Autonomy Software Engineer | Ingénieur Logiciel en Autonomie

Shearwater; Montreal; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace company in Montreal is seeking an Autonomy Software Engineer to enhance their autonomy platform and develop innovative solutions for autonomous drones. Candidates should have a strong engineering background, 4+ years of software engineering experience, and proficiency in C++ and Python. This hands-on role includes cross-functional teamwork and real-world deployments, offering meaningful equity in addition to salary. Canadian residents or those with a valid work visa will be considered.

Benefits

Meaningful equity

Innovative work environment

Opportunity to leave a mark in the industry

Qualifications

• 4+ years of professional work experience as a software engineer.
• Strong engineering background in fields like robotics, systems engineering, or aerospace engineering.
• Solid understanding of flight dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine the autonomy stack, including planning algorithms.
• Create advanced preflight planning tools for aircraft performance.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams for real‑world applications.

Skills

C++

Python

Flight dynamics

Software engineering fundamentals

Technical documentation

Communication skills

Tools

PX4 autopilot software

ROS2

Docker

Job description

Montreal

Summary

Join our team at Shearwater Aerospace, where you will collaborate with leading experts in autonomous soaring research and shape the future of flight technology. Inspired by birds that can fly for days or even months, our co-founders envisioned a world where drones could emulate this capability. This vision extends across various domains, from enhancing public safety to revolutionizing wildfire management and disaster response. By harnessing the potential of autonomous drones, we aim to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and prioritize human safety by reducing reliance on traditional aircraft. Join us in pioneering innovation that redefines the possibilities of flight.

Job Description

As an Autonomy Software Engineer, you’ll contribute to improving the robustness of our autonomy platform, developing new autonomous capabilities end-to-end, and deploying these to customers for a wide range of use cases (including situational awareness, search and rescue, and delivery). This is a hands‑on role, in which you will be expected to deliver the solutions you design to production.

What you’ll do

• Develop and refine the autonomy stack, including planning algorithms and real-time guidance systems.
• Create advanced preflight planning tools to optimize aircraft performance based on mission objectives and environmental conditions.
• Work collaboratively with cross‑functional teams to integrate autonomy capabilities into real‑world applications.
• Participate in testing and validation, from simulation environments to real‑world deployments.
• Ensure software quality, maintainability, and adherence to best practices in design and implementation.

We are looking for

• 4+ years of professional work experience as a software engineer
• Strong engineering background from industry or school, ideally in areas/fields such robotics, systems engineering, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering or similar fields
• Solid understanding of flight dynamics.
• High proficiency in C++ and Python
• Experience with PX4 autopilot software and ROS2
• Detail oriented with great technical documentation and communication skills
• Strong software engineering fundamentals and a commitment to writing clean, well architected code
• Ability to quickly understand and navigate complex systems and established code bases

Great to have

• Hands‑on experience with weather modeling or integration of environmental data
• Passionate about solving real world problems, quickly
• Exposure with Gazebo, jsbSim or other simulation frameworks
• Understanding of containerization technologies such as Docker
• Practical knowledge of gliding or soaring techniques is a plus
• Passion for innovation in autonomous systems and problem-solving
• Meaningful equity in addition to salary
• The potential to leave your mark in a growing industry
• Work with a world‑leading researcher in autonomous flight

Note

Only Canadian residents or candidates with an appropriate Canadian work visa will be considered for this position.