Staff Software Engineer, Real-Time Computer Vision -- UAS Platforms

Job Description

Job Description

Staff Software Engineer, Real-Time Computer Vision — UAS Platforms
Location: Clearwater, FL / Tampa Bay Area
Employment Type: Full-time
Work Arrangement: On-site or hybrid, with hands-on lab and field-test work required

We are seeking a hands-on Staff Software Engineer to develop, optimize, deploy, and field real-time computer vision and autonomy software for unmanned aerial systems. This role is focused on turning perception algorithms into reliable, fieldable software running on embedded compute platforms in real-world drone environments.

The ideal candidate has deep experience with real-time image/video processing, embedded or edge compute, sensor integration, field debugging, and production-quality software delivery. This is not a pure research role. The engineer will be expected to write robust software, optimize performance, support flight testing, diagnose issues across hardware/software boundaries, and help transition prototype capability into commercial or operationally deployed products.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain real-time computer vision and perception software for drone and robotic platforms.

Deploy vision algorithms on embedded/edge compute platforms such as NVIDIA Jetson, Qualcomm/QCS/QRB-class processors, x86 edge computers, or similar SWaP-constrained hardware.

Build high-performance image-processing and video pipelines using C++, Python, OpenCV, CUDA, GStreamer, ROS/ROS2, Linux, and related tools.

Optimize latency, throughput, memory usage, frame synchronization, inference performance, and end-to-end system reliability.

Integrate cameras, IMUs, GPS/GNSS, autopilots, radios, storage, and other platform sensors into operational software systems.

Support model deployment and optimization using tools such as TensorRT, ONNX, CUDA, quantization, pruning, or hardware-specific inference runtimes.

Debug complex real-time issues in the lab and in the field, including dropped frames, timing jitter, thermal throttling, synchronization errors, driver problems, data-quality issues, and platform integration faults.

Develop test tools, logging, replay systems, simulation interfaces, and automated validation workflows to support repeatable software development and field testing.

Work closely with electrical, mechanical, systems, flight-test, and customer-facing teams to bring software from concept through field demonstration and product deployment.

Contribute to software architecture, coding standards, build systems, version control, CI/CD, documentation, and release processes.

Participate in flight tests, field demonstrations, and customer evaluations as needed.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent professional experience.

8+ years of software engineering experience, with significant experience in real-time, embedded, robotics, autonomy, computer vision, or sensor-processing systems.

Strong C++ skills and practical experience developing production-quality software on Linux.

Experience with real-time image/video processing, camera pipelines, or computer vision systems.

Experience deploying software to embedded or edge compute platforms with CPU/GPU acceleration.

Strong debugging skills across software, hardware, sensors, operating systems, networking, and fielded systems.

Experience with performance optimization, profiling, latency reduction, and resource-constrained computing.

Experience with Git-based development, issue tracking, code reviews, documentation, and disciplined software release practices.

Ability to work hands-on in a lab or field-test environment, not just in a desktop development setting.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with unmanned aerial systems, drones, robotics, autonomous vehicles, or defense/autonomy platforms.

Experience with OpenCV, CUDA, TensorRT, ONNX, GStreamer, ROS/ROS2, MAVLink, PX4, ArduPilot, or similar tools.

Experience with visual navigation, object detection, target tracking, visual-inertial odometry, image registration, sensor fusion, or geolocation.

Experience with EO/IR cameras, LWIR/MWIR imaging, global-shutter cameras, high-frame-rate sensors, or multi-camera systems.

Experience building replayable data pipelines, test harnesses, simulation interfaces, or hardware-in-the-loop / software-in-the-loop test environments.

Experience with commercial software fielding, customer demonstrations, flight testing, or operational product deployment.

Experience working in defense, aerospace, robotics, or other high-reliability technical environments.

Active or prior U.S. security clearance is a plus but not required unless program needs dictate.

What Success Looks Like

Within the first 90 days, this engineer will understand the existing software stack, build and run the system on target hardware, diagnose real-world performance bottlenecks, and contribute meaningful improvements to reliability, latency, and field-test readiness.

Within six months, this engineer will own major portions of the perception or real-time processing stack, support field demonstrations, improve test/replay infrastructure, and help transition prototype software into a repeatable, deployable product baseline.

Nokturnal AI builds self-contained autonomous strike platforms that work when GPS and comms don't.

Company Description

Nokturnal AI builds self-contained autonomous strike platforms that work when GPS and comms don't.