Android Lead Engineer, ATAK/TAK Plugins

Firestorm; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vis

401(k) with matching

Equity grants

Unlimited PTO

Generous holiday calendar

Parental leave

Lifestyle Spending Account

FSA / DCFSA / HSA

Life insurance

Mental health resources

Job summary

Firestorm is seeking an Android Applications Engineer, Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) to join our San Diego team. You will design and develop TAK-based applications, focusing on real-time communication, situational awareness, and mission execution for defense operations.

You may become the lead developer, mentoring others and delivering robust, secure solutions. You will collaborate with senior engineers and cross‑functional teams, implementing secure data handling and cross‑platform

Qualifications

• 5+ years of software development experience with Java.
• 5+ years developing for Android with Android Studio IDE, Android SDK, Gradle, and Jetpack.
• Ability to integrate C++ into Android using NDK and JNI.
• Experience implementing encryption, authentication, and secure communication in restricted environments.
• Background in secure DevOps practices including test automation and CI/CD.
• High proficiency in Android architecture fundamentals (Activity lifecycle, Services, Receivers, Content Providers).
• Customer-facing communication skills with non-technical audiences.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain U.S. Government security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement ATAK plugins, features, and integrations in Java.
• Lead the full development lifecycle of ATAK-based applications.
• Plan release goals, timelines, and cycles with a manager.
• Assist with sprint planning for junior developers.
• Review code and mentor junior engineers.
• Author build/testing/release documentation and notes.
• Collaborate with TAK repositories and external stakeholders.
• Stay current on TAK updates and best practices.
• Create UI assets optimized for austere environments.
• Apply MAVLink, Link 16, OMNI protocols for secure cross-platform interoperability.
• Support integration of UAS into TAK workflows.
• Engage with government/military/commercial stakeholders for feedback and demos.
• Implement secure data handling and access controls.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to align TAK capabilities.

Skills

Java development

Android development

Leadership mentoring

Security awareness

Secure DevOps

Education

Bachelor's or higher in CS/Software Engineering

Tools

Android Studio

Android SDK

Gradle

Jetpack libraries

Android NDK/JNI

Job description

Firestorm is seeking an Android Applications Engineer, Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) to join our San Diego team. You will design and develop TAK-based applications, focusing on real-time communication, situational awareness, and mission execution for defense operations.

You may become the lead developer, mentoring others and delivering robust, secure solutions. You will collaborate with senior engineers and cross‑functional teams, implementing secure data handling and cross‑platform