Senior Software Engineer

Sonatech, Inc.; California; On-site; USD 155,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

3% 401(k) company contribution

Discretionary employer 401(k) ~7%

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Life insurance, paid vacation, and S_L

Professional development and training

Supportive, inclusive work environment

Job summary

Sonatech, Inc. in Santa Barbara, CA, is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to take technical lead of software development for advanced undersea acoustics projects.

This hands‑on role includes leading project planning, architecture, detailed design, and delivering robust, production-ready software. In addition to core software development, the engineer will help integrate our products into larger, complex systems, develop secure interfaces, support containerized deployments, contribute to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or closely related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of professional software development experience.
• Expert-level proficiency in C and C++ (C++11 or newer) and solid Python for scripting, tooling, or test automation.
• Core software knowledge in Red Hat and Embedded Linux (required) with experience in real-time systems or bare-metal firmware.
• Strong written and verbal communication; comfortable presenting to engineering and non-technical audiences.
• U.S. citizenship and eligibility for a DoD Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Technical Lead of a small software team overseeing architecture, project planning, implementation strategy, detailed development, testing and deployment.
• Collaborate with hardware, FPGA, and test teams for system-level integration.
• Plan sprints with the Project Manager and track milestones.
• Design and implement secure interfaces for external integrations.
• Apply cybersecurity principles (CMMC/NIST 800-218) and enable secure, auditable systems.
• Lead code reviews, design discussions, and troubleshooting.

Skills

C programming

C++ programming

Python scripting

Communication

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/SE/EE

Tools

GitLab CI

Jenkins

GitHub Actions

Kubernetes

Docker

Job description

Senior Software Engineer

Location: Santa Barbara, CA (Onsite)

About Sonatech

Sonatech LLC is a leader in undersea acoustics, providing advanced technologies to support U.S. Navy missions. Our embedded software is a core component of high-performance, mission-critical systems deployed across a variety of naval platforms, often requiring real-time responsiveness, secure operation, and seamless hardware integration.

We foster a collaborative engineering culture where innovation, technical ownership, and cross-disciplinary