Robotic Software Engineer (drone Stack)

Applied Intuition Applied Intuition · Robotics · Poway, CA · Government

This role involves designing, integrating, and deploying complex autonomy and vehicle intelligence systems for robotics applications, specifically focusing on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The engineer will work with hardware and software integration, troubleshoot issues, and support live flight tests, collaborating with cross-functional teams and external vendors. Experience with C++, robotics systems, embedded Linux, and communication protocols is required.

What you'd actually do

  1. Adapt and develop modular and agile autonomy capabilities across diverse defense problems
  2. Integrate and deploy autonomy solutions onto embedded Linux and other hardware platforms, including interfacing with sensors and collecting data
  3. Troubleshoot complex integration and software issues to ensure high reliability and performance
  4. Integrate autonomy software into hardware in collaboration with autonomy engineers that supports full integration with aircraft autopilots, datalinks, sensors, PNT/GPS/INS, ground control stations, etc.
  5. Support live flight test of autonomy software on group 1-5 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)

Skills

Required

  • BS or MS in Robotics, Computer Science or related engineering field
  • 3+ years of hands-on experience working with robotic systems (hardware, software, and integration)
  • Experience with software programming languages: C++ preferred
  • Experience integrating autonomy/robotics products with Pixhawk autopilots (ArduPilot and/or PX4)
  • Experience integrating with communication busses & protocols: UART/RS232/RS422/RS485, SPI/QSPI, I2C, Ethernet
  • Experience developing in Docker, containerized deployment environments, and using Linux-based operating systems (e.g., RHEL, Ubuntu)
  • Experience using git, Visual Studio Code, GitLab
  • Familiarity with real-time, edge computing, and safety-critical systems operating in software-in-the-loop (SIL), hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), test & operational environments
  • Excellent communication skills and customer-oriented project delivery mindset
  • Willingness to travel frequently for on-site integration and demonstrations (estimated 10–20%)
  • Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance

Nice to have

  • Experience in modern C++ (2011, 2017, or 2020 standards), Bash, and CMake
  • FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
  • Experience with Agile development practices and CI/CD pipelines
  • Prior work with COTS hardware integration such as Nvidia Jetson and Raspberry Pi
  • Active U.S. SECRET clearance preferred

What the JD emphasized

  • Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance

Other signals

  • integrating autonomy algorithms
  • deploying autonomy solutions onto embedded Linux
  • supporting live flight test of autonomy software