Flight Software Engineer

Iwa Robotics Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Iwa Robotics Inc. in Los Angeles is seeking a skilled embedded flight-software engineer to own the flight stack and contribute upstream to ArduPilot.

You will develop firmware for Pixhawk-class hardware, build custom flight modes, and integrate sensors across MAVLink and CAN interfaces. You will also tune control loops, work with SITL/HIL test environments, and develop companion-computer software for embedded Linux and Jetson/Pi-class platforms.

Qualifications

• Strong modern C++ in an embedded or real-time context.
• Experience with ArduPilot codebase or PX4 and willingness to work in ArduPilot.
• Fluency with MAVLink, MAVProxy/MAVSDK/pymavlink.
• Real skill at log analysis — interpret .bin logs.
• Python for tooling, test automation, and analysis.
• Working knowledge of flight dynamics and state estimation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain firmware on ArduPilot for Pixhawk-class hardware.
• Build custom flight modes, failsafe logic, and mission behaviors.
• Integrate sensors and peripherals over DroneCAN/UAVCAN, I2C, SPI, UART, CAN.
• Tune control loops and EKF; diagnose flight issues from dataflash and telemetry logs.
• Build SITL and HIL test setups to catch problems before the field.
• Develop companion-computer software (embedded Linux, Jetson/Pi-class) and MAVLink interfaces to ground control and cloud services.
• Support flight test — read logs on a laptop in the field.

Skills

Modern C++ (embedded)

ArduPilot/PX4 experience

MAVLink/MAVProxy/MAVSDK

Log analysis

Python for tooling

Flight dynamics & control theory

Job description

Iwa Robotics builds and operates autonomous systems for commercial customers. We're hiring team that turns it into a real operating business.

About the role

You'll own the flight stack. Real work inside ArduPilot — custom modes, tuning, driver integration, and the bridge between the flight controller and everything above it. If you've pushed a PR upstream to ArduPilot, we want to talk.

What you'll do

• Develop and maintain firmware on ArduPilot running on Pixhawk-class and custom autopilot hardware
• Build custom flight modes, failsafe logic, and mission behaviors
• Integrate sensors and peripherals over DroneCAN/UAVCAN, I2C, SPI, UART, CAN
• Tune control loops and EKF; diagnose flight issues from dataflash and telemetry logs
• Build and maintain SITL and HIL test setups so we catch problems before the field does
• Develop companion-computer software (embedded Linux, Jetson/Pi-class) and MAVLink interfaces to ground control and cloud services
• Support flight test — you'll be at the field, reading logs on a laptop on a tailgate

What we're looking for

• Strong modern C++ in an embedded or real-time context
• Hands-on experience with the ArduPilot codebase, or deep PX4 experience and willingness to work in ArduPilot
• Fluency with MAVLink, MAVProxy/MAVSDK/pymavlink
• Real skill at log analysis — you can look at a .bin and explain what went wrong
• Python for tooling, test automation, and analysis
• Working engineering understanding of flight dynamics, control theory, and state estimation

Nice to have

• Upstream contributions to ArduPilot or PX4 — send links
• Lua scripting on ArduPilot
• RTK GNSS, precision landing, or detect-and-avoid integration
• Custom autopilot board bring-up, ChibiOS, hardware definition work
• Redundant systems, C2 link design, or reliability engineering for extended-range operations
• Safety-critical software exposure (DO-178C or equivalent)

Location

• Los Angeles area, onsite. Occasional travel to flight test sites.