Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration (C++)

Location: San Mateo, California; on-site. Travel to customer sites, test locations, and integration events is typically 10–20% of the year.

Company

hirify.global develops autonomy software for unmanned platforms across air, maritime, space, and expendable systems for U.S. Department of Defense and international defense customers.

What you will do

• Develop and integrate autonomy software for unmanned platforms, including mission behaviors, platform control, multi-agent coordination, contingencies, and executive autonomy.
• Lead a feature crew or sub-program through technical design, integration, delivery, and mission readiness.
• Integrate onboard computers, sensors, command-and-control interfaces, containers, and embedded systems.
• Coordinate with autonomy, perception, feature, platform integration, and external partner teams; author and negotiate interface contracts.
• Validate systems from software-in-the-loop through hardware-in-the-loop, vehicle-in-the-loop, and live field tests.
• Debug and optimize full-stack autonomy systems, capture mission data, reproduce issues in simulation, and drive fixes into subsequent builds.

Requirements

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Typically 7+ years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree, 5+ with a master’s degree, or 4+ with a PhD.
• Proficiency in C++ and experience developing or integrating real-time or latency-sensitive systems.
• Proficiency in Linux-based development, embedded systems, shell scripting, system diagnostics, and middleware, publish-subscribe, or IPC frameworks.
• Hands-on experience with autonomy simulation and field or mission testing for unmanned or autonomous systems.
• Experience leading technical teams or major capabilities, mentoring engineers, negotiating interface contracts, and the ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

Nice to have

• Python, container orchestration with k3s, k3d, or Docker, and build systems such as Conan or CMake.
• Experience with autonomy stacks, motion planning, vehicle-control or autopilot integration, and hardware-in-the-loop debugging.
• Familiarity with PX4, ArduPilot, spacecraft flight software, vessel autopilots, or C2 standards such as A-GRA, UCI, and OMS.
• Experience developing testing, logging, and data-parsing automation tools and working with CI/CD pipelines.

Culture & Benefits

• Hands-on engineering focused on deploying autonomy software to real hardware and supporting live mission operations.
• Cross-functional collaboration with autonomy, perception, platform integration, and government or industry stakeholders.
• Opportunities to mentor engineers, shape technical standards, improve development processes, and participate in hiring.
• Regular travel to flight tests, range exercises, on-water trials, integration events, customer sites, and other test locations.