Principal UAV Software Architect & Technical Lead

CHIRP Robotics Corporation; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grant

Competitive salary

Benefits package

Job summary

CHIRP Robotics Corporation is seeking a Principal Technical Lead Software Engineer to architect the UAV software stack and guide a team of engineers in a high-paced startup in Torrance, CA. The role blends hands-on development with technical leadership to define the drone software that enables autonomous navigation, mapping, and operation in GPS-denied environments.

You will mentor engineers, set long-term engineering standards, and balance execution with strategic architectural decisions,

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience, with 4+ years leading technical architecture for autonomous UAVs or safety-critical robotics systems.
• Flight testing experience with real-world deployments and flight test operations.
• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering or related field.

Responsibilities

• Architect autonomous flight software and high-level architecture for drones.
• Lead sensor fusion and perception algorithms for GPS-denied environments.
• Collaborate with hardware and systems engineers to optimize edge-compute platforms and SWaP.
• Establish safety-critical development processes and coding standards.
• Oversee engineering software team and drive technical direction while contributing as an IC.

Skills

C++ (modern)

Python

Leadership

Mentorship

Flight Testing

Team Leadership

Education

BS in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering

Tools

ROS/ROS2

PX4 Autopilot

ArduPilot

QNX/FreeRTOS/Embedded Linux

Job description

CHIRP Robotics Corporation is seeking a Principal Technical Lead Software Engineer to architect the UAV software stack and guide a team of engineers in a high-paced startup in Torrance, CA. The role blends hands-on development with technical leadership to define the drone software that enables autonomous navigation, mapping, and operation in GPS-denied environments.

You will mentor engineers, set long-term engineering standards, and balance execution with strategic architectural decisions,