Embedded Software Engineer - Flight Stack

Job description

• Knightwerx is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Embedded Software Engineer to develop, integrate, and optimize the flight control stack for a small unmanned electric aircraft. We balance innovation with reliability in a fast-paced environment. You’ll work closely with aeromechanical, avionics, and autonomy teams to deliver robust, safe, high-performance flight software from prototype through production.

Work Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent experience
• 5+ years professional experience developing embedded software for UAV flight-control or similar safety-critical systems
• Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and test real-time embedded software for flight control and avionics
• Hands-on experience with UAV autopilots (e.g., PX4, ArduPilot) and flight testing
• Experience with international interoperability standards like STANAG 4586
• Strong knowledge of MAVLink, RTPS and other UAV communication protocols.
• Experience with uORB, FastDDS, or similar frameworks for real-time communications in UAV systems
• Familiarity with mission planning, geospatial systems, and mapping software.

Attributes

• Ability to work effectively in a team environment, collaborating with cross-functional teams and contributing to collective goals
• Demonstrates a positive attitude towards feedback, actively seeking input from others to improve User Experience (UX)
• Innovative, hands-on, and practical
• Multi-disciplined, problem solver, driven by engineering analysis
• Goal driven, learns from mistakes, and closes the loop on the design process

Primary Duties

• Develop, integrate, and maintain real-time flight-control software for UAS
• Implement control loops, state estimation, and sensor fusion for stable, precise flight
• Integrate avionics hardware, navigation sensors, payload/power modules, and comms into the flight stack
• Conduct SIL/HIL simulations and bench testing; validate flight performance and failsafes
• Support flight tests: pre-flight checkout, in-flight telemetry monitoring, post-flight log analysis
• Collaborate with aerodynamics, propulsion, autonomy, and systems teams to tune performance
• Maintain configuration management, version control, and documentation to safety/quality standards

Tasks

• Implement and optimize flight-control/estimation algorithms for embedded targets
• Develop and maintain features for mission planning, autopilot management, and vehicle control
• Create intuitive and responsive user interfaces (UI) for controlling and monitoring UAVs
• Implement and test new features based on user feedback and technological advancements
• Ensure the software is scalable, maintainable, and efficient
• Participate in the development and documentation of software design, code, debugging, troubleshooting, and test procedures

Skills

• Knowledge of cybersecurity principles and practices in software development
• Experience with version control systems (Git) and build tools (CMake)
• Proficiency in programming languages such as C++, Python, and/or Rust
• Familiarity with Qt, React, or similar frameworks for GUI development
• Strong understanding of real-time communication protocols and back-end integration
• Experience with RTOS (FreeRTOS, ChibiOS, NuttX, or similar), PX4/ArduPilot internals, messaging (uORB, MAVLink), and real-time middleware (RTPS/FastDDS)
• Simulation/tooling: MATLAB/Simulink, Gazebo, or equivalent; strong debugging/profiling/optimization skills
• Nice to have: awareness of STANAG 4586/interoperability concepts and airworthiness/safety practices, and experience with containerization and container management

Requirements

• Must have US citizenship
• On-site, collaborative work environment