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Pyka is building autonomous electric aircraft for cargo transport and crop protection, with FAA regulatory approvals and operations across four continents. As Senior Software Engineer for the Dropship and Cargo programs, you will own the software architecture and behavior of these aircraft systems end-to-end.
You will be the technical authority on software decisions for the cargo and dropship product lines, responsible for ensuring all software components work together cohesively and that aircraft are flight-ready. The role spans the full stack: autonomous path planning for long-range missions, flight control systems for new airframes, hybrid powertrain energy management (engine control, state-of-charge optimization, power/range/payload tradeoffs), sensor integration, weather incorporation into mission planning, and ground-based mission planning tools.
Key responsibilities include:
- Architecting and implementing path planning algorithms that account for energy state, winds aloft, and weather routing
- Designing energy management strategies for hybrid powertrains, balancing engine control, battery state-of-charge policies, and operational constraints
- Developing flight control systems and handling characteristics for new airframes, from simulation through flight test validation
- Integrating new sensors and payload systems, defining software requirements before hardware is finalized
- Translating operational feedback from live cargo flights into requirements for next-generation aircraft
- Defining mission planning and ground control station capabilities needed by operators
You will work closely with the Dropship team, serving as the go-to software expert when technical decisions impact aircraft behavior, safety, or operational capability. This is a hands-on role where your decisions directly affect real-world autonomous aircraft operations.
