Principal Software Engineer

Nickerson Talent Solutions; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Nickerson Talent Solutions seeks a Principal Software Engineer in Austin, TX to design and integrate mission critical communication software for radar, sonar, AIS, and tactical data link systems.

You will design serial communication protocols, develop drivers in C/C++, and advance real-time stacks for mission critical hardware. Collaboration with architects, hardware engineers, and customers is essential.

Qualifications

• Expert level proficiency in C and C++.
• Experience developing serial communication interfaces and hardware drivers.
• Strong understanding of protocols, handshaking, buffering, and error handling.
• Hands on experience integrating radar, sonar, AIS, or tactical data.
• Ability to interpret Interface Description Documents and technical specifications.
• Experience with field integration, system validation, and troubleshooting; understanding of real time programming.
• Strong analytical, debugging, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop serial communication protocols and drivers using C and C++.
• Develop and maintain real time communication stacks for mission critical systems.
• Perform on site software integration, system validation, compatibility testing, and troubleshooting.
• Integrate interfaces across military and maritime systems.
• Work from Interface Description Documents (IDDs), technical specifications, and military standards.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, integration guides, and troubleshooting procedures.
• Collaborate with system architects, hardware engineers, and customers.
• Participate in code reviews and maintain software quality through testing and validation.
• Optimize communication performance, latency, and reliability.

Skills

C

C++

Serial communication

Hardware drivers

RTOS

Job description

We're hiring a Principal Software Engineer in Austin, TX to develop and integrate mission critical communication software for military radar, sonar, AIS, and tactical data link systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop serial communication protocols and drivers using C and C++
• Develop and maintain real time communication stacks for mission critical systems
• Perform on site software integration, system validation, compatibility testing, and troubleshooting
• Integrate interfaces across military and maritime systems
• Work from Interface Description Documents (IDDs), technical specifications, and military
• standards
• Create and maintain technical documentation, integration guides, and troubleshooting procedures
• Collaborate with system architects, hardware engineers, and customers
• Participate in code reviews and maintain software quality through testing and validation
• Optimize communication performance, latency, and reliability

Required Qualifications

• Expert level proficiency in C and C++
• Experience developing serial communication interfaces and hardware drivers
• Strong understanding of protocols, handshaking, buffering, and error handling
• Hands on experience integrating at least two of the following: radar, sonar, AIS, or tactical data

link systems

• Ability to interpret and implement Interface Description Documents and technical specifications
• Experience with field integration, system validation, and troubleshootingUnderstanding of real time programming and deterministic behavior
• Strong analytical, debugging, and problem-solving skills

Preferred Qualifications

• MIL STD 1553B, STANAG, or other NATO/DoD communication standards
• Embedded systems, RTOS, or firmware development
• TCP/IP, UDP, and other network protocols