Lead, Platform Software

Neros; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 198,000 - 277,000; Full time

Job summary

Neros is seeking a Lead, Platform Software Engineer to own and grow the foundational embedded platform—Linux distribution, kernel, bootloader, and SDK—across flight, ground-station, and autonomy software teams.

You will shape the platform roadmap, enforce engineering quality, and collaborate with senior leadership while writing code review, architecture decisions, and confirming interfaces remain stable for child teams. This role is based in the United States and emphasizes hands-on ownership.

Qualifications

• Led a software team as a hands-on manager.
• Deep embedded-platform background: Yocto/Buildroot, kernel, BSPs.
• Track record of running a platform or foundational-software team as a product.
• Strong judgment on build-vs-adopt, interface design, and resource trade-offs across an embedded system.
• Able to operate as the interface between the team and senior leadership — managing expectations upward and clearing execution blockers.
• Player-coach: still technically credible to review BSP/kernel/runtime code and make architecture calls.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow the Platform Software engineering team, including hiring, mentorship, and performance management.
• Own the roadmap and delivery of the embedded platform — Linux distribution and BSPs, kernel and bootloader, common runtime and libraries, and the cross-compile toolchain and SDK.
• Run the platform as a product: keep the interfaces our flight, ground, and autonomy teams depend on stable, versioned, and evolving without breaking them.
• Make the hard architecture calls — build vs. adopt, interface design, and resource allocation across subsystems.
• Set and uphold engineering quality practices — code review, testing, and CI/CD — for foundational software.
• Stay hands-on: review platform code and own architecture, not just process.

Skills

Leadership

Embedded systems

Yocto/Buildroot

System architecture

CI/CD

Tools

Build systems

Yocto

SDK

Job description

Neros is a defense technology company rebuilding America’s drone industrial base. We design and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are tested in combat, iterated at startup speed, and built at massive scale. Our team culture is fast, hands-on, and obsessed with closing the gap between design and deployment.

As drones transform the character of warfare, Neros is delivering the systems the West needs to compete on the modern battlefield and deter the adversaries of democracy. We’re hiring engineers, operators, and builders who want to move fast, take on extreme ownership, and get capability into the hands of warfighters in months, not years.

What you will be doing

Neros builds the embedded software that powers our drones and ground systems. As a Lead, Platform Software Engineer, you will build and lead the team that owns our foundational embedded platform — the Linux distribution, kernel, bootloader, common runtime, and SDK that our flight, ground-station, and autonomy software teams build on. You will own the platform's roadmap, reliability, and engineering quality while growing and leading the team behind it and treating every other engineering team as your customer.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow the Platform Software engineering team, including hiring, mentorship, and performance management
• Own the roadmap and delivery of the embedded platform — Linux distribution and BSPs, kernel and bootloader, common runtime and libraries, and the cross-compile toolchain and SDK
• Run the platform as a product: keep the interfaces our flight, ground, and autonomy teams depend on stable, versioned, and evolving without breaking them
• Make the hard architecture calls — build vs. adopt, interface design, and resource allocation across subsystems
• Set and uphold engineering quality practices — code review, testing, and CI/CD — for foundational software
• Stay hands-on: review platform code and own architecture, not just process

You should have the following

• Has led a software team as a hands-on manager — owning both people management and technical direction
• Deep embedded-platform background: custom Linux (Yocto/Buildroot), kernel/BSPs, bootloaders, and the runtime/SDK layer other teams build on
• Track record of running a platform or foundational-software team as a product — stable interfaces, versioning, and consumer teams who could depend on it
• Strong judgment on build-vs-adopt, interface design, and resource trade-offs across an embedded system
• Able to operate as the interface between the team and senior leadership — managing expectations upward and clearing execution blockers
• Player-coach: still technically credible enough to review BSP/kernel/runtime code and make architecture calls

Nice to Have

• Experience building an embedded platform team from a small nucleus
• MCU/RTOS platform work alongside embedded Linux
• Bazel or comparable build-system leadership across cross-compiled targets
• Real-time, safety-relevant, or mission-critical embedded platforms
• Background bringing up new computer platforms from prototype to production

US Salary Range

$198,000 - $277,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are considered part of Neros' total compensation package.

We’re an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all applicants without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.