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Applied Intuition is a $15B-valued company (founded 2017) powering physical AI infrastructure for autonomous systems across automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining, and agriculture. The company serves 18 of the top 20 global automakers and the U.S. military with tools, operating systems, and autonomy solutions.
The Drone Stack team is seeking a Senior C++ Software Engineer to design and integrate complex autonomy and vehicle intelligence systems spanning hardware and software domains. You will integrate hardware and software onto unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms and deploy autonomy algorithms in simulation (SIL), hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), and live test environments. This role requires strong computer networking expertise, code integration skills, and a passion for robotics integration.
Key responsibilities include:
- Adapt and develop modular autonomy capabilities across diverse defense problems
- Integrate and deploy autonomy solutions onto embedded Linux and other hardware platforms, interfacing with sensors and collecting data
- Troubleshoot complex integration and software issues to ensure high reliability and performance
- Integrate autonomy software with aircraft autopilots, datalinks, sensors, PNT/GPS/INS systems, and ground control stations
- Support live flight tests of autonomy software on Group 1–5 unmanned aerial vehicles
- Collaborate with third-party UAS vehicle vendors on integration of Applied autonomy software onto OEM hardware
- Conduct system-level setup, testing, and validation including SIL and HIL evaluations
- Implement service-oriented-architecture software and inter-process messaging systems for autonomous UAS
- Collaborate with DoD warfighter domain experts and vendors to develop and integrate autonomy software
The role is based in Washington, D.C., with an expectation of primarily in-office work (5 days/week), though occasional flexibility is available. Travel is estimated at 10–20% for on-site integration and demonstrations.
REQUIREMENTS:
- BS or MS in Robotics, Computer Science, or related engineering field
- 5–10 years of hands-on experience with robotic systems (hardware, software, and integration)
- C++ programming experience (preferred)
- Experience integrating autonomy/robotics products with Pixhawk autopilots (ArduPilot and/or PX4)
- Experience integrating with communication buses and protocols: UART/RS232/RS422/RS485, SPI/QSPI, I2C, Ethernet
- Experience developing in Docker, containerized deployment environments, and Linux-based operating systems (RHEL, Ubuntu)
- Experience with git, Visual Studio Code, and GitLab
- Familiarity with real-time, edge computing, and safety-critical systems in SIL, HIL, test, and operational environments
- Excellent communication skills and customer-oriented project delivery mindset
- Willingness to travel frequently for on-site integration and demonstrations (10–20%)
- Must be a U.S. Citizen
- Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance
NICE TO HAVE:
- Modern C++ experience (2011, 2017, or 2020 standards), Bash, and CMake
- FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
- Agile development practices and CI/CD pipeline experience
- COTS hardware integration experience (Nvidia Jetson, Raspberry Pi)
- Active U.S. SECRET clearance
