Defense Product Software Engineer (C++)

About Applied Intuition

Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo.

About The Role

We are looking for bright engineers interested in designing elegant solutions to difficult problems for our defense customers. In this role, you will predominantly support our defense business units, focusing on the Axion and Acuity product lines. Our software engineers work across our suite of products, tackling difficult full-stack, infrastructure, robotics, and computer vision problems. At Applied Intuition, we encourage engineers to take ownership over technical and product decisions, interact closely with defense stakeholders to collect feedback, and contribute to a mission-driven team culture.

• Develop and scale Axion and/or Acuity products to support mission-critical defense autonomy workflows.
• Work across our entire stack to build new features for off-road navigation, sensor fusion, and mission planning.
• Collaborate directly with the warfighter and allies to understand operational requirements and deploy software to the edge.
• Carve out your own area of expertise and influence the product roadmap for our defense business unit.

Requirements

We're Looking For Someone Who Has 2+ years of experience shipping complex, high-reliability software. Demonstrated ability to be a self-starter and can quickly become comfortable with new technical tools. Designed efficient and effective solutions to a wide range of engineering challenges (e.g., real-time systems, data pipelines, or complex UI/UX). Proven ability to take initiative in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Occasional travel required (approx. 10–20%) for demonstrations, integration, or customer engagement.
• Security Clearance: Must be a U.S. Citizen, must be eligible for a U.S. SECRET clearance with Special Access Program (SAP) eligibility.

Skills

• Nice To Have: Working knowledge of frontend, API layer, containerization, or cluster orchestration frameworks (such as React, GraphQL, Docker, or Kubernetes).
• Nice To Have: Experience with robotics middlewares (such as ROS/ROS2) or military-specific standards (e.g., JAUS, UCS).
• Nice To Have: Experience modeling physical problems, sensor simulation, or working with geospatial data.
• Nice To Have: Prior experience working on Department of Defense projects or in a regulated environment.

Pay

Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage.
• 401k retirement benefits with employer match.
• Learning and wellness stipends.
• Paid time off.