Embedded Software Engineer

About the role

A growing aerospace team is hiring an embedded software engineer to work on the flight software and ground control software behind autonomous unmanned aircraft. The work covers flight control, navigation, telemetry, communication links, and the operator-facing interfaces used to fly and monitor the aircraft. You will sit alongside hardware, systems, and test engineers and own code that ships on real platforms.

Responsibilities

• Write and maintain embedded flight software for unmanned aircraft and avionics hardware.
• Build and improve the ground control station side, including the operator interface and the control logic behind it.
• Work across the subsystems that make autonomous flight happen: flight control, comms, navigation, telemetry, and sensor integration.
• Develop in C and C++ on embedded targets running embedded Linux or an RTOS.
• Use Python for tooling, automation, scripts, integration work, and interface development with something like PyQt.
• Apply current UI architecture patterns and frameworks such as Qt or PyQt so operators get an interface they can trust.
• Take features from design through implementation, integration, and test with a mixed engineering team.
• Keep the codebase clean, documented, and maintainable to production standards.
• Use Git and GitLab or a similar platform for version control and code review.
• Build, test, and troubleshoot using Visual Studio along with the usual compilers and debuggers.
• Dig into existing code, find the actual root cause of a problem, and fix it in a way that holds up.
• Contribute to software validation, including test planning, execution, and documentation for both embedded and ground systems.
• Support firmware and embedded C/C++ work tied to sensor and communication interfaces including UART, CAN, TCP/IP, UDP, and other serial protocols.
• Take part in systems engineering conversations around control systems and guidance, navigation, and control.
• Work with the hardware and systems groups on hardware-in-the-loop rigs, platform integration, and flight test support.
• Own your deliverables end to end and communicate status, blockers, and technical detail clearly in English, written and verbal.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• Two or more years writing embedded software, either professionally or through substantial project work.
• Strong C++ skills at the embedded and systems level.
• Python for scripting, tooling, and building applications.
• Working knowledge of embedded Linux or a real-time operating system.
• Comfort with Git and a platform like GitLab for version control and collaboration.
• A track record of code that made it into production or into a commercially shipped product.
• Solid grounding in embedded systems fundamentals and software development practices.
• Ability to work through technical problems without someone standing over you.
• Experience contributing to software projects across design, implementation, and test.
• Proven debugging ability on code you did not write.
• Familiarity with modern UI architecture and frameworks such as Qt or PyQt.
• Experience with Visual Studio, compilers, debuggers, and source control.
• Exposure to unmanned aircraft, drones, aerospace, avionics, or sensor integration environments.
• Experience with ground control station software, control systems, or systems engineering concepts.
• Firmware and embedded C/C++ experience tied to telemetry, UART, CAN, TCP/IP, UDP, or other serial interfaces.
• Clear communication and the ability to work inside a multidisciplinary team.

Nice to have

• Master's degree in embedded systems, software engineering, control systems, or a related discipline.
• Exposure in UAV flight control concepts, including guidance, navigation, and control.
• Experience with autopilot software and the control algorithms behind it.
• Time spent on ground control station software or operator interface design.
• Hands-on flight testing or platform integration experience.
• Familiarity with aerospace safety standards such as DO-178C and rigorous software validation.
• RTOS and safety-critical software experience.
• Hardware-in-the-loop test setup experience.
• Aerospace, avionics, or sensor integration project experience.
• Interest in working across the hardware and software line and picking up new technology in the unmanned aircraft space.

Work environment

Fully onsite, five days a week, in south central Washington along the Columbia River. Most of the day is at a computer reading screens, documents, and engineering drawings. You will move between office space and production areas, some of it uneven ground, and occasionally carry items up to 30 pounds. PPE is required on the shop floor and includes safety shoes, safety glasses, hearing protection, respirators or masks, and gloves depending on the area. Steel-toed shoes are required any time you are on the floor.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $147,000.00 – $185,000.00 per year. Individual compensation offered within this range will depend on qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Relocation assistance is provided for qualified positions, along with a compensation and benefits package.