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Wildfire Software Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Vibrant Planet

Software Engineer (App)

$100K - $200K/yr

Our fire science subsidiary, Pyrologix, produces leading wildfire science and models that quantify ... years of professional software engineering experience building and operating production web ...

torchsystems.com

Software Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Backend / Future AI Lead Engineer - Torch Systems (Bay Area) About Torch Torch is building the most accurate outdoor wildfire detection system in the world - a network of advanced IoT sensors and AI ...

PaloAlto Networks

Principal Software Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$157K - $210K/yr

Bring your software engineering expertise to work on our cutting edge malware detection platform, WildFire. Participate in the design, deployment and scaling of our architecture as we transform it by ...

Palantir

Whether it's How do we predict and mitigate wildfire risks to optimize power grids? or How can we ... Software Engineer: Software Engineers at Palantir build software at scale to transform how ...

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How much do wildfire software engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 10, 2026, the average hourly pay for wildfire software engineer in the United States is $50.69, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $39.18 and $61.78 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Wildfire software engineer?

A Wildfire Software Engineer is a professional who develops and maintains software applications and tools designed to predict, monitor, and manage wildfires. They work closely with scientists, emergency responders, and environmental agencies to create systems that analyze data from satellites, sensors, and weather models. Their work helps improve the accuracy of wildfire forecasting, supports firefighting efforts, and enhances public safety. Wildfire Software Engineers often use programming languages like Python, C++, and GIS technologies to build and deploy these specialized applications.

What are some unique challenges faced by wildfire software engineers when developing applications for emergency response?

Wildfire Software Engineers often work under tight deadlines to deliver reliable and user-friendly solutions that support emergency response teams. One unique challenge is ensuring that software performs well in low-connectivity or offline environments, as wildland areas frequently have limited network access. Additionally, engineers must develop systems that process and visualize real-time data from various sources, such as satellite imagery and sensor networks, to aid rapid decision-making. Collaborating closely with first responders and GIS specialists is essential to ensure that applications meet the practical needs of field operations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a wildfire software engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Wildfire Software Engineer, you need strong programming skills (often in Python, C++, or Java), a background in computer science or engineering, and knowledge of wildfire modeling or geospatial data. Familiarity with GIS tools, remote sensing systems, and cloud computing platforms is typically required, along with experience using simulation frameworks and relevant certifications. Excellent problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and strong communication skills set top candidates apart in this field. These skills are essential for developing accurate, scalable software that supports wildfire prediction, management, and mitigation efforts.

What are popular job titles related to Wildfire Software Engineer jobs?

For Wildfire Software Engineer jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Wildfire Software Engineer job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, and 9% Contract. Highlights an 64% In-person, and 36% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $105,435 per year, or $50.7 per hour.

Autonomy Software Engineer

Alameda, CA • On-site

Rain Industries Inc
Utilities • 1 - 10 employees
Learn more about Rain Industries Incexternal

Other

Posted 23 days ago

Job description

You are responsible for creating the core decision-making framework, algorithms, and models that guide multi-aircraft coordinated wildfire suppression. At the nexus of the perception pipeline, suppression execution engine, and operator command interface, your systems will rapidly develop and adapt strategies in a changing wildfire environment to achieve suppression goals. You will collaborate directly with firefighters, pilots, and your engineering colleagues to determine and validate system requirements.

What we do

Rain integrates with early wildfire detection to dispatch autonomous aircraft to suspected ignitions. Once dispatched, Rain’s Wildfire Mission Autonomy System perceives the fire, shares intelligence, develops a suppression strategy, and when approved, completes the water drop and evaluates its efficacy. Combining wildfire mission management, path planning, fire perception, suppression strategy, and suppressant targeting, Rains technology gives fire agencies the ability to stop wildfires in their earliest stages, before they grow out of control.

Responsibilities

Build and integrate mission-level autonomy frameworks for goal-oriented behavior, task assignment, and system-level coordination

Enable intuitive human command and supervision, communicating intent, and building operator confidence in mission-critical contexts

Develop algorithms for collaborative autonomy involving multiple aircraft

Ensure real-time performance and reliability of autonomy software, especially under compute-constrained and communications-limited conditions.

Design autonomy software with fault-tolerance, fail-safe behavior, and robustness to uncertain environments or degraded sensors.

Validate and test in simulation and in flight, ensuring mission success in challenging conditions faced by firefighting aircraft

Collaborate closely with other members of the engineering team to develop and test the algorithms that power the wildfire mission autonomy system

Contribute to simulation environments for training, testing, and validation

Qualifications

Deep expertise (6+ years of experience) in software engineering for UAS, robotics, or other safety-critical applications

Strong proficiency in C++14 (or newer) development for resource-limited environments

Knowledge of planning, state machines, or behavior trees

Background in robotics, control systems, or aerospace autonomy

Familiarity with simulation tools (e.g., Unreal Engine, AirSim, AFSIM)

Understanding of communication protocols, real-time constraints, and embedded systems

What will make you a great fit

Youre excited about Rains mission to stop wildfires before they grow out of control

You thrive in small teams, where you can see the immediate impact of your knowledge and expertise

You have experience with reinforcement learning or adaptive autonomy

Youre familiar with STANAG/DoD autonomy standards and DO-178C

Youve previously worked with uncrewed aerial systems, aviation, aerospace

Youve served as a firefighter

You are willing to travel at least 15% of the year for validation testing

Location

This is an on-site position. Our office is located in Alameda, California—just across the Bay from San Francisco. The office is easily accessible by ferry, bike and scooter, and there is ample parking. Some travel for validation testing is expected.

Legal Notice

This role involves access to information governed by U.S. export control laws. To comply, applicants must qualify as a “U.S. Person” (U.S. Citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee). Employment offers are contingent upon meeting these requirements.

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