Drone Stack - Software Engineer

Applied Intuition is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and valued at $15 billion, the company creates the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Serving the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining, and agriculture industries, Applied Intuition focuses on 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. Headquarters are in Sunnyvale, California, with additional offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo.

We are an in-office company, expecting full-time employees to primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. Flexibility is recognized, allowing occasional remote work or adjusted schedules to accommodate personal commitments. This in-office expectation does not apply to contractor positions.

About the Role

As a Robotic Software Engineer, you will design and integrate complex autonomy and vehicle intelligence systems spanning hardware and software domains. You will integrate hardware and software onto vehicle platforms and deploy autonomy algorithms in software-in-the-loop (SIL), hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), and live test environments. A passion for robotics integration, computer networking, and code integration is essential. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to deliver robust, scalable solutions for defense and commercial customers, including hardware-software integration, troubleshooting, and customer-facing demonstrations.

Responsibilities

• Adapt and develop modular and agile autonomy capabilities across diverse defense problems.
• Integrate and deploy autonomy solutions onto embedded Linux and other hardware platforms, including interfacing with sensors and collecting data.
• Troubleshoot complex integration and software issues to ensure high reliability and performance.
• Integrate autonomy software into hardware in collaboration with autonomy engineers to support full integration with aircraft autopilots, datalinks, sensors, PNT/GPS/INS, and ground control stations.
• Support live flight test of autonomy software on group 1-5 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
• Collaborate with 3rd party UAS vehicle vendors on the integration of Applied autonomy software onto OEM UAS hardware.
• Conduct system-level setup, testing, and validation, including software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop evaluations.
• Collaborate with autonomy engineers to implement service-oriented-architecture software and inter-process messaging systems for autonomous UASs.
• Collaborate with DoD warfighter domain experts and 3rd party UAS vehicle vendors to develop and integrate autonomy software onto OEM hardware.

Requirements

• 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 a U.S. Citizen.
• 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.

Benefits

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

Pay

Compensation includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary range for this role is $125,000 - $165,000. The actual base salary offered will be influenced by factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.