Lead Software Engineer

CHIRP Robotics Corporation; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grant

Stock options

Job summary

CHIRP Robotics in Torrance, CA seeks a Principal Technical Lead Software Engineer to architect the UAV software stack for autonomous navigation, mapping, and operation in GPS-denied environments. You will balance hands-on development with technical leadership, guiding a team to high standards and safe practice.

The role requires 8+ years in software, 4+ years in leading UAV architecture, and experience with sensor fusion, edge computing, and real-time systems.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• 4+ years leading technical architecture for autonomous UAVs or safety-critical robotics systems.
• Flight testing experience with real-world deployments.

Responsibilities

• Architect autonomous flight software architecture for 3D perception and real-time planning.
• Lead sensor fusion design using radar, LiDAR, cameras, and IMUs for GPS-denied localization.
• Collaborate with hardware teams to select edge-compute platforms and optimize SWaP.
• Oversee safety-critical development processes and HIL testing pipelines.
• Provide technical leadership and establish coding standards across the team.
• Supervise the engineering software team while remaining an active individual contributor.

Skills

Architectural leadership (autonomous)

C++ (modern, 17/20)

Python

ROS/ROS2

SLAM/VIO algorithms

Edge computing & SWaP optimization

Real-time RTOS (QNX/FreeRTOS/Embedded)

Edge AI deployment

Education

BS in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related

Tools

NVIDIA Jetson

PX4 Autopilot/ArduPilot

Qt/C++ toolchains

Embedded Linux

Job description

Compensation: Competitive salary and benefits package

• Base Salary: $100,000 - $125,000 per year
• Total Compensation (including stock options*): $175,000-$200,000

* Total compensation includes a meaningful equity grant. We're well-funded and building what we believe is a category-defining company. We're looking for mission-aligned people with high conviction in what they're building — not just employees, but owners. Our CEO was a founding engineer at SpaceX, and his vision and hands-on expertise across hardware, software, and scaling companies are the reason our earliest team members have joined. You'll be working in a high-paced, well-equipped environment built for developing scalable, efficient technology — with the resources and speed to match the ambition. This role offers more than cash compensation — it's a real stake in something with that kind of leadership behind it.

Job Description:

We are seeking a Principal Technical Lead Software Engineer to serve as the technical architect and visionary for our unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) software stack. In this role, you will define the software architecture that enables our drones to navigate, map, and operate entirely without human intervention in complex, GPS-denied environments. As a team lead, you will balance hands-on, mission-critical development with technical and managerial leadership, mentoring and guiding a team of engineers and setting long-term engineering standards.

Responsibilities: The candidate will:

• Architect Autonomous Flight: Define and evolve the high-level software architecture for autonomous flight, including 3D perception, dynamic obstacle avoidance, and real-time motion planning.
• Sensor Fusion & Perception: Lead the design of robust sensor-fusion algorithms that blend inputs from radar, LiDAR, thermal/optical cameras, and IMUs for localization in GPS-denied scenarios.
• Edge & Hardware Co-Design: Partner closely with hardware and systems engineers to select edge-compute platforms (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson) and optimize code for size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints.
• Safety & Regulatory Compliance: Oversee the creation of deterministic safety-fallback systems and automated hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing pipelines to meet aviation safety standards.
• Technical Leadership: Serve as the subject matter expert across the engineering organization, establishing coding standards, architectural blueprints, and strict safety-critical development processes.
• Team Lead: Oversee the engineering software team and drive the execution of the different projects. In this role, you will remain an active individual contributor while taking ownership of the team's technical direction, architecture, and code quality.

Required Qualifications:

• Must be a U.S Citizen or US Green Card Holder
• Work on location in Torrance, CA
• Prior Experience: 8+ years of professional software engineering experience, with 4+ years specifically leading technical architecture for autonomous UAVs or safety-critical robotics systems.
• Flight Testing: Proven experience troubleshooting and validating software architectures through real-world field deployments and flight test operations.
• Mentorship / Leadership: Demonstrated the ability to mentor and lead engineers and lead cross-functional technical initiatives without formal managerial authority.
• Minimum of a BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field

Required Technical Skills:

• Programming Mastery: Expert-level modern C++ (C++17/20) and Python, with a track record of shipping highly optimized, multi-threaded codebase software.
• UAV & Robotics Frameworks: Extensive experience with ROS/ROS2 and open-source flight control stacks (e.g., PX4 Autopilot, ArduPilot).
• Advanced Robotics Algorithms: Deep knowledge of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), visual-inertial odometry (VIO), and advanced 3D path-planning algorithms (e.g., A*, RRT*, trajectory optimization).
• Embedded RTOS: Deep expertise in Real-Time Operating Systems (QNX, FreeRTOS, or Embedded Linux) tuned for ultra-low latency execution.
• Edge AI: Practical experience deploying and optimizing lightweight deep learning models at the edge for real-time object detection and classification.

Company Overview

CHIRP Robotics is a well-funded seed-stage startup operating in stealth mode and based in Torrance, California. The company aims to become a leading U.S. provider of modular intelligence and autonomous systems for a wide range of vehicles and applications. It has an impressive portfolio of patents on the hardware side and IP in software / algorithms. CHIRP’s CEO, a founding member of SpaceX, brings extensive technical expertise, a strong professional network, and significant business leadership experience.

Why Join Us?

• Opportunity to work on innovative and complex systems.
• Hands-on experience with a broad range of engineering challenges.
• Collaborative and growth-oriented work environment.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.

If you are a driven and passionate engineer looking to work and grow in a challenging and rewarding role, we would love to hear from you!