Senior Software Engineer (TAK / ATAK)

Rise8 builds custom, secure software for government organizations, measuring success by impact: lives saved, time returned, and missions advanced.

We think big, start small, and scale fast with elite teams across product, design, and engineering to drive continuous delivery for critical missions.

We believe customer experience starts with employee experience, so we take care of our employees. Rise8 is where you’ll do the best work of your career—supported by a culture you won’t find anywhere else. We offer competitive pay and benefits, but what sets us apart is our commitment to autonomy, growth, and a culture rooted in kindness, candor, and continuous learning.

Certified as a Great Place to Work®, with 100% of employees saying they love working here, Rise8 is where bold ideas become real capabilities. Where mission meets meaning. And where fewer bad things happen because of bad software.

About You

• You want to make tomorrow better than today
• You have a passion for high-speed security and you care about risk management over compliance
• You believe the biggest vulnerability in any system is time. You live to securely reduce cycle time
• You enjoy daily decision making and real product delivery
• You help ensure project success and client satisfaction
• You enjoy collaborative teams, pairing with team members, and inviting your clients to participate
• You like to work alongside, and learn from, lean and agile leaders
• You are a creative problem solver who is comfortable with uncertainty
• You’re a curious and keen learner who thrives on enhancing your (and our) practices and knowledge

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain software for the Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) ecosystem — including ATAK (Android), WinTAK (Windows), TAKX (Cross‑platform) and/or WebTAK OASIS
• Design, implement, and test TAK plugins, tools, and features that deliver real-time situational awareness to military and first responder users
• Work with TAK protocols like Cursor on Target (CoT) and geospatial formats like GeoPackage
• Pair directly with military personnel, product owners, and engineers to understand operational needs and deliver mission‑critical capabilities
• Deliver functionality iteratively and validate with real‑world users in real‑time or training environments
• Collaborate with TAK community stakeholders and government customers to ensure plugin and server compatibility
• Contribute to secure, hardened, and field‑ready software that performs in disconnected, intermittent, and low‑bandwidth (DIL) environments
• Operate with an agile mindset: frequent releases, test‑driven development (TDD), CI/CD, and continuous feedback
• Work with a balanced team of designers, product managers, and engineers to ensure your solutions meet mission objectives and end‑user needs

Qualifications

• 6–10 years of professional software engineering experience
• Experience with the TAK ecosystem (ATAK/WinTAK/CIVTAK/TAK Server), especially developing TAK plugins or extensions
• Proficient in Java, Kotlin, or C++, especially in the context of Android or Windows development
• Strong understanding of geospatial concepts, data formats (CoT, GeoPackage), and GIS toolkits
• Experience with Test Driven Development (TDD) and agile methodologies
• Strong communication skills and comfort in a pair‑programming environment
• Comfortable in Linux environments and with container tools like Docker or Kubernetes
• Familiar with DevSecOps practices and tools such as Git, GitLab CI, SonarQube, Fortify, etc
• Strong understanding of algorithms, design patterns, APIs, and software architecture
• BA/BS in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience
• Ability to obtain a security clearance for US Government work

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience building tools for or with the Department of Defense (DoD)
• Experience working with or inside a DoD Software Factory or on fielded tactical systems
• Familiarity with mesh networking, radio integration, or disconnected ops environments
• Background in cybersecurity, secure coding, or cross‑domain solutions (CDS)
• Familiarity with operational workflows of military, law enforcement, or emergency response teams

The annual salary range for this role as it is posted is $143,824 to $179,780 regardless of final candidate location within the United States. The final job level and annual salary will be determined based on the education, qualification, knowledge, skills, ability, and experience of the final candidate(s), and calibrated against relevant market data and internal team equity.

• Flexible schedule in a 100% distributed workforce
• Premium insurance: We cover up to 100% of the employee premium and up to 80% of the combined dependent premium on our base health plan depending on pay band. We also cover 100% of the premium for employee and dependent Dental and Vision as well as employee premiums for Life and Disability coverage.
• Retirement: 401(k) match at 10% gross pay.
• Paid time off (PTO): 4 weeks combined accrued vacation and sick leave, 11 Federal holidays, your birthday, jury duty, and bereavement.
• Education & training: Accrued budget of up to $4,000 per year for classes, travel, events, and materials.
• Wellness budget: To encourage and support a well‑rounded healthy lifestyle, we cover 50% reimbursement on a variety of wellness activities and products, up to $500 per calendar year.
• Equipment: We offer a MacBook Pro and multi‑port adapter.

All of Rise8’s work in this area is with Federal Government customers that require our employees involved with their projects be U.S. citizens. As such, this role requires U.S. citizenship. If hired, you would also be required to go through a background investigation.

Rise8 is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that will consider you for this role regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, national origin, genetics, age, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.