Embedded Software Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

We're looking for a people-first Software Engineering manager to oversee the development, integration, and maintenance of software systems for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This role involves leading a team of software engineers, collaborating with cross-functional teams (hardware, systems, and flight operations), and ensuring that all software complies with safety, performance, and regulatory requirements. The candidate will be responsible for the entire software development lifecycle, from requirements gathering through design, implementation, and validation. 

Software Engineering Manager - Embedded Software (UAV Systems) 

Responsibilities 

• Team Leadership & Management: Build, mentor, and manage a high-performing software engineering team developing mission-critical embedded software for UAV flight control, communications, mission planning, and data processing. 

• Technical Direction & Architecture Oversight: Provide technical leadership and architectural guidance for embedded software systems, ensuring scalability, safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance. 

• Project & Execution Coordination: Coordinate with product and program managers to define project scope, allocate resources, set priorities, and manage software development schedules for flight control, mission management, and payload software programs. 

• Systems Integration & Delivery: Collaborate with cross-functional engineering groups to ensure seamless integration of software with hardware, sensors, communication systems, and ground control systems. 

• Quality Assurance & Safety: Oversee verification and validation activities, including unit testing, simulation, hardware-in-the-loop (HITL), and flight testing to ensure performance, robustness, and safety of delivered software. 

• Compliance & Certification Leadership: Ensure development follows certification frameworks and safety standards such as DO-178C, ARP4754, and other UAV regulatory requirements. 

• Innovation & Technology Strategy: Evaluate emerging technologies and drive adoption into product roadmaps, supporting advancement in autonomy, communications, and mission capabilities. 

• Process Improvement: Help refine development best practices, coding standards, test methodologies, and documentation processes to support scalability and efficiency. 

• Stakeholder Collaboration: Align software engineering goals with product, business, and operational requirements by coordinating closely with program and product management, systems engineering, hardware engineering, and flight operations teams. 

• Documentation Oversight: Ensure creation and maintenance of high-quality documentation including design artifacts, test plans, certification documentation, and user manuals. 

Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field (Master's degree preferred). 

• Minimum of 7+ years of software engineering experience, including at least 3 years in a leadership, management, or team-lead role. 

• Strong background in embedded or aerospace software development, with experience in UAV systems strongly preferred. 

• Familiarity with programming languages and modeling tools used in embedded and control systems (e.g., C, C++, C#, Python, MATLAB, Simulink). 

• Understanding of real-time operating systems (RTOS), flight control systems, and communication protocols (e.g., STANAG-4586, ARINC-825, MAVLink). 

• Experience with network protocols (UDP, TCP, DNS, DHCP) and working with networked embedded devices. 

• Knowledge of software development lifecycle tools and workflow systems (Git, GitHub, JIRA, CI/CD). 

• Demonstrated ability to lead diverse technical teams, communicate effectively, and drive results in a fast-paced engineering environment. 

• Familiarity with safety-critical systems and certification standards such as DO-178C and ARP4754. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience with autonomy-enabling technologies such as machine learning, computer vision, or advanced sensor fusion. 

• Knowledge of satellite or long-range communication technologies relevant to UAV platforms. 

• Prior involvement in scaling engineering teams or multi-program software organizations.