Flight Software Lead

Hireclout; Florida; On-site; USD 220,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary 220k–250k

Relocation to Florida

Healthcare coverage

Retirement plan

Generous PTO

Structured schedule

Professional development

Job summary

Hireclout is seeking a Flight Software Lead to own the flight computer software for a two-seat electric VTOL, from clean-sheet architecture to ground rigs and flight.

This is an individual contributor role on a lean discipline-led team with the opportunity to build and lead as the program scales. You will set development processes, verification strategies, and interfaces with other leads, building the software function from day one.

Qualifications

• Ten years in safety-critical embedded software and hands-on flight software development.
• Architected fly-by-wire flight control or vehicle management software.
• Experience with DO-178C at Level A or B, scaled to ASTM standards for LSA path.
• At least 3 years on a small engineering team owning work beyond a single specialty.

Responsibilities

• Own the software architecture from RTOS to interfaces with flight control, propulsion, and battery hardware.
• Implement the control laws and redundancy management on the flight computers.
• Set up and run software development and assurance, right-sized to the LSA path.
• Own software verification from requirements-based testing through integration on the HIL and iron bird rigs.
• Control software configuration and lifecycle data, and release every build to the aircraft.
• Build the ground control station software for unmanned flight test.
• Take the software from the bench to manned flight and into the production aircraft.
• Lead the adoption of AI tools and their workflows.

Skills

Safety-critical embedded software

Flight software development

DO-178C experience

Small-team leadership

Job description

Job Title

Flight Software Lead

Role Overview

The Flight Software Lead owns the flight computer software of a two-seat electric VTOL aircraft, from clean-sheet architecture through the ground rigs to flight, on a program targeting LSA certification. This is an individual contributor role on a lean discipline-lead team, with the opportunity to build and lead a team as the program scales. You do the core work yourself and direct subcontractors where needed. You close your interfaces directly with the other leads.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the software architecture, from the real-time operating system to the interfaces with flight control, propulsion, and battery hardware.
• Implement the control laws and redundancy management on the flight computers.
• Set up and run software development and assurance, right-sized to the LSA path.
• Own software verification, from requirements-based testing through integration on the HIL and iron bird rigs.
• Control software configuration and lifecycle data, and release every build to the aircraft.
• Build the ground control station software for unmanned flight test.
• Take the software from the bench to manned flight and into the production aircraft.
• Lead the adoption of AI tools and their workflows.

Qualifications & Education

• 10 years in safety-critical embedded software, with hands-on development of flight software that has flown.
• Has architected the software of a fly-by-wire flight control computer or vehicle management system.
• Has developed flight software under DO-178C at Level A or B, and can right-size that rigor to ASTM consensus standards on the LSA path.
• 3 years on a small engineering team, such as at a startup, a UAS company, or a prototype group within a larger company, owning work beyond a single specialty.

Preferred Experience

• Experience on a passenger eVTOL program.
• Flight software experience on a manned aircraft.
• Has taken flight software into a certified production aircraft.
• Experience with model-based development and code generation for control laws.
• Has brought AI tools into a team’s workflow, with a clear method for verifying their output.
• Background in flight test instrumentation, subsystem or auxiliary computer software, or iron-bird-style simulation software, ideally across several programs or aircraft types.

Why This Opportunity

• Own the flight computer software of a two-seat electric VTOL aircraft, from clean-sheet architecture through the ground rigs to flight.
• First flight software hire: you set the architecture, the development process, and the way the software team works.
• Define how software assurance is right-sized to the ASTM consensus standards on the LSA path.
• Hands-on individual contributor role where you do the core work yourself and direct subcontractors where needed.

What Makes This Opportunity Attractive

• Lean discipline-lead team: close your interfaces directly with the other leads.
• A rare chance to build flight software from a clean sheet, rather than work as one contributor inside a large legacy program.
• Lead the adoption of AI tools and workflows to multiply what a small team can deliver.
• Early-stage, fast-growing company with an aggressive development plan, and a chance to shape the software function from day one.
• Path to building and leading a team as the program scales.

Benefits and Perks

• Salary: $220,000 – $250,000
• Relocation package for candidates moving to Florida
• Comprehensive healthcare coverage with flexible plan options
• Retirement program with employer contributions
• Generous PTO, holidays, and additional leave programs
• Structured work schedule designed to support balance and productivity
• Professional development and continued learning opportunities

Eligibility

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis now and in the future. This position does not offer sponsorship.