Cesar Alvarez | Senior Firmware Engineer

About Me

Electronics engineering professional with 2+ years of firmware development experience and 10+ years in manufacturing and engineering environments. Highly motivated, results-driven individual with strong leadership skills, recognized for exceptional technical ability, keen problem-solving skills, and outstanding project management capabilities.

Core Competencies

Firmware Development & Embedded Applications
Manufacturing Test Equipment & Automation
Product CCN (Customer Complaint Notice) Resolution
PCB Design, Schematics & Layout
IoT & Wireless Solutions (WiFi, MQTT, Amazon Delivery Services)
Hardware Failure Analysis & Debugging
Team Leadership & Technical Mentoring
Cross-functional Collaboration (EE, Middleware, QA, Testing)

12+

Years Engineering

Firmware Specialist

Multiple

Major Products Launched

3.7

GPA (Electronics ENG)

Technical Skills

Programming Languages

C/C++ (Expert)
Assembly (Microchip, ARM)
C# .NET
Python & Bash Scripting
VBA/Excel

Microcontrollers & Platforms

Microchip PIC (8/16/32-bit)
ARM Cortex M0+/M4
Atmel AVR
Rabbit Microcontrollers
WiFi Modules (MQTT)

Communication Protocols

I2C/SPI
UART/Serial
WiFi & MQTT
CAN Bus
PCL/ISP Protocols

IDEs & Compilers

MPLAB IDE/X, GCC
Visual Studio & Code
IAR Embedded Workbench
Silicon Labs IDE, PSoC Creator
C18, XC8, XC32 Toolchains

Development Tools

GIT (GitLab, GitHub, Bitbucket)
TeamCity CI/CD
PC-Lint, SonarQube
Doxygen Documentation
Docker, WSL, Cygwin

Test & Hardware

Oscilloscopes & Logic Analyzers
ICT (In-Circuit Test)
Agilent HP3070
Microcontroller Programming
PCB Design (Altium, PADS)

CAD & Design Tools

Altium Designer
PADS, P-CAD
SolidWorks, AutoCAD
IsoPro, CAMCAD
Agilent CAD Translator

Code Standards & Quality

MISRA-C Compliance
Netrino Coding Standards
Code Analysis & Review
WhiteSource License Verification
Doxygen Documentation

Professional Experience

Senior Firmware Engineer

June 2005 - Present | Chamberlain Group, LLC

Leading firmware development for embedded projects including customer complaint notices (CCNs), productivity initiatives, new product development, and emerging business solutions. Expert in managing complex IoT systems, test automation, and cross-functional team collaboration.

Implemented new features for Amazon Delivery Services across three WiFi modules using MQTT messaging
Developed smart cooler prototype for Amazon Delivery using WiFi RTOS, temperature sensors, and ToF sensors
Migrated legacy Assembly code (Microchip ASM) to modern C with deep PIC architecture knowledge
Ported C code from Atmel to Microchip ATSAMD20 ARM Cortex M0+ (SPI LCD, I2C EEPROM, PIR sensor)
Implemented Manufacturing Test Modes in C++ using ETL framework for automated production testing
Managed GIT version control, TeamCity CI/CD pipelines, and automated release tools

Test Engineer IV & Engineering Leader

2005 - 2024 | Chamberlain Group, LLC

Served as test leader for hardware engineering group, ICT development, and DFT analysis. Managed multiple new product introductions, mentored engineers and technicians, and directed test equipment strategy for high-volume production environments.

ETAK Program: Designed test strategy for 8 transmitter products with varying configurations - successfully launched all on time
TxOB Program: Managed test strategy for 5 accessories, mentored engineers on professional development
EWOK Program: Developed strategy for 7 wall control products across multiple customers
Nitrous Program: Commercial openers (DC/AC) test strategy with UL325 compliance
Performed DFT (Design For Testability) analysis for new product designs
Developed ICT fixtures for HP3070 systems on productivity and new product initiatives
Standardized embedded code for portability and modularity across product lines

Junior Engineer

November 2004 - June 2005 | Metrología y Pruebas S.A. de C.V.

IT and test engineering support including preventive/corrective maintenance, calibration procedures, and calibration of dimensional, mass, force, and electrical equipment. EMA certified calibration laboratory.

Electronics Technician

2000 - 2004 | Motorola de Nogales & Alcatel de Nogales

Functional testing of audio/video systems, telecommunications circuit boards at multiple test levels (In-Circuit, System Verification, Burn-in), board diagnostics and repairs, and production support.

B.S. in Electronics Engineering

2000 - 2004 | Instituto Tecnológico de Nogales, Mexico

Specialization: Instrumentation and Control | GPA: 3.7 | Honors: Second best graduate of 2004 class

Relevant Coursework: Assembler, Microprocessors & Microcontrollers, Visual Basic 6.0, PLC Programming, Numerical Methods with C, Analog & Digital Circuits

Achievements: Line follower robot competition - 3rd place at national level; Basic sciences contest - 2nd place at north region level

Featured Projects & Accomplishments

Amazon Delivery Services Integration

Implemented new features for Amazon Delivery Services across three different WiFi modules. Developed complete MQTT messaging framework for server communication with emphasis on reliability and scalability.

WiFi MQTT IoT

Smart Connected Cooler

Developed connected smart cooler prototype for Amazon Delivery Service. Built on existing WiFi RTOS solution with temperature sensors, compressor control circuitry, and Time-of-Flight distance measurement sensor integration.

RTOS Sensors IoT

Legacy Code Migration (ASM to C)

Migrated legacy opener firmware from Microchip Assembly to modern C code. Productivity project addressing component obsolescence with deep low-level PIC architecture optimization and validation.

Microchip PIC Assembly C

Microcontroller Porting (Atmel to ARM)

Ported C code from Atmel to Microchip ATSAMD20 ARM Cortex M0+. Included SPI LCD, I2C EEPROM, PIR sensor interface, and button-based UI. Component obsolescence and cost reduction initiative.

ARM Cortex M0+ I2C/SPI Porting

Manufacturing Test Modes (C++)

Implemented comprehensive manufacturing test modes in C++ using Embedded Template Library (ETL). Enabled production test group to test products efficiently. Included Python automation scripts for build and release processes.

C++ ETL Python

ETAK Program - 8 Product Launch

Designed and executed test strategy for Evolution Transmitters (ETAK) program consisting of 8 different transmitter configurations. Successfully managed all NPI milestones and launched all 8 products on schedule with quality objectives met.

NPI Test Strategy Leadership