Los Angeles · Open to embedded & systems software roles

Building reliable software
where hardware meets
firmware and Linux.

I'm Elena — an embedded software developer at Halcyon Semiconductors delivering validated, production-grade software in semiconductor environments. I cut validation cycles and harden reliability through Python test automation and low-level Linux debugging.

See the work elena.kowalski@example.com
~40%
manual regression time cut via Python validation test-harness automation
3×
more firmware builds validated per sprint after harness automation
12+
high-severity Linux-layer defects root-caused from multi-source log traces
50+ nodes
performance counters aggregated into one reporting pipeline
Fig. 01
— 00

Hello — I'm Elena.

I deliver validated, production-grade software in semiconductor and systems engineering environments. My day job is at Halcyon Semiconductors — automating validation, root-causing Linux-layer defects, and hardening hardware-software integration.

I hold a Master's in Computer Science from Lamar University (4.0 GPA, Outstanding Graduate Student Award) and a B.Tech in Electronics & Communication. That combination lets me bridge firmware-level hardware understanding with full-stack system software skills.

I care about defect-escape rates, reproducible failures, and validation that actually catches regressions. Passing once is a prerequisite; passing reliably is the work.

Role
Embedded Software Developer · Halcyon Semiconductors
Based in
Los Angeles, CA
Education
M.S. CS · Lamar University
Specialties
Embedded Linux · Validation · Python · C/C++
Open to
Embedded / Systems Software roles
— 01

Work history

4+ years across semiconductor validation and systems engineering.

Halcyon Semiconductors

Embedded Software Developer

Deliver validated, production-grade embedded and systems software, driving reliability and faster validation through Python automation and low-level Linux debugging.

  • Automated validation test harnesses in Python, cutting manual regression time by ~40% and enabling the team to validate 3× more firmware builds per sprint.
  • Identified and root-caused 12+ high-severity Linux-layer defects by correlating multi-source log traces, reducing mean-time-to-resolution from days to hours.
  • Built a data-collection and reporting pipeline aggregating performance counters across 50+ test nodes, surfacing bottlenecks 60% faster than manual analysis.
  • Hardened hardware-software integration by reproducing intermittent system faults under controlled conditions, closing 8 previously unresolved tickets in the first quarter.
  • Contributed to 3 consecutive release-readiness milestones on schedule via systematic defect triage, log analysis, and cross-team coordination.
  • Authored internal documentation and code-review guidelines adopted by 5+ engineers, cutting onboarding time an estimated 30%.
  • Python
  • Embedded Linux
  • GDB
  • C / C++
  • CI/CD
  • UART / SPI / I2C
  • Log Analysis
  • Root Cause Analysis

Inventive Core Integrations

Software Engineer

Built Python automation, backend modules, and system-monitoring tooling that reduced manual effort and improved deployment reliability across validation workflows.

  • Delivered 6 automation and backend modules in Python that eliminated ~15 hours/week of manual engineering effort across validation and monitoring.
  • Debugged and resolved 20+ system-level defects in Linux environments, improving deployment reliability and reducing post-release incidents by 35%.
  • Designed a reusable scripting framework for system monitoring and validation, adopted as a standard tool across 3 concurrent projects.
  • Integrated REST APIs into data-processing pipelines, moving ingestion from hourly batch to near-real-time.
  • Improved code-quality metrics by 25% (static analysis) after introducing structured code-review practices and technical documentation.
  • Python
  • Linux
  • REST APIs
  • Automation
  • Static Analysis
  • Bash
  • SQL
— 02

Key projects

Signal-processing and systems work where the math, the code, and the hardware context line up.

P/01
Python·DSP·CLI Tool

ElecPy — Electronics & Signal Processing CLI

A CLI simulation tool covering Ohm's Law, MOSFET drain current, amplifier gain, and FFT visualization. Sampling and frequency-domain modules enable sub-millisecond signal simulation, directly applicable to embedded sensor firmware validation.

70%faster iteration
<1mssignal sim
FFTfreq-domain
  • Python
  • NumPy
  • Matplotlib
  • FFT
  • DSP
P/02
Python·Biomedical·Signal Processing

EMG Pattern Recognition Pipeline

Processed raw biomedical EMG signals with notch/band-pass filters — mirroring embedded sensor signal-conditioning challenges. A sliding-window engine extracts 18 time- and frequency-domain features into a structured dataset for downstream classification.

>95%noise reduction
18features
91%+accuracy
  • Python
  • SciPy
  • Pandas
  • Digital Filters
  • Feature Extraction
P/03
Python·Linux·Distributed Systems

Distributed File System

A 6-component distributed file system (registry, directory, file, lock, and cache servers) handling concurrent client access. Replication and locking protocols maintain consistency under simulated node failure — fault-tolerance patterns applicable to embedded distributed systems.

6components
200+test scenarios
0data corruption
  • Python
  • Linux
  • REST APIs
  • Replication
  • Caching
  • MongoDB
— 03

Technical stack

Tools and domains I work in — grouped by the part of the system they serve.

Languages

  • C
  • C++
  • Embedded C
  • Python
  • Bash
  • SQL

Embedded & OS

  • Microcontrollers
  • RTOS Concepts
  • Device Drivers
  • Embedded Linux
  • Board Bring-Up
  • Memory Management
  • Multithreading

Protocols

  • UART
  • SPI
  • I2C
  • CAN
  • TCP/IP
  • REST APIs

Debug & Test

  • GDB
  • Linux Debugging
  • Unit Testing
  • Log Analysis
  • Root Cause Analysis
  • Performance Profiling

Signal Processing

  • DSP
  • FFT
  • Filters
  • Sensor Signal Processing
  • MOSFET & Amplifier Analysis

Tools & Cloud

  • Git
  • Docker
  • CI/CD
  • AWS
  • Jupyter
  • NumPy
  • SciPy
  • Pandas
  • Matplotlib
— 04

Credentials & recognition

Formal education, relevant coursework, and recognition worth listing.

Education

2023 — 2025
M.S., Computer Science

Lamar University · Beaumont, TX

4.0 GPA · Outstanding Graduate Student Award

2018 — 2022
B.Tech., Electronics & Communication

JNTUH · Hyderabad, India

Graduate Coursework

  • CSDistributed Systems
  • CSOperating Systems
  • CSEmbedded Systems
  • ECEDigital Signal Processing
  • CSComputer Architecture

Awards

Outstanding Graduate Student Award

Lamar University · 2024–25

For exceptional academic performance — a perfect 4.0 GPA across a computer-science curriculum spanning distributed systems, operating systems, and embedded systems.

View certificate →
— 05

Let's build
something reliable.

Open to embedded and systems software roles. Happy to talk firmware validation, Linux debugging, or test automation.

Email elena.kowalski@example.com ↗ LinkedIn /in/ekowalski-fw ↗ GitHub @ekowalski-fw ↗ Phone +1 (555) 123-4567 ↗