging tools like JTAG programmers, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers to trace signals. For version control and collaborative development, Git and continuous integration systems are standard.

The average hourly rate for Embedded Software Engineers in Germany is 92 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 733 € based on an 8-hour working day.

Of the freelancers working as Embedded Software Engineers in Germany, 98% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 75% hold at least a Master's degree, and 3% hold a doctorate.

On average, freelancers working as Embedded Software Engineers in Germany have 20 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 3.3 years.

The most common languages among freelancers working as Embedded Software Engineers in Germany are English (100%), German (98%), and French (21%).

The most common industries among freelancers working as Embedded Software Engineers in Germany are Information Technology (79%), Automotive (77%), and Manufacturing (70%).

The most common business areas among freelancers working as Embedded Software Engineers in Germany are Product Development (98%), Information Technology (89%), and Quality Assurance (77%).

FRATCH Embedded Software Engineers main locations

Our freelancers and interim experts are at home across the DACH region — available on-site in the major business hubs or fully remote. Choose a location to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.

Berlin Hamburg Munich Cologne Frankfurt Stuttgart Dusseldorf Leipzig Dortmund Essen Bremen Dresden Hanover Nuremberg

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Philipp Thomaschewski

FRATCH CEO

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