Lead Embedded Software Engineer

Description

The company builds advanced defense systems and is moving quickly, with early-stage ownership for team members.

This is a lead role in the Software organization. You will set architecture and technical direction for embedded software across the vehicle stack and keep mission-critical deliveries on schedule. You will own complex subsystems, mentor engineers, coordinate with other functions, and set the pace for the team.

The role suits engineers who pair deep technical skill with the ability to lead people and shape system-level decisions in a fast-moving, tightly integrated hardware and software setting.

Responsibilities

• Define system architecture, software design patterns, module interfaces, and long-term technical strategy across embedded systems, autonomy, drivers, simulation, and application layers.
• Lead deep-dive investigations into reliability, performance, and integration problems in the software.
• Design, implement, and integrate embedded software for Linux-based and real-time systems, and own high-impact subsystems from concept through flight testing.
• Carry out hands-on debugging, hardware bring-up, and system validation across tightly coupled hardware and software interfaces.
• Align software work with requirements from avionics, guidance, hardware, simulation, and test teams, and represent embedded software in program reviews, technical discussions, and mission planning.
• Lead software integration across virtualized environments, hardware-in-the-loop, and full vehicle setups.
• Build or guide the building of test tools, automation workflows, and simulation models, and drive root-cause analysis and system-level fixes for complex failures.
• Own major technical initiatives affecting vehicle capability, autonomy, performance, or reliability, manage resources and risks, and ensure on-time delivery of mission-critical software.
• Support integration and launch activities at test sites when needed.
• Raise code quality, design review practices, documentation standards, and testing rigor, and build a culture of high ownership and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mathematics, or a related STEM field.
• 7+ years of professional experience in embedded software or real-time systems.
• Strong proficiency in C++, Rust, or a similar systems programming language.
• Experience building software on Linux-based embedded platforms, including kernel-level work or custom drivers for interfaces such as UART, I2C, and SPI.
• Experience leading technical projects, architecting complex systems, or acting as a team or technical lead.
• Strong debugging skills across hardware and software boundaries.
• Preferred: technical leadership at high-performance or mission-critical hardware and software organizations in fields such as defense, aerospace, robotics, or automotive.
• Preferred: hands-on work with real-time systems, microcontrollers (ARM, PowerPC, x86), and distributed embedded architectures.
• Preferred: strong Linux internals knowledge, including performance tuning, networking, and system-level diagnostics.
• Preferred: a record of mentoring engineers, giving feedback, raising engineering standards, and running design reviews.
• Preferred: experience aligning multidisciplinary teams and influencing system-wide decisions.
• Preferred: a demonstrated ability to prototype quickly, weigh tradeoffs, and validate ideas from first principles.

Conditions

The role may require access to classified information or restricted U.S. Government sites, systems, or information, as the company or U.S. Government requirements determine. If the role is designated this way, your employment may depend on obtaining and keeping a U.S. Government security clearance or other government authorization, and on meeting any citizenship or other eligibility rules that apply. You will be told if and when these apply.

The role requires access to export-controlled information. Employment, or hiring of a contractor, depends on your ability to access that information without an export license from the Bureau of Industry and Security or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

Equal opportunity applies to all candidates.

Benefits

• The company offers a generous benefits package. Details are at the bottom of the Careers page.