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Saronic Technologies is seeking a Forward Deployed Software Engineer to integrate, deploy, and improve autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) in real-world maritime environments. This role bridges software development, field deployment, and autonomy optimization, combining hands-on coding with operational problem-solving.
You will develop and refine software for autonomy, networking, and mission execution, improving system performance in real-world maritime conditions. Key responsibilities include deploying and testing ASV software in the field, identifying and resolving issues related to autonomy, perception, and control systems. You will analyze performance data from real-world missions to drive software improvements and optimize system behavior, integrate and validate new autonomy features, and ensure seamless interaction between software, sensors, and vessel hardware.
Working directly with operators and end-users, you will gather feedback and adapt systems to operational requirements. You will troubleshoot and resolve software, hardware, and networking issues that arise during deployments, collaborate with cross-functional teams including autonomy engineers and hardware developers, and document best practices and debugging workflows to improve system reliability and scalability.
This role is ideal if you want to see your code deployed on real vessels in real missions, enjoy tackling integration and deployment challenges where things don't always go as planned, and are comfortable stepping in as the technical expert on-site. You should be able to take loosely defined customer needs and turn them into practical solutions, and prefer solving problems through code rather than presentations.
Note: This is not a pilot or flight test role, not primarily hands-on hardware work (though occasional hardware support may occur), and involves field travel (up to 50%) with unpredictable schedules driven by demos, weather, and mission needs.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Strong software engineering skills in C++, Rust, Python, or similar languages
- Background in robotics, autonomy, or embedded systems, particularly in maritime, aerospace, or defense applications
- Understanding of networking protocols and distributed systems (TCP/IP, UDP, message-passing frameworks)
- Experience with sensors (cameras, radar, GPS, IMUs), especially in perception-driven autonomy applications
- Ability to diagnose and debug complex systems from low-level networking to high-level autonomy behaviors
- Ability to work in dynamic environments where software must adapt to real-world constraints
- Willingness to travel up to 50% for field testing and deployment
- Experience developing autonomy software for real-world robotic systems in challenging environments
- Familiarity with motion planning, behavior trees, and control algorithms for autonomous navigation
- Background in maritime systems, naval operations, or defense technology (preferred)
- Knowledge of distributed autonomy architectures and multi-agent coordination (preferred)
- Hands-on experience integrating and deploying robotic systems in the field (preferred)
- U.S. Person status required (U.S. citizen, green card holder, or protected asylee/refugee)
