Applied Intuition

Robotic Software Engineer (Drone Stack)

Fort Walton Beach, FL$125k–$165kfulltimemidAdded today

About this role

Applied Intuition seeks a Robotic Software Engineer to design and integrate autonomy systems for defense and commercial UAVs, working across hardware-software integration, embedded platforms, and live flight testing. This role involves deploying autonomy algorithms, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and supporting customer demonstrations in a fast-paced, physically-grounded environment.

What you'll do

Integrate and deploy autonomy software onto embedded Linux platforms, sensors, and autopilot systems (Pixhawk/ArduPilot/PX4)
Develop and troubleshoot complex hardware-software integration issues to ensure reliability and performance
Support SIL, HIL, and live flight testing of autonomy systems on Group 1-5 unmanned aerial vehicles
Implement service-oriented architecture and inter-process messaging systems for autonomous UAS platforms
Collaborate with DoD experts and OEM vendors to integrate autonomy onto third-party UAS hardware
Conduct system-level validation, setup, and testing across multiple integration environments

What they're looking for

C++ programming (modern standards preferred)
Pixhawk autopilot integration (ArduPilot/PX4)
Communication protocols (UART, SPI, I2C, Ethernet, RS232/422/485)
Linux-based operating systems and Docker containerization
Git, Visual Studio Code, GitLab version control
SIL/HIL simulation and real-time edge computing systems
Robotics hardware integration and sensor interfacing
Safety-critical systems and embedded systems design

Benefits

Work on cutting-edge autonomous systems for defense and commercial industries
Collaborate with DoD warfighters and top-20 global automakers
Flexible in-office arrangement (primarily 5 days/week with occasional remote options)
Opportunities for live UAV flight testing and field demonstrations
Career growth within a $15B Silicon Valley company with global offices

Likely interview questions

Describe your experience integrating autonomy software with Pixhawk autopilots—what challenges did you encounter and how did you resolve them?
Walk us through a complex hardware-software integration project you led, including your approach to troubleshooting and validation across SIL/HIL environments.

How have you used Docker and containerized environments in embedded Linux systems, and what benefits did that provide?
Tell us about your experience working with communication protocols like UART, SPI, and I2C—which have you implemented and in what context?
Describe a time you had to collaborate across teams (hardware engineers, autonomy researchers, vendors) on a robotics integration project—how did you manage dependencies and communication?
What experience do you have with real-time and safety-critical systems, and how did you ensure system reliability?
How would you approach integrating a new third-party UAS platform with our autonomy software, and what would be your first steps?

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