Senior Software Engineer, Tactical Applications

About the Role

The Senior Software Engineer will join the Tactical Applications team to lead development of Ground Control Station (GCS) software for Firestorm's unmanned aerial systems. Working remotely or from San Diego, the role involves building cross‑platform Qt applications, integrating real‑time telemetry, and delivering secure, operator‑focused tools for real defense missions. • Design, develop, and maintain GCS software using Qt 6/Qt Quick/QML and modern C++. • Create cross‑platform Qt applications for Windows, Linux, and Android, including CI/CD and deployment pipelines. • Extend open‑source GCS frameworks (e.g., QGroundControl) while maintaining modular, clear code. • Integrate real‑time telemetry and C2 protocols (MAVLink 2, STANAG 4586, Link 16, Cursor‑on‑Target). • Collaborate with avionics, autonomy, and payload teams to visualize live sensor data using Qt Charts, Location, Multimedia, and 3D. • Own the full software lifecycle: requirements, architecture, implementation, testing, release, and field deployment. • Iterate UI/UX based on operator feedback and ensure compliance with MIL‑STD security and reliability standards. • Write documentation, interface specs, and training materials; mentor junior engineers and enforce code quality.

Key Responsibilities

• ▸qt development
• ▸cross‑platform
• ▸telemetry integration
• ▸ui/ux design
• ▸software lifecycle
• ▸code quality

What You Bring

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or otherwise eligible to obtain the necessary ITAR/EAR authorizations, as compliance with export control regulations is required for all employees. • Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science or related field; 5+ years Qt/C++ experience, 3+ years on real‑time systems. • Proficiency with Qt (Quick/QML, Widgets, Charts, Multimedia) and design patterns such as MVVM or MVC. • Cross‑platform expertise: CMake, Linux packaging, Windows MSVC/MinGW, Android Gradle/JNI, and installer creation. • Strong networking skills (TCP/UDP, REST, WebSockets) and secure coding experience (OpenSSL, libsodium). • Preferred: experience extending QGroundControl, embedded Yocto targets, and UAS protocols (MAVLink, STANAG 4586, etc.). • Preferred: test automation with Squish, CI/CD tooling (Conan/vcpkg, Jenkins, GitLab CI) and unit testing frameworks. • Preferred: geospatial visualization (Qt Location, Mapbox GL, OpenStreetMap) and military/aviation standards (MIL‑STD, DO‑178C). • Preferred: mentoring, leading code reviews, and applying modern C++ best practices (Clang‑Tidy, Valgrind, Sanitizers).

Requirements

• ▸qt/c++
• ▸real‑time
• ▸cmake
• ▸networking
• ▸secure coding
• ▸itar

Benefits

This remote‑designated position may require up to 10% travel for team collaboration, field testing, or customer support, and offers a salary range of $140,000–$178,000 USD. Firestorm provides a comprehensive benefits package, unlimited PTO, generous holidays, and a culture that values collaboration, trust, and employee well‑being. • Benefits: comprehensive medical, dental, vision plans; 401(k) retirement savings; unlimited PTO and generous holiday calendar. • Benefits: parental leave, FSA, HSA, multiple insurance options (life, AD&D, disability, accident, critical illness). • Benefits: 24/7 mental health resources, free therapy, and additional work‑life services including legal and financial support.

Work Environment

Remote