Senior QA Engineer, Avionics Platform

Firestorm; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

401(k) Retirement Savings Plan

Unlimited PTO

ITAR compliance program

Job summary

Firestorm is hiring a Senior Software QA Engineer to validate avionics stack, including embedded Linux and RTOS, drivers, and safety-critical data paths. You will implement automated tests, perform exploratory testing, and collaborate with avionics, autonomy, radio, and payload teams to harden reliability before Flight Test.

The role is full-time and onsite at our San Diego HQ. Candidates should have 5+ years of QA/SDET experience in embedded/safety-critical systems, with Python, C/C++, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years professional QA/SDET experience in embedded/real-time or safety-critical systems.
• Hands-on testing for embedded Linux and/or RTOS and driver/HAL layers across UART/SPI/I²C/CAN-FD/Ethernet.
• Experience building automated tests with Python (pytest/Robot or equivalent) and host-based unit tests (gtest).
• Comfortable validating networked real-time systems (MAVLink, DDS, WebSockets) and telemetry flows.

Responsibilities

• Own system test for avionics (embedded Linux + RTOS targets) and provide fast, actionable feedback on defects and timing issues affecting flight safety.
• Plan and execute risk-based test strategies including feature/bring-up tests, exploratory charters, protocol regression suites, acceptance criteria, and release sign-off gates before Flight Test.
• Build and maintain automation for HIL/SIL testing, including host-based unit tests and hardware benches.
• Develop Python-driven benches to exercise serial/CAN/Ethernet I/O, sensor emulators, and OTA flows; automate log capture and diffs.
• Stand up reproducible rigs with power supplies, CAN analyzers, logic analyzers, GNSS simulators; script scenario playback and telemetry injection.
• Instrument and diagnose with structured logs/metrics; use Wireshark and trace tools to isolate timing/state issues quickly.
• Own defect triage and high-signal reporting with traces, steps, and root-cause analysis; track to closure.

Skills

QA/SDET

Embedded Linux

Python

C/C++

Automation testing

CI/CD

MAVLink

GTest

PyTest

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Engineering

Tools

GTest

PyTest

CI/CD tools

Job description

Firestorm is hiring a Senior Software QA Engineer to validate avionics stack, including embedded Linux and RTOS, drivers, and safety-critical data paths. You will implement automated tests, perform exploratory testing, and collaborate with avionics, autonomy, radio, and payload teams to harden reliability before Flight Test.

The role is full-time and onsite at our San Diego HQ. Candidates should have 5+ years of QA/SDET experience in embedded/safety-critical systems, with Python, C/C++, and