Senior Field Software Engineer, Advanced Missions Group

Performance Drone Works (PDW) is building the next generation of tactical robotic systems used across defense, national security, and public safety missions. We are building a new center of engineering excellence to design our new category of tactical robotic systems and the industrial capacity to deliver them, bringing decisive airpower into the hands of every operator. We are not here to make promises; we are here to deliver real systems with real capabilities for real missions.  

You will join a team of operators, engineers, and builders who solve hard problems with humility and focus. We design and produce multi-mission aerial systems that operators trust to perform in real-world conditions, reliably, repeatedly, and at scale. Our approach is grounded in operator-centered design, rapid iteration from field use, and U.S.-based manufacturing. We operate by a clear set of values: Mission First, Aim Farther, Own It, Win Together. This is how we build advantage and how we help protect our service members, our communities, and our country. 

 Now, we’re entering a new phase of growth and are looking for a Senior Field Software Engineer to join the Advanced Mission Group (AMG). This role works directly with operators, customers, internal engineering teams, and industry partners to turn rapidly changing mission needs into working software capabilities in the field.

The ideal candidate is a pragmatic software builder and systems integrator who is comfortable starting with an incomplete requirement, asking the right questions, and producing a mission-relevant proof of concept in days or weeks rather than months. Early solutions do not need production-level polish, but they must be reliable within defined test conditions, safe to evaluate, clearly documented, and useful for deciding what PDW should build next.

This position requires strong judgment, technical breadth, and the ability to work independently in field-forward environments. The engineer will routinely integrate third-party sensors, payloads, communications systems, mission applications, and vendor software with PDW platforms, often with limited documentation and compressed timelines.

What You’ll Do

• Work directly with operators and customers during discovery sessions, demonstrations, exercises, and field tests to understand mission problems and identify the smallest useful software solution.
• Translate ambiguous or rapidly changing operational needs into clear software behaviors, interface requirements, test criteria, and short execution plans.
• Design, build, modify, and deploy proof-of-concept software, scripts, middleware, interface adapters, data pipelines, and operator workflows that validate new mission capabilities.
• Integrate third-party hardware and software, including payloads, sensors, communications systems, command-and-control tools, and vendor applications, using available APIs, SDKs, protocols, and data formats.
• Troubleshoot across the full system in real time, including application behavior, Linux environments, network connectivity, configuration, logs, timing, data exchange, and hardware-software interfaces.
• Make disciplined tradeoffs between speed, reliability, safety, and technical debt; define the operating limits of prototypes and avoid introducing unvalidated changes into safety-critical flight functions.
• Conduct rapid test and iteration cycles with operators, capture feedback, and adjust software at the point of need when mission conditions or customer priorities change.
• Create lightweight test tools, simulators, deployment packages, and repeatable development environments that make integrations easier to reproduce and demonstrate.
• Document interfaces, assumptions, dependencies, known limitations, test results, and recommended next steps so successful prototypes can transition to product engineering.
• Partner closely with AMG Solutions Engineering, Product, Autonomy, Embedded Software, Flight Operations, Mission Systems, and Go-to-Market teams.
• Provide concise field reports and technical debriefs that distinguish confirmed findings from hypotheses and translate customer feedback into actionable engineering work.
• Protect customer information and ensure all work complies with applicable safety, ITAR, export-control, cybersecurity, and operational-security requirements.

Requirements

• 5 or more years of professional software development, systems integration, field engineering, or equivalent hands-on technical experience.
• Demonstrated ability to rapidly prototype, debug, and deploy software in ambiguous, time-constrained environments.
• Strong software development experience in C++ and Python, or equivalent experience with systems-oriented and scripting languages.
• Strong working knowledge of Linux-based development and deployment, command-line tools, process and service management, logs, permissions, and networking.
• Familiarity with UAS and robotics interfaces or ecosystems such as MAVLink, ROS 2, DDS, TAK or ATAK, and Cursor on Target.
• Experience integrating third-party systems through APIs, SDKs, libraries, network protocols, serial interfaces, or vendor-provided tools.
• Practical knowledge of TCP/IP networking, including TCP and UDP communications, routing, addressing, ports, and packet-level troubleshooting.
• Ability to diagnose problems across application, operating-system, network, and hardware boundaries using incomplete information.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work directly with operators, customers, partner engineers, and internal technical teams.
• Ability to work independently in field environments while maintaining alignment, configuration control, and clear communication with the broader team.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• U.S. Citizenship and eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance or higher, as required.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 50% in support of customer engagements, demonstrations, exercises, integration events, and field testing.

Preferred

• Experience with Qt and QML, Android development, or cross-platform operator applications.
• Working knowledge of embedded Linux, cross-compilation, device interfaces, or hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Experience integrating sensors, payloads, video or telemetry systems, tactical radios, or edge-compute devices.
• Experience using containers, continuous integration tools, automated testing, or infrastructure that supports repeatable field deployments.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Ability to sit, stand, bend, reach, climb, and move about regularly throughout the day and lift or carry up to 25 pounds. Must have manual dexterity to operate standard office equipment, computers, development hardware, electronic test equipment, and unmanned systems support equipment. Must be physically capable of the assigned duties.

Work Environment

This position operates across office, laboratory, manufacturing, flight-line, range, and customer field environments. Work may involve outdoor weather, noise, dust, limited connectivity, non-climate-controlled spaces, irregular schedules, and the use of personal protective equipment. The role requires frequent cross-functional collaboration as well as independent technical execution during travel and field events.

Benefits

PDW values our team, and we offer a compensation package reflective of your experience and capabilities. Benefits include:

• Comprehensive BCBS medical, dental, and vision coverage; 80% sponsored by the company.
• Safe Harbor 401(K) with company match.
• Paid Parental Leave.
• A work environment that encourages teamwork and innovation.
• On-site gym at our Huntsville, AL and Denver, CO locations.
• Employer provided life insurance.
• Robust Employee Assistant Program (EAP).
• Competitive salary, generous paid time off (PTO), and flexible leave options.

EEO Statement

PDW is an equal opportunity employer that upholds all federal and state non-discrimination laws. We ensure a fair and unbiased evaluation for employment for all qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, medical condition, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

This position will have an annual salary and benefits. The salary range provided is a guideline rather than a fixed limit. Individual pay is determined by factors including geography, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.