Flight Software Engineer

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 191,000 - 253,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans

Generous time off

Annual reimbursement for professional development

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Anduril Industries is seeking a Senior Flight Software Engineer to develop embedded software for aircraft. You will handle the flight stack from drivers to validation, working alongside GNC and operations teams. Ideal candidates have 4+ years in C++ or Rust, a relevant degree, and experience in embedded or safety-critical systems. Benefits include comprehensive healthcare, competitive PTO, and relocation assistance, with a salary range of $191,000—$253,000.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of C++ or Rust programming experience.
• Direct experience with embedded software or other safety-critical systems.
• Comfortable with typical embedded systems tools, compilers, debuggers, and IDEs.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement vehicle control systems.
• Develop embedded software for preemptible Linux or RTOS applications.
• Support device manufacturing efforts, debugging, and production-level test.

Skills

C++

Rust

Embedded software development

Debugging skills

Communication buses and protocols

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or equivalent

Tools

Embedded systems tools

Oscilloscopes

Job description

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company that transforms military capabilities with cutting‑edge technology.

About The Team

The Vehicle Management Systems (VMS) software team, part of Anduril's Tactical Recon and Strike division, develops flight‑computer vehicle software for small drones (Group 1–3).

About The Role

As a Senior Flight Software Engineer, you will develop embedded software that powers Anduril’s aircraft. You will own sections of the flight stack end‑to‑end – from device drivers and middleware integration to control law implementation, test automation, and flight validation. You will work closely with GNC, hardware, manufacturing, and operations teams, lead technical design reviews, and mentor junior engineers. This role is ideal for someone who thrives on real‑world engineering constraints and wants to see the code you ship fly on mission‑critical systems.

What You’ll Do

• Design and implement vehicle control systems.
• Develop embedded software for preemptible Linux or RTOS applications.
• Develop device drivers, protocols, and APIs for aircraft sensors.
• Integrate new features and sensors into flight controller software.
• Integrate guidance and control algorithms with the flight software stack.
• Create Software‑In‑The‑Loop (SITL) and Hardware‑In‑The‑Loop (HITL) test fixtures and automation.
• Analyze flight test results and iterate quickly on fixes and improvements.
• Support device manufacturing efforts, debugging, and production‑level test.
• Support operational aircraft deployments and field troubleshooting.
• Mentor junior engineers and help improve team engineering practices and test infrastructure.

Required Qualifications

• 4+ years of C++ or Rust programming experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent.
• Direct experience with embedded software or other safety‑critical systems.
• Background in low‑level embedded software architecture, design and development.
• Low‑level device driver development experience; familiarity with both microcontrollers and application processors.
• Comfortable with typical embedded systems tools, compilers, debuggers, and IDEs.
• Familiarity with communication buses and protocols such as CAN, CAN FD, UART/RS232/RS422/RS485, SPI, QSPI, I2C, Ethernet, etc.
• Strong debugging skills, comfortable using instrumentation such as oscilloscopes and protocol analysers.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• 6+ years of C++ or Rust programming experience creating clean, efficient, and reliable code.
• Strong vehicle systems and avionics design knowledge.
• Experience building flight stacks or working with PX4/ArduPilot or proprietary autopilots.
• Familiarity with control systems, state estimation, and guidance algorithms.
• Bias toward delivery and rapid iteration to discover the right engineering investments.
• Willingness to take calculated risks and full accountability for outcomes.
• Passion for solving real‑world problems quickly and effectively.
• Track record of designing, building, and delivering useful software to users.
• Experience with SITL/HITL frameworks, CI for embedded systems, and creating reproducible test environments.

Salary and Benefits

US Salary Range: $191,000—$253,000 USD.

Healthcare Benefits:

• US roles: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.
• UK & Australia roles: We cover full cost of medical insurance premiums for you and your dependents.
• Ireland roles: We offer an annual contribution toward your private health insurance for you and your dependents.

Additional Benefits:

• Income protection: Anduril covers life and disability insurance for all employees.
• Generous time off: Highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December. Caregiver and wellness leave are available.
• Family planning & parenting support: Coverage for fertility treatments, adoption, and gestational carriers, plus resources to support you and your partner.
• Mental health resources: Access to free mental health resources 24/7, including therapy and life coaching.
• Professional development: Annual reimbursement for professional development.
• Commuter benefits: Company‑funded commuter benefits based on your region.
• Relocation assistance: Available depending on role eligibility.

Retirement Savings Plan:

• US roles: Traditional 401(k), Roth, and after‑tax (mega backdoor Roth) options.
• UK & Ireland roles: Pension plan with employer match.
• Australia roles: Superannuation plan.