I don't think the problem is that they cannot find anybody who can program assembly in general, but they use a very exotic, old architecture with very limited m

I don't think the problem is that they cannot find anybody who can program assembly in general, but they use a very exotic, old architecture with very limited memory. So someone has to learn this specific architecture with apparently limited documentation (and a google search won't cut it). And on top of that in a very unusual and critical application i.e. if you brick the processor you have a real problem. If this was e.g. a modern run of the mill ARM processor, you can find a lot of qualified assembly programmers.