Senior Software Engineering Manager, Vms (flight Software/real Time Systems)

Anduril Anduril · Defense · Costa Mesa, CA · Tactical Recon & Strike : Rocket Motor Systems Engineering : Program Management

Senior Software Engineering Manager for flight control software for small drones (Group 1-3 UAVs) at a defense technology company. Focuses on leading teams, architecting complex systems, problem-solving, collaboration, and talent development. Requires significant experience in embedded systems, C++, and Linux, with a background in robotics, autonomous vehicles, or avionics.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead Initiatives & Drive Outcomes: Turn broader functional plans into actionable processes, ensuring they are carried out effectively to drive tangible, tactical outcomes for our VMS roadmap. You will allocate resources and guide your teams to deliver against defined objectives, recognizing that decisions at this level influence timelines and budgets, with missteps potentially causing increased costs or delays that extend over the course of a year.
  2. Architect & Deliver Complex Systems: Lead the architecture, design, and execution of complex systems that effectively integrate hardware and software components, ensuring alignment with established system requirements and performance metrics. This includes strengthening and growing a dedicated software discipline around the end-to-end delivery of complex customer projects.
  3. Problem Solve & Innovate: Tackle complex, often undefined challenges that require conceptual thinking and a strong grasp of broader organizational goals. You will take ownership of hard problems, guiding your team to navigate a wide range of issues and choose the right methods for innovative solutions.
  4. Collaborate & Influence: Regularly connect with team leaders, cross-functional partners, and external stakeholders to align on goals and initiatives. You will build strong relationships across teams and disciplines, clearly sharing insights, results, and recommendations in a way that resonates with different audiences to achieve critical project and organizational objectives.
  5. Talent Development & Mentorship: Attract, retain, and grow top talent in software/robotics engineering, fostering a high-performing team environment that contributes to our strategic workforce planning.

Skills

Required

  • 7+ years experience on high performing software teams
  • 3+ years direct management experience of 5+ people
  • Demonstrated ability to drive a high-performing technical team
  • Significant current/previous hands-on technical work on an interdisciplinary project (such as robotics, autonomous vehicles, avionics, or aerospace)
  • Strong embedded systems fundamentals: resource-efficient software design, drivers, real-time responsive software, Linux and RTOS frameworks.
  • Experience building and executing on technical roadmaps
  • Proficiency in C++ and Linux

Nice to have

  • avionics
  • flight control software
  • embedded Linux
  • RTOS development

What the JD emphasized

  • mission outcomes
  • flight software development and delivery
  • flight control software
  • complex systems
  • customer projects
  • hard problems
  • critical project and organizational objectives
  • top talent