Senior Software Engineer

Description

Position Summary

We are seeking a technically rigorous Senior Software Engineer to join a multidisciplinary defense engineering team developing autonomous maritime, airborne, and ground systems. This role spans the full software development lifecycle — from rapid prototype through fielded capability — in direct support of U.S. Navy and other defense programs.

The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in custom operator interface (UI/UX) development, protocol translation middleware, embedded compute integration, and autonomous systems software. They will demonstrate practical familiarity with DoD tactical data link architectures including ATAK, WinTAK, CCS, UMAA, and DDS, and will be comfortable working across both application-layer software and low-level embedded firmware in a fast-paced operational engineering environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Custom Operator Interface & HUD Development

• Design and implement custom operator control station (OCS) user interfaces for USV, UAV, and UGV command and control, optimized for tactically relevant situational awareness in degraded environments

• Develop ATAK (Android Team Awareness Kit) and WinTAK (Wireless Information Network Tactical – Assured Kit) plugins for real-time vehicle telemetry overlay, mission planning, and payload control using the ATAK-CIV and ATAK-MIL SDKs

• Build heads-up display (HUD) overlays incorporating MAVLink telemetry streams, GPS position, heading, battery state, payload status, and alert annunciation

• Ensure UI/UX design meets operator usability requirements under field conditions including degraded lighting, gloved operation, and bandwidth-limited radio environments

• Develop and maintain Cursor-on-Target (CoT) event schemas for vehicle position, sensor contacts, and mission data within ATAK/WinTAK data exchange environments

Protocol Translation & Middleware

• Develop and maintain protocol translation layers bridging MAVLink, DDS/RTPS (Data Distribution Service), NMEA 2000, and proprietary serial, UDP, and TCP interfaces across vehicle and operator nodes

• Implement UMAA-compliant (Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture) service interfaces to enable interoperable command, control, and data exchange across multi-domain unmanned platforms

• Integrate CCS (Common Control System) message schemas and ABL (Autonomy Baseline Library) APIs into vehicle software stacks; author and maintain ICDs for all cross-system protocol boundaries

• Develop gateways and translators between ATAK/WinTAK tactical networks and vehicle-side MAVLink or DDS domains, enabling seamless operator-to-vehicle data flow over tactical radios

• Design for graceful degradation in contested and congested RF environments; implement link quality monitoring, reconnect logic, and fallback behavior

Embedded Systems & Compute Platform Integration

• Develop, configure, and optimize software for NVIDIA Jetson Orin, Raspberry Pi, and similar embedded single-board computers used as mission computers, autonomy processors, and sensor interface nodes

• Integrate and configure Pixhawk-based flight/vehicle controllers (ArduPilot, PX4); manage parameter sets, EKF configuration, and failsafe logic tailored for surface vessel dynamics

• Implement real-time UDP/TCP networking, MAVLink routing, and multicast DDS domain configurations over RF links including LTE, 900 MHz, and mesh radio networks

• Develop hardware abstraction layers (HAL), device drivers, and software interfaces for custom I/O peripherals, motor controllers, camera payloads, and electronic warfare modules

• Perform embedded system bring-up, board support package (BSP) customization, and device tree configuration on Linux-based platforms

Autonomy & AI/ML Integration

• Integrate autonomous mission behaviors and vehicle logic using ABL (Autonomy Baseline Library) framework patterns and ROS 2 topic/service/action architectures for USV, UAV, and UGV platforms

• Develop and integrate AI/ML inference pipelines on Jetson Orin (TensorRT, DeepStream, ONNX Runtime) for object detection, contact classification, and situational awareness derived from EO/IR, radar, and sonar sensor feeds

• Implement geofencing, loiter, waypoint navigation, station-keeping, and dynamic obstacle avoidance behaviors conforming to UMAA service definitions and ArduPilot companion computer interfaces

• Support SITL (Software-in-the-Loop) and HITL (Hardware-in-the-Loop) simulation environments (Gazebo, ArduPilot SITL, MAVProxy) for autonomy behavior validation prior to field test

• Contribute to the development of multi-vehicle coordination logic and swarm tasking architectures for USV and UAV platforms

C2 Architecture & Tactical Network Integration

• Architect and implement vehicle software integration with ATAK and WinTAK ecosystems, including CoT event publishing, plugin lifecycle management, and overlay rendering within ATAK map views

• Configure and deploy DDS (Data Distribution Service) publish-subscribe middleware across distributed operator and vehicle nodes using RTI Connext, CycloneDDS, or FastDDS

