Hands-on software engineering for our cutting-edge missile interceptor system. You'll develop and integrate components across the software stack, either on the embedded / flight side (RTOS, low-latency sensor and comm code on the interceptor) or on the ground station / Command & Control side (distributed services for mission monitoring, threat evaluation, and visualization). You'll work under the Software Group Lead's architectural direction, with deep ownership of the modules you ship.
We are looking for a "builder" mentality, someone who drives end-to-end delivery from concept to field deployment, and who treats AI coding tools as a force multiplier rather than a curiosity.
Why Join Skapion?
This is a unique opportunity to be at the heart of a defense-tech startup during its most exciting growth phase!
Responsibilities
- Build: Develop flight software, sensor fusion algorithms, and secure communication protocols between the interceptor and C2; or build distributed microservices for the ground station, depending on which area fits your background.
- Integrate: Work alongside Hardware Engineering (mechanical, electrical, GNC), Systems Engineering, and Program Management to integrate the software with the rest of the missile and ground station.
- Test: Participate in HIL/SIL testing phases, support field trials, and write the automation that keeps these tests fast and reliable.
- AI-assisted delivery: Use modern AI coding tools (GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Claude Code, etc.) heavily across your daily work to ship faster without compromising safety-critical standards.
- Collaborate: Contribute to design reviews and architectural decisions; raise issues and propose alternatives rather than waiting for direction.
Requirements
- Experience: 3-5+ years in software engineering, ideally with exposure to aerospace, defense, robotics, or another safety-critical domain.
- Strong in C/C++ for hard real-time environments, OR strong in distributed/back-end stacks (Go, Rust, Python, Node) for the ground-station side.
- One or more of these depending on your specialization:
- RTOS experience (FreeRTOS, VxWorks, embedded Linux, etc.)
- Communication bus protocols: CAN bus, MIL-STD-1553, SPI, Ethernet
- Distributed systems on containerized environments (Kubernetes, Docker)
- Low-latency data visualization and geospatial situational awareness
- Education: B.Sc. in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, or Electrical Engineering.
- Project history: Direct experience contributing to UAVs, missiles, autonomous kinetic systems, or similar safety-critical hardware/software systems.
- Eligible for security clearance.
Preferred Qualifications
- AI tooling fluency: Proven track record of using AI agentic tools to ship faster, refactoring legacy systems, documenting complex architectures, generating tests.
- DevOps for embedded: Experience building CI/CD pipelines for embedded systems, including automated Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing.
- Sensor fusion (Radar, EO/IR, IMU) and target tracking experience.
- Knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks for defense-grade software (e.g., MISRA C/C++).
- Experience with secure, jam-resistant RF data links and network protocols.
- M.Sc. in a relevant field.