SOFTWARE ENGINEER

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) position contingent upon contract award, with a start date of 28 September 2026. Active SECRET clearance required; TS/SCI eligibility required.

About the Role

Check Defense is a fast-growing federal contractor seeking a highly skilled Software Engineer to support the development, integration, deployment, testing, and sustainment of software solutions for unmanned systems and mission technologies. This role involves software development across flight systems, command-and-control applications, autonomous navigation, communications architectures, sensor integration, mission-planning systems, and embedded computing platforms. The Software Engineer will work as part of a multidisciplinary team supporting Group 1 and Group 2 unmanned systems and associated mission payloads.

Responsibilities

• Develop software for embedded devices, flight-control systems, ground-control stations, autonomous capabilities, communications networks, and operator interfaces.
• Support the complete software lifecycle from concept development through field deployment and sustainment.
• Deliver production software in agile environments.
• Work with autonomous navigation and path planning.
• Apply expertise in BetaFlight, ArduPilot, and PX4 (5 years of experience).
• Implement sensor fusion techniques.
• Develop interfaces using QGroundControl and Qt/QML.
• Utilize MAVLink protocol for unmanned systems.
• Write Python scripts for automation and tooling.
• Troubleshoot TCP/IP networking and reverse-engineer complex codebases.
• Build target software from source files.
• Support flight testing, operational assessments, and fielding activities.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering or science discipline. Minimum of three (3) years of hands-on software-development experience with a degree; or seven (7) years of relevant experience without a degree.
• Recent software-development, integration, testing, or mission-support experience with Group 1 or Group 2 unmanned systems; relevant Group 3 experience may be considered.
• Active SECRET security clearance with eligibility to obtain and maintain TS/SCI access.
• Demonstrated experience developing software in C, C++, and Python.
• Experience with embedded systems, software integration, and troubleshooting complex technical systems.
• Experience with software testing methodologies, debugging tools, and configuration management.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and technical writing skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in fast-paced engineering and operational environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with ArduPilot, PX4, BetaFlight, or other flight-control frameworks.
• Experience with MAVLink communications and unmanned-system networking architectures.
• Experience developing autonomous-navigation and path-planning software.
• Experience with sensor integration, sensor fusion, and mission-payload integration.
• Experience with QGroundControl, Qt, QML, or similar user-interface development tools.
• Experience supporting military, Special Operations, intelligence, or defense-related unmanned systems programs.
• Experience with embedded Linux environments and software deployment processes.
• Familiarity with printed circuit board (PCB) integration and embedded computing devices.

Skills

• Software engineering principles and best practices.
• Object-oriented programming and software architecture.
• C, C++, and Python software development.
• Embedded systems and firmware integration.
• Autonomous navigation and flight-control systems.
• MAVLink communications and unmanned-system protocols.
• Sensor integration and sensor-fusion techniques.
• TCP/IP networking and communications troubleshooting.
• Ground-control software and mission-planning systems.
• Configuration management and software-release processes.
• Agile development methodologies.
• Test automation, verification, and validation.
• Technical documentation and reporting.
• Written and verbal communication skills.

Physical Requirements

• Capability to work in laboratory, office, integration, and field environments.
• Operate computers, test equipment, embedded systems, and communications devices for extended periods.
• Travel domestically and internationally to support testing, demonstrations, exercises, deployments, and fielding activities.
• Operate in outdoor environments and varying weather conditions during testing events.
• Support occasional extended-duration field operations in austere environments.
• Perform system setup, equipment integration, and troubleshooting activities during laboratory and field-testing operations.