• Support integration with CCS-compliant operator interfaces for multi-vehicle tasking and mission management, ensuring conformance to UMAA service definitions

• Participate in interoperability demonstrations and joint exercises with DoD program offices, prime integrators, and allied partner systems

• Support development of PACE (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency) communication plans and implementation of fallback C2 paths for contested environments

Test & Field Support

• Plan and execute Software-in-the-Loop (SITL), Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL), and wet-gap field test campaigns; develop test procedures, collect and reduce data, and produce test reports

• Deploy to field and maritime environments in support of Navy, Air Force, and joint exercises and operational demonstrations

• Author and review software test documentation (TEMP, test plans, test reports) in compliance with DoD 5000-series acquisition standards and applicable CDRLs

• Support instrumentation and telemetry logging setup for post-mission analysis; develop ground truth data collection scripts and automated analysis pipelines

Systems Engineering & DevSecOps

• Maintain software repositories with structured Git branching, peer code review, and CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or equivalent)

• Produce and maintain software documentation including architecture diagrams, API references, ICD entries, and operator integration guides compliant with program CDRLs

• Support RMF (Risk Management Framework) software artifact preparation including SBOM generation, static analysis outputs (SAST/DAST), and vulnerability tracking

• Apply MBSE concepts to decompose system requirements into software behaviors, interfaces, and data flows; use SysML or equivalent tooling where required by program

• Mentor junior engineers; contribute to internal reusable library development and software engineering standards

Required Qualifications

• Candidates must meet one of the following thresholds:

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field with 3+ years of relevant professional experience

• M.S. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field with 5–8 years of relevant professional experience

• B.S. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field with 8+ years of relevant professional experience, including direct unmanned systems or defense software work

• Demonstrated proficiency in C++ and Python in both real-time embedded and application-layer contexts; experience with memory management, threading, and real-time constraints

• Demonstrated experience developing custom operator UIs or control station applications (PyQt5/PySide6, C++/Qt, React/Electron, or equivalent), including HUD overlay and map integration work

• Direct hands-on experience with MAVLink protocol, ArduPilot or PX4 autopilot systems, and companion computer integration patterns

• Direct experience deploying and developing software on NVIDIA Jetson platforms (Jetson Nano, Xavier NX, or Orin) and/or Raspberry Pi in production or field-test contexts

• Working knowledge of ROS 2 (topic/service/action patterns, launch files, DDS middleware configuration, lifecycle nodes)

• Hands-on ATAK plugin development experience (Android Java/Kotlin, ATAK-CIV or ATAK-MIL SDK, CoT event schema), including map overlay and telemetry feed integration

• Working knowledge of DDS (RTI Connext, CycloneDDS, or FastDDS) publish-subscribe architectures and QoS policy configuration

• Strong UDP/TCP/IP networking fundamentals; experience designing low-latency data paths over radio-frequency links with variable link quality

• Experience with Git version control, CI/CD pipelines, and peer code review practices in a team engineering environment

• Experience supporting military or Government field testing or exercises in a direct technical role

• Active U.S. Secret clearance (or ability to obtain)

Additional Desired Qualifications

• Familiarity with UMAA (Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture) interface definitions and conformance requirements

• Experience integrating with CCS (Common Control System) operator interfaces and/or ABL (Autonomy Baseline Library) behavior frameworks

• WinTAK plugin development or WINTAK tactical network integration experience

• AI/ML inference pipeline development on edge hardware (TensorRT, ONNX Runtime, PyTorch Mobile) for real-time perception, detection, or classification tasks in maritime or airborne contexts

• Direct software engineering experience on naval or maritime unmanned systems (USV, AUV, ROV) including surface vessel guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) software

• Experience with electronic warfare payload software integration, signal processing pipelines, or RF emitter characterization

• Familiarity with DoD acquisition lifecycle, CDRL deliverables, and Software TRL/MRL assessment

• Experience with RMF, STIG hardening for Linux/Android embedded platforms, or software supply chain security practices (SBOM, static analysis, dependency scanning)

• Pixhawk hardware bring-up, parameter tuning for surface vessel dynamics, and custom MAVLink message definition

• Experience with Gazebo, SITL, or equivalent physics-based simulation environments for autonomous vehicle behavior validation

• Active TS/SCI clearance

• Experience applying ITAR, DoD 5000-series, MOSA/WOSA, or similar compliance frameworks to software deliverables

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: Base pay, plus generous annual equity package and potential bonuses.