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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, with the opportunity to grow into the lead developer role on a small team. You will design and develop solutions supporting real-time communication, situational awareness, and mission execution for defense and tactical operations.
Key Responsibilities:
- 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 and mentor junior developers
- Review code and guide skills development of junior team members
- Author technical documentation including build instructions, testing procedures, and release notes
- 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 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 cross-functional teams to align TAK capabilities with organizational objectives
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's or advanced degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field
- 8+ 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 including flight dynamics, sensor feeds, and communication protocols
