Staff Software Engineer

Position Summary

We are seeking a Staff Software Engineer to serve as a technical architect across our robotics and autonomous systems stack. This is a senior individual contributor role focused on designing scalable, high-performance software architectures that span embedded firmware, real-time systems, edge compute, and hardware integration.

While familiarity with controls and embedded systems is important, this role is not purely controls-focused. Instead, you will define system-level software architecture for complex electromechanical platforms-including VTOL aircraft, gimbals, and robotic subsystems-ensuring modularity, determinism, performance, and long-term maintainability across the stack.

You will partner closely with controls engineers, hardware engineers, and systems teams to translate dynamic system requirements into robust software abstractions. You will guide architectural decisions across firmware, middleware, and edge compute layers, and help elevate engineering standards for modern C++ and production-grade robotics software.

This role emphasizes architectural clarity, cross-disciplinary leadership, and software excellence in robotics environments.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Robotics Software Architecture

• Define and evolve the software architecture for complex robotics systems spanning firmware, middleware, and edge compute.
• Design modular, scalable abstractions for sensors, actuators, state estimation, and control subsystems.
• Establish patterns for deterministic real-time behavior across distributed components.

Embedded & Real-Time Systems Leadership

• Guide architecture for embedded firmware interacting with motors, sensors, and hardware peripherals.
• Collaborate with controls engineers to translate system dynamics into clean, testable software layers.
• Ensure predictable performance under tight latency and reliability constraints.

Cross-Functional Systems Integration

• Partner with mechanical, electrical, avionics, and systems engineers to define software-hardware contracts.
• Lead technical direction during bring-up, integration, and performance iteration cycles.
• Help structure telemetry pipelines and debugging workflows across embedded and flight systems.

Engineering Standards & Best Practices

• Establish modern C++ standards for robotics codebases.
• Define testing strategies appropriate for real-time and hardware-adjacent systems.
• Improve CI/CD workflows for firmware and robotics software.

Verification & Validation Infrastructure

• Drive architecture for SIL and HIL environments.
• Define strategies for system-level testing, observability, and performance analysis.
• Ensure long-term maintainability and evolvability of control-adjacent software.

Technical Ownership

• Serve as a senior technical authority across robotics software initiatives.
• Balance performance, safety, and maintainability in production systems.
• Mentor engineers and raise the architectural bar across the organization.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

Robotics Systems Experience

• 7+ years building software for robotics, autonomous systems, aerospace, or embedded platforms.
• Experience shipping production robotics or embedded systems products.

Software Architecture Expertise

• Proven ability to design and evolve software architectures across embedded and distributed systems.
• Experience defining clean hardware-software interfaces.
• Strong understanding of real-time constraints and deterministic system design.

Modern C++ Proficiency

• Deep knowledge of modern C++ (14/17/20).
• Experience with memory management, concurrency models, and performance-critical systems.
• Ability to establish coding standards and architectural patterns for embedded codebases.

Embedded Systems Exposure

• Hands-on experience with microcontrollers (ARM Cortex-M, STM32, etc.).
• Familiarity with RTOS environments (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or similar).
• Working knowledge of low-level drivers and hardware interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN).

Systems & Robotics Foundations

• Solid understanding of kinematics, coordinate frames, and sensor integration.
• Exposure to control systems, sensor fusion, or motion control concepts (not necessarily as a primary controls engineer).
• Familiarity with telemetry, diagnostics, and system performance metrics.

Additional Desired Qualifications

• Experience with PX4, MAVLink, or similar robotics middleware.
• Simulation experience (URDF, Gazebo, Isaac, etc.).
• Experience building SIL/HIL infrastructure.
• Experience with Linux-based edge compute systems (Jetson, embedded Linux).
• Familiarity with safety-critical or aerospace development environments.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Must be able to walk, stand, and navigate large indoor and outdoor facilities for extended periods of time.
• Ability to lift, carry, and move materials and equipment weighing up to 25 lbs on a regular basis.
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) may be required in designated areas or when performing specific tasks, in accordance with safety protocols and company policy.
• May be required to climb ladders, stoop, kneel, or crouch during inspections, maintenance walk-throughs, or emergency response situations.
• Regular exposure to facility operations including noise, dust, temperature fluctuations, and industrial equipment.
• Occasional off-hours or weekend work required for emergency facility responses or projects as needed
• Requires frequent use of a computer and other standard office equipment for documentation, communication, and coordination tasks.

Background Check

This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with a criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal and state law.

EEO and ITAR/EAR Work Authorization Disclosure

Red Cat Holdings provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software, technology or technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Successful candidates for positions subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions must provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.

E-Verify

The company participates E-Verify ensure eligibility for employment and compliance with Right to Work rules.

Compensation: $176k - $198k, plus generous annual equity package and potential bonuses.