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Firestorm · 10 hours ago

Senior Software Engineer, Tactical Applications

California, United States

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level

$140K/yr - $178K/yr

5+ years exp

Firestorm is a company on a mission to revolutionize defense solutions through innovative technologies. They are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to lead the development of mission-critical software for unmanned aerial systems, focusing on Ground Control Station applications and cross-platform tools that support tactical operations.

AerospaceArtificial Intelligence (AI)Drones

No H1B

Security Clearance Required

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and maintain the Ground Control Station (GCS) software suite using Qt 6/Qt Quick/QML and modern C++

Build cross-platform Qt applications that operate seamlessly on Windows, Linux, and Android—including configuration, CI/CD, and deployment pipelines

Extend and integrate open-source GCS frameworks (e.g., QGroundControl) to accelerate capability development while ensuring codebase modularity and clarity

Interface with real-time telemetry systems and C2 protocols (e.g., MAVLink 2, STANAG 4586, Link 16, Cursor-on-Target) via QtNetwork, QSerialPort, and middleware layers

Collaborate with avionics, autonomy, and payload teams to visualize live sensor data using Qt Charts, Qt Location, Qt Multimedia, and 3D frameworks

Own the entire software development lifecycle: requirements, architecture, implementation, testing, release, and field deployment

Continuously iterate on UI/UX based on feedback from operators, while ensuring the software meets MIL-STD security and reliability standards

Write clear, maintainable documentation, interface specs, and training materials; mentor junior engineers and enforce code quality standards

Qualification

QtC++Cross-platform developmentReal-time systemsNetworkingSecure coding practicesCI/CDUAS protocolsProblem-solvingCommunicationMentoring

Required

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field

5+ years of professional experience delivering Qt-based applications in modern C++ (C++14/17), with 3+ years focused on real-time or mission-critical systems

Deep expertise in Qt (Qt Quick/QML, Qt Widgets, Qt Charts, Qt Multimedia) and architectural design patterns such as MVVM or MVC

Proven cross-platform development experience: + Linux: CMake, AppImage/deb/rpm, systemd, Wayland/X11. + Windows: MSVC/MinGW, windeployqt, MSI/MSIX installers. + Android: Qt for Android, Gradle, JNI, APK signing

Strong integration experience between C++ backend logic and QML front-ends; performance optimization for CPU/GPU-limited environments

Proficient in networking and asynchronous programming (TCP/UDP, REST, WebSockets) within Qt

Knowledge of secure coding practices and libraries (OpenSSL, libsodium), with experience designing secure-by-default systems

Excellent problem-solving and communication skills; capable of working autonomously on complex systems and collaborating across teams

U.S. Citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance

Preferred

Experience with QGroundControl (QGC): building, extending, or customizing plugins for new vehicle types or mission profiles

Expertise in cross-platform and embedded development, including Yocto-based targets and constrained environments

Familiarity with UAS communication protocols: MAVLink, STANAG 4586, OMNI, Link 16, Cursor-on-Target

Knowledge of Qt test automation (Squish) and experience integrating unit, integration, and GUI tests into CI/CD pipelines

CI/CD tooling experience with CMake, Conan/vcpkg, Jenkins, GitLab CI, and automated test frameworks (Catch2, Squish)

Proficiency with geospatial visualization tools: Qt Location, Mapbox GL Native, OpenStreetMap

Experience developing to military or aviation software standards (MIL-STD, DO-178C, etc.)

Track record of mentoring developers, leading code reviews, and driving best practices in modern C++ (Clang-Tidy, Valgrind, Sanitizers)

Deep understanding of low-level rendering in Qt (QSG/OpenGL, Qt Quick 3D) and performance tuning for sensor/3D visualizations

Integration experience with middleware and robotics frameworks such as ROS 2 (rclcpp, DDS), ZeroMQ, or Protobuf

Familiarity with embedded Linux development: cross-compilation, Yocto/Buildroot, and over-the-air (OTA) update mechanisms

Knowledge of modern build systems like Bazel or Meson alongside CMake

Practical field-test experience with manned or unmanned aerial platforms

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, and visions plans

401(k) Retirement Savings Plan to invest in your long-term retirement goals

Unlimited PTO

Extremely generous company holiday calendar, including a holiday hiatus in December.

Generous Parental Leave

FSA

HSA

Hospital Indemnity insurance

Critical Illness insurance

Accident insurance

Basic Life/AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance, 100% covered by Firestorm. Plus, the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your family.

Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, are available to you as well.