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

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

Company

hirify.global develops autonomy software for unmanned platforms across air, maritime, space, and effects/expendables domains for U.S. Department of Defense and international defense customers.

What you will do

• Develop, integrate, configure, validate, and field autonomy software for unmanned platforms.
• Drive technical direction, reference implementations, architecture patterns, and C2 interoperability strategy across multiple programs.
• Lead design reviews, documentation, post-mortems, and cross-functional technical initiatives.
• Prepare mission-ready systems, including payload computer bring-up, container deployment, hardware/software compatibility, and release coordination.
• Support live flight tests, range exercises, on-water trials, integration events, and time-critical troubleshooting.
• Mentor senior engineers and team leads, shape hiring standards, and improve engineering processes and deployment reliability.

Requirements

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Typically 10+ years of related experience with a bachelor's degree, 9+ years with a master's degree, or 7+ years 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 autonomy simulation environments.
• Experience with middleware, publish-subscribe or IPC frameworks, unmanned-system field tests, architecture decisions, interface contracts, and cross-program technical leadership.
• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

Nice to have

• Python, Docker, k3s, k3d, CMake, Conan, CI/CD, and automation tools for testing, logging, and data analysis.
• Experience with motion planning, vehicle-control integration, avionics, spacecraft buses, vessel control, payload computers, or hardware-in-the-loop debugging.
• Familiarity with PX4, ArduPilot, spacecraft flight software, vessel autopilots, and C2 standards such as A-GRA, UCI, or OMS.
• Experience with DoD stakeholders, customer briefings, technical reviews, and government-furnished simulation environments such as AFSIM or NGTS.

Culture & Benefits

• Hands-on work spanning R&D, deployment, live testing, and real-world unmanned-system operations.
• Collaboration with autonomy, perception, feature, engineering leadership, customer, standards, and external integration teams.
• Work across air, maritime, space, and effects/expendables operating domains.
• Regular travel for customer sites, test locations, and integration events.