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Salary: USD 145,000 - 165,000 / annual
Firestorm is building expeditionary defense manufacturing and autonomous systems, including modular unmanned aircraft and deployable microfactories designed for rapid deployment and adaptability in the field.
You will join as a Senior Android Applications Engineer focused on the Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) ecosystem. In this role, you will design and develop solutions supporting real-time communication, situational awareness, and mission execution for defense and tactical operations. You will rapidly grow into the lead developer on a small team, taking ownership of the TAK product line. Working alongside senior engineers and cross-functional teammates, you'll build, test, and deploy capabilities that directly serve frontline operators.
Key responsibilities include:
- Design and implement ATAK plugins, features, and integrations in Java
- Lead the full development lifecycle of ATAK-based application solutions
- Work with management to plan release goals, timelines, and development cycles
- Assist with sprint planning for junior developers and review their code
- Author build instructions, testing documentation, release notes, and technical specifications
- Contribute to official TAK repositories while maintaining alignment with community standards
- Engage with TAK community initiatives to stay current on feature updates and best practices
- Create UI assets optimized for use in austere and high-intensity environments
- Apply knowledge of industry-standard protocols (MAVLink, Link 16, OMNI) for secure cross-platform interoperability
- Support evaluation and integration of UAS systems into TAK workflows
- Participate in client-facing engagements with government, military, and commercial stakeholders
- Implement and maintain best practices for secure data handling, network configurations, and access controls
- Collaborate with software, hardware, and operations teams to align TAK capabilities with organizational objectives
You are a strong candidate if you have extensive Android and Java experience, demonstrated leadership skills with a desire to mentor engineers, curiosity about real-world tactical challenges, and thrive on collaboration. You welcome rapidly evolving technologies and iterate quickly to meet shifting requirements while maintaining high standards in coding, testing, and documentation.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's or advanced degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field
- 5+ years of software development experience with strong focus on Java
- 5+ years of Android development experience, including Android Studio IDE, Android SDK, Gradle build system, and Jetpack libraries
- Ability to seamlessly integrate C++ code into Android applications using Android NDK and JNI
- Experience implementing encryption, authentication, and secure communication methodologies in restricted environments
- Background in secure DevOps practices, including test automation and CI/CD pipelines
- High proficiency in Android architecture fundamentals (Activity lifecycle, Services, Broadcast Receivers, Content Providers)
- Customer-facing communication skills with ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences
- U.S. citizenship required with ability to obtain U.S. Government security clearance
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Deep knowledge of TAK ecosystem (ATAK, TAK Server) including plugin development and system integration
- Full understanding of Cursor-On-Target message formats and sub-schemas
- Demonstrated success building and maintaining ATAK/TAK solutions
- Hands-on familiarity with TAK Product Center including code contributions and community collaboration
- Background in defense or tactical UX with understanding of operator constraints and workflows
- Experience with real-time video streaming systems (RTSP, SRT) connected to TAK platforms
- Knowledge of unmanned aerial systems, flight dynamics, sensor feeds, and communication protocols
