Drone Software Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

At Axon, we’re on a mission to Protect Life. We’re explorers, pursuing society’s most critical safety and justice issues with our ecosystem of devices and cloud software. Like our products, we work better together. We connect with candor and care, seeking out diverse perspectives from our customers, communities and each other.

Life at Axon is fast-paced, challenging and meaningful. Here, you’ll take ownership and drive real change. Constantly grow as you work hard for a mission that matters at a company where you matter.

Dedrone systems sit at the bleeding edge of counter-UAS (CUAS) capability. You'll design and execute the test strategies that prove them out, across hardware/software integration, networking, active and passive detection, computer vision, RF mitigation/defeat, environmental durability, and automated regression. You'll be the engineer who understands the entire system and its nuances end to end: you'll determine whether a system has what it takes to meet the objective, build the tooling to evaluate it against live drone threats, and be the one who can reproduce the issue nobody else can. Your job is to make sure the systems our customers rely on hold up in the real world, against real threats, at the forefront of technology.

In this role the drone is the threat. What's under test is the CUAS stack - detect, track, identify, and defeat - along with the sensors, software, integrations, and platforms that deliver it.

• Own system-level test strategy for one or more CUAS product lines, from early prototype through production and field deployment.
• Design and execute integration test plans across the full stack: RF sensors, radar, EO/IR and acoustic sensors, computer vision, RF detection/DF, jamming and mitigation/defeat, networking, radios, and third-party system integrations.
• Plan and execute field test campaigns at the range - flying threat-representative target drones against the system and executing live detect–track–ID–defeat runs.
• Build and maintain test tooling, automation, and instrumented data capture and reduction, regression automation, and HIL / RF-chamber / environmental setups for sensor and platform hardware.
• Collect, analyze, and report test metrics, turn field data into clear insights, recommendations, and event reports for PM, engineering, and leadership.
• Evaluate third‑party and integrated systems against defined acceptance criteria to determine whether a system or integration meets the cut.
• Triage complex multi-system failures across HW, FW, SW, RF, and network; reproduce intermittent field issues others can't.
• Partner with various Dedrone teams during design reviews to bake in testability early.
• Help shape the System Test and Evaluation discipline across Dedrone.

Required

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace, or a related field — or equivalent hands‑on experience. We actively welcome non‑traditional paths: prior technician, electrician, military technical‑trade experience followed by a degree is a strength, not a gap.
• 5–8 years across system test, system integration, field test & evaluation, or hands‑on technical roles (military or industry) on complex electromechanical and RF systems.
• Hands‑on with at least two of: HW/SW integration testing, RF/wireless validation, environmental/reliability testing, test automation, electrical system testing, radar testing, EO/IR or camera testing, acoustic sensing.
• Demonstrated ability to debug across the stack - hardware, electrical, RF, network, and software.
• Comfortable owning field operations and translating raw test data into decisions stakeholders can act on.
• U.S. person defined as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders)
• Approximately 50% field time

Strongly preferred

• CUAS, EW/SIGINT, RF, Cameras, Radar or other mission‑critical / safety‑critical system experience.
• RF and wireless depth: DF, spectrum analysis, and the protocols drones live on (sub‑GHz proprietary, Wi‑Fi, LTE/5G, Bluetooth), plus jamming/mitigation.
• Familiarity with UAS.
• Experience with automated test frameworks.

Nice to have

• FAA Part 107 (the team flies its own target drones).
• MS in a relevant field.
• Prior CUAS or counter‑drone operational experience (military or government).

• Competitive salary and 401k with employer match
• Discretionary paid time off
• Paid parental leave for all
• Medical, Dental, Vision plans
• Fitness Programs
• Emotional & Mental Wellness support
• Learning & Development programs
• Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
• And yes, we have snacks in our offices

Benefits listed herein may vary depending on the nature of your employment and the location where you work.

Axon is a total compensation company, meaning compensation is made up of base pay, bonus, and stock awards. The actual base pay is dependent upon many factors, such as: level, function, training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs, geographic market, and often a combination of all these factors. Our benefits offer an array of options to help support you physically, financially and emotionally through the big milestones and in your everyday life. To see more details on our benefits offerings please visit https://www.axon.com/careers.

Base Pay Range

$90,000 — $144,000 USD

Don’t meet every single requirement? That's ok. At Axon, we Aim Far. We think big with a long‑term view because we want to reinvent the world to be a safer, better place. We are also committed to building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they check every box in the job description. If you’re excited about this role and our mission to Protect Life but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification listed here, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Important Notes

The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all duties, responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. The job description may change or be supplemented at any time in accordance with business needs and conditions.

Some roles may also require legal eligibility to work in a firearms environment.

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Axon’s mission is to Protect Life and is committed to the well‑being and safety of its employees as well as Axon’s impact on the environment. All Axon employees must be aware of and committed to the appropriate environmental, health, and safety regulations, policies, and procedures. Axon employees are empowered to report safety concerns as they arise and activities potentially impacting the environment.

We are an equal opportunity employer that promotes justice, advances equity, values diversity and fosters inclusion. We’re committed to hiring the best talent — regardless of race, creed, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances — and empowering all of our employees so they can do their best work. If you have a disability or special need that requires assistance or accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please email recruitingops@axon.com. Please note that this email address is for accommodation purposes only. Axon will not respond to inquiries for other purposes.