Staff Autonomy Software Engineer

Company OverviewJoby Flight Research designs, develops, and flight-tests novel aircraft using a software-first autonomy approach. We build and deploy autonomy, perception, planning, and radar systems across conventional, electric, and hydrogen-electric aircraft in both CTOL and VTOL configurations.OverviewJoby Flight Research is seeking an Autonomy Staff Software Engineer, to design and build the AI software for our Superpilot autonomy stack. This position offers a unique opportunity to architect the software platform and algorithmic solutions that power Joby’s varied fleet of autonomous aircraft. In this role, you will own, design, and develop the software solutions for aircraft autonomy. You will work closely with other software engineers and AI experts in computer vision, machine learning, and robotics. The role requires deep software engineering and autonomous systems industry experience and expertise.You will design and develop robust perception software for autonomous flight. Further, you will also design and build software systems for data collection, calibration, and testing. Your work will help teams develop AI algorithms and validate safety-critical behavior to deploy autonomous flight on multiple types of aircraft.We are a small, high-impact team that values curiosity, technical initiative, and the ability to operate independently. You will collaborate deeply with sensing, controls, and flight software engineers to build a foundation that accelerates our path to safe, autonomous flight. The right candidate is a strong autonomy software engineer who cares deeply about system design, software engineering, and enabling fast, safe iteration across multiple aircraft programs.ResponsibilitiesAutonomy Software DevelopmentDesign, implement, and maintain autonomy software across the stack spanning low-level embedded and higher-level autonomous aircraftDesign, implement, and maintain computer vision, machine learning, and AI algorithms for perception and reasoning in autonomous aircraftContribute to software engineering work in integration, flight test, and simulation work across autonomy teamsAutonomy Software OptimizationDesign and target software systems for real-time, edge compute platformsOptimize and tune AI perception algorithms for autonomous aircraftDesign and implement efficient solutions for SW deployment, testing, and iterationAutonomy Technical SolutionsDesign robust software systems for autonomous aircraft data collection and processingEvaluate and design advanced sensing and compute solutions for autonomous aircraft involving cameras, lidars, radars and other sensors and compute hardwareCollaborate closely with the rest of the Superpilot team to ideate, plan and execute on high-quality, well-integrated solutions and featuresMonitor system health and performance, proactively addressing issues and providing user supportRequiredDegree in computer science, aerospace engineering, or related field10+ years of experience in software engineeringExperience in developing software and systems for autonomous vehiclesExperience in real-time, embedded software developmentStrong proficiency in C++ and pythonExperience in devops such as git, docker, CI/CD, automationExperience developing SW for high-bandwidth sensor data for robotics platforms, e.g., cameras and lidarsAbility to invent and own technical solutions in autonomy softwareProven ability to document complex technical designs, architectural trade-offs, and implementation roadmapsChampion of software best practices, including rigorous code reviews and mentorshipExcellent communication skills for collaborating with cross-functional teamsThis position must meet US export control compliance requirements, therefore a candidate must qualify as a “US Person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15. “US Person” includes US Citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, or asylees.DesiredSoftware development experience in aerospace autonomyExpertise in processing aircraft data (GPS, inertial, ADS-B, air data, radio data)Expertise in ROS2 or related middleware and DDS systemsExperience in RTOS, edge/embedded computed, and data collection and processingExpert-level software engineering: deep expertise in architecting and writing clean, scalable, and maintainable codeExperience with aircraft autonomy SIL/HIL, hardware, electronicsCompensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $167,400 - $242,900/yr. The compensation package will be determined by job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.Joby also offers a comprehensive benefits package, including paid time off, healthcare benefits, a 401(k) plan with a company match, an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, and more.Additional InformationJoby Aviation is an equal opportunity employer. Job SummaryID: 2026-5347Category: Flight ResearchType: Regular Full-Time