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Software Engineer Px4 Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Auterion

GNC Engineer

Arlington, VA

$140K - $170K/yr

As a GNC Engineer, you will be responsible for developing and sustaining the guidance, navigation, and control software that powers Auterion's Skynode platform, built on PX4. Your primary focus will ...

Auterion

GNC Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$140K - $170K/yr

As a GNC Engineer, you will be responsible for developing and sustaining the guidance, navigation, and control software that powers Auterion's Skynode platform, built on PX4. Your primary focus will ...

Auterion

GNC Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$140K - $170K/yr

As a GNC Engineer, you will be responsible for developing and sustaining the guidance, navigation, and control software that powers Auterion's Skynode platform, built on PX4. Your primary focus will ...

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Software Engineer Px4 information

What is a software engineer PX4?

A Software Engineer Px4 is a professional who develops, maintains, and optimizes software for the PX4 autopilot platform, which is widely used in drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These engineers work with open-source flight control software, ensuring reliable performance, integrating new features, and troubleshooting issues related to flight operations. They often collaborate with hardware engineers, robotics teams, and other developers to create innovative solutions for aerial robotics applications.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a software engineer PX4?

To thrive as a Software Engineer PX4, you need a strong background in computer science, C/C++ programming, and embedded systems, often supported by a relevant degree or equivalent experience. Familiarity with PX4 autopilot firmware, Linux, Git, and possibly ROS or UAV hardware integration is typically required. Problem-solving, attention to detail, and effective collaboration are standout soft skills in this role. These skills and tools are crucial for developing reliable, safe, and high-performance flight control systems in drone and robotics applications.

What are some typical challenges software engineers face when working with PX4 flight control software?

Software Engineers working with PX4 frequently encounter challenges related to integrating new hardware, ensuring real-time performance, and debugging issues in complex flight environments. The open-source nature of PX4 means you may need to collaborate with a diverse, global community and stay updated on rapid changes in upstream code. Additionally, ensuring compatibility across various UAV platforms and maintaining robust safety standards are ongoing responsibilities. Successful engineers are proactive in testing, documentation, and leveraging support from both internal teams and the broader PX4 community.

What is the difference between Software Engineer Px4 vs Software Engineer Drone?

AspectSoftware Engineer Px4Software Engineer Drone
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Computer Science or related field; experience with PX4 autopilotBachelor's in Engineering or Computer Science; experience with drone software
Work EnvironmentEmbedded systems, robotics, UAV developmentUnmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) development, hardware integration
Employer & IndustryDrone manufacturers, aerospace, robotics companiesDrone startups, aerospace firms, research institutions
Common Search/ComparisonYesYes

Software Engineer Px4 specializes in developing and maintaining the PX4 autopilot software used in drones, focusing on embedded systems and robotics. In contrast, Software Engineer Drone may work on broader drone software applications, including hardware integration and flight control systems. Both roles require similar technical skills and are common in the aerospace and robotics industries, but Px4 engineers focus specifically on the PX4 platform.

What are popular job titles related to Software Engineer Px4 jobs in Washington?

For Software Engineer Px4 jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Software Engineer Px4 jobs in Washington look for?

The top searched job categories for Software Engineer Px4 jobs in Washington are:

What cities in Washington are hiring for Software Engineer Px4 jobs?

Cities in Washington with the most Software Engineer Px4 job openings:

Software Engineer Px4 jobs near you

Senior Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration - Weapons (R5427)

Shield AI

Washington, DC

$138K - $182K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 4 days ago

Job description

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI's technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

The Autonomous Pilot Integration team for launched effects builds autonomy solutions for small, often air- or ground-launched platforms that operate in multi-agent fleets and frequently in disconnected or air-gapped environments. We combine capabilities from the Autonomy Capabilities team (motion planning, tactics), the Perception team (e.g., track fusion), and the HivemindSDK to develop the autonomy software that runs on launched effects platforms, then integrate, validate, and field it on the real hardware-for U.S. and international defense customers. Our engineers write new autonomy code-such as mission behaviors, platform-specific control, multi-agent coordination, contingencies, and executive autonomy-and own it end-to-end from software-in-the-loop, to hardware-in-the-loop, to vehicle-in-the-loop, to live test exercise. 

In this role, you'll develop and integrate autonomy capabilities for launched effects platforms, owning major features from design through operational deployment. You'll work closely with the Autonomy Capabilities and Perception teams, feature crews, autopilot vendors (e.g., PX4, ArduPilot), C2 providers, and customer partners to deliver mission-ready autonomy software. This is a hands-on role for engineers who enjoy solving challenging integration problems and seeing their software operate in demanding real-world environments. 

What You'll Do:

Develop & Field Autonomy - Develop and integrate autonomy software solutions onto launched effects platforms, including payload computer bring-up, autopilot integration (e.g., PX4, ArduPilot), multi-agent coordination, and deployment to disconnected or air-gapped environments. Own major features from software-in-the-loop through live flight testing and operational deployment. 

Technical Leadership - Own major features or subsystems; drive technical execution, contribute to design decisions, mentor teammates, and help deliver complex autonomy capabilities. 

Collaboration Across Teams & Partners - Partner closely with the Autonomy Capabilities team (motion planning, tactics), the Perception team, feature crews, autopilot vendors (e.g., PX4, ArduPilot), C2 providers, and customer/contractor partners to deliver integrated autonomy capabilities. 

Design & Documentation - Contribute to design reviews, ICDs, integration planning, and post-mortems while helping improve engineering rigor and cross-team execution. 

Pre-deployment Preparation - Build, configure, and validate mission-ready systems for Capability Releases and fleet-scale deployments; coordinate hardware/software compatibility, mission readiness, and release readiness across engineering teams. 

On-site Test & Mission Support - Travel to test sites, customer exercises, and live demonstrations to support flight operations, system bring-up, troubleshooting, and mission execution under operational timelines. 

Hardware/Software Debugging - Diagnose and resolve integration issues across autonomy software, payload computers, embedded systems, and platform interfaces using simulation, laboratory testing, and operational data. 

Mission Data & Debrief Support - Capture mission and test data, reproduce issues in simulation, and partner with autonomy capability owners to rapidly drive improvements into future releases. 

Continuous Improvement - Develop tools and processes that improve integration timelines, testing reliability, deployment efficiency, and mission readiness. 

C2 Interoperability & Standards - Implement and validate interfaces with C2 providers while supporting compliance with common message and open-systems standards (e.g., UCI, OMS, MOSA, WOSA, TAK/CoT). 

Travel Requirement - Members of this team typically travel around 10-20% of the year to different office locations, customer sites, operator training events, flight tests, and integration exercises. 

Required Qualifications:

  • BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.  

  • Typically requires 5+ years of relevant experience (or equivalent advanced degree experience).  

  • Strong proficiency in C++ and experience developing or integrating real-time or embedded systems.  

  • Experience with Linux-based development and embedded systems.  

  • Experience integrating complex software and hardware systems.  

  • Experience supporting system integration, testing, or field events.  

  • Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.  

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience with launched effects, unmanned systems, or autonomous platforms. 

  • Experience with PX4, ArduPilot, or comparable autopilot stacks.  

  • Experience with multi-agent autonomy.  

  • Python, Docker, CMake/Conan, or CI/CD experience.  

  • Experience supporting military field exercises or defense customers. 

$163,200 - $244,800 a year
#LI-ED1
#LC

Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
 
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
 
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
 
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. 
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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