Autonomy Engineer, Interceptor Drones

IMPACT Drones; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Impact Drones is hiring an autonomy engineer in San Francisco, CA, to enable autonomous intercepts using HUNTER, WEAVER and SABLE platforms. You will own autonomous flight, onboard target detection, and rigorous flight-test validation against real-world scenarios.

The role requires hands-on C++ embedded/RT expertise, strong GNC fundamentals, and experience debugging from flight logs. On-site work with potential ITAR/EAR considerations and equal opportunity employment.

Qualifications

• Guidance, navigation or control code you wrote that flew on a real vehicle.
• Strong C++ on embedded/real-time systems.
• Solid GNC and state estimation fundamentals.
• You debug from flight logs, not only from simulation.

Responsibilities

• Autonomous flight on HUNTER, WEAVER and SABLE: navigation, guidance and control.
• Onboard target detection and tracking with EO and thermal cameras.
• Simulation and flight tests that prove each change before it flies.

Skills

C++ embedded RTOS

GNC fundamentals

State estimation

Flight log debugging

Guidance/Navigation/Control

Job description

We are Jasper and Alessandro, the founders of Impact Drones (YC S26). We are hiring an autonomy engineer to make our interceptor drones fly the intercept on their own: from a radar track, to the onboard camera, to a hit or a net catch.

In March 2026, Iranian drones struck three AWS data centers in the UAE and Bahrain. Fiber-optic FPV drones cannot be jammed. The only thing that stops them is a physical intercept. That is what we build.

About Impact Drones We sell Air Defense as a Service to civilian critical infrastructure. One container on site senses, decides and launches our interceptors: HUNTER, a kinetic quadcopter in combat in Ukraine against Shahed-class drones; WEAVER, which catches drones intact in a net; and SABLE, our turbojet interceptor. We integrate radars and own the software. First LOIs signed with defense and data-center customers.

What you will own

• Autonomous flight on HUNTER, WEAVER and SABLE: navigation, guidance and control.
• Onboard target detection and tracking with EO and thermal cameras.
• Simulation and flight tests that prove each change before it flies.

What you bring

• Guidance, navigation or control code you wrote that flew on a real vehicle.
• Strong C++ on embedded or real-time systems.
• Solid GNC and state estimation fundamentals.
• You debug from flight logs, not only from simulation.

Bonus points

• You fly FPV, and have worked in PX4, ArduPilot or Betaflight source.
• Computer vision on embedded hardware.
• Interceptor, missile or counter-UAS experience.

Compensation

• Base salary: $130,000 to $170,000 per year.
• Equity: 0.25% to 0.45%, 4-year vesting with a 1-year cliff.

Where we work On-site in San Francisco, CA, with regular flight testing at outdoor ranges.

Jasper and Alessandro

This role may involve technical data subject to U.S. export controls (ITAR and EAR). Applicants must be U.S. persons or eligible for any required export authorization.

Impact Drones is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in line with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.