Manager, Mission Systems Software (Aerospace)

TL;DR

Manager, Mission Systems Software (Embedded/Robotics): Leading a multi-site team to develop onboard mission systems for uncrewed aircraft with an accent on autonomy, vision-based navigation, and flight software. Focus on scaling the engineering team, defining software strategy, and ensuring flight-critical quality.

Location: San Diego, CA. Must be a U.S. Person (Citizen, Green Card, or asylee/refugee) for ITAR compliance.

Salary: $141,000 - $215,000

Company

Premier autonomous systems company in the U.S. delivering breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber.

What you will do

• Manage a large multi-site software engineering team, including budget planning, staffing, and career development.
• Scale the team through rapid growth, driving hiring and onboarding of engineers into senior roles.
• Partner with the Software Chief Engineer to shape the roadmap for autonomy, vision-based navigation, and flight software.
• Coordinate software development projects across multiple programs in an Agile environment.
• Champion software quality through design reviews, CI/CD pipelines, and requirements-based testing.
• Collaborate with systems engineering, GNC, hardware, and test teams to align software with system requirements.

Requirements

• BS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 12+ years of software engineering experience in embedded, robotics, or mission systems software.
• 4+ years in a management or technical lead role leading teams of 15+ engineers.
• Experience delivering flight-critical or mission-critical software through the full development lifecycle.
• Proficiency with Linux environments and modern CI/CD tooling (Git, GitLab, containers).
• U.S. Citizenship, Permanent Resident (Green Card holder), or asylee/refugee status required for ITAR compliance.

Nice to have

• Advanced degree (Master's or PhD).
• Experience with UAS, drones, or defense/aerospace platforms.
• Familiarity with computer vision, machine learning, autonomy, or GNC.
• Knowledge of airworthiness standards such as DO-178, FACE, or MOSA.
• Eligibility to obtain a security clearance.

Culture & Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401K plan with company matching.
• 9/80 work schedule for improved work-life balance.
• Paid holiday shutdown.
• Culture of curiosity and mission-obsession focused on redefining defense technology.