Embedded Firmware Engineer – Drones (Equity)

Front Door Defense; San Mateo, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 128,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Skydio is seeking an Embedded Software Engineer to lead architecture and development of firmware for autonomous drones. You will design and implement embedded software that runs on the vehicle, work with hardware teams, and bring up new hardware in a fast-paced environment.

You will shape subsystems like cameras and radios, write clean, well-abstracted code, and contribute across Linux userspace and kernel layers. Strong C++ and Python skills, plus hardware bring-up experience, are essential.

Qualifications

• Proficient in modern C++ for real-time embedded systems.
• Experience with Python development.
• Ability to write clean code with proper abstraction boundaries.
• Experience with SOCs (Qualcomm) and embedded microcontrollers.
• Hands-on hardware bring-up and system debugging is required.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical direction and architecture of complex embedded systems.
• Design and implement embedded software for the vehicle.
• Characterize, integrate, and validate subsystems (e.g., camera, radio).
• Bring up and debug new hardware.
• Write interfaces and drivers for sensors and devices.

Skills

C++

Real-time

Python

Embedded Linux

Kernel development

Hardware bring-up

Debugging

ARM assembly

Security

FAA Part 107 knowledge

Tools

stm32 microcontrollers

Qualcomm SOCs

NVIDIA SOCs

Linux kernels

Job description

Skydio is seeking an Embedded Software Engineer to lead architecture and development of firmware for autonomous drones. You will design and implement embedded software that runs on the vehicle, work with hardware teams, and bring up new hardware in a fast-paced environment.

You will shape subsystems like cameras and radios, write clean, well-abstracted code, and contribute across Linux userspace and kernel layers. Strong C++ and Python skills, plus hardware bring-up experience, are essential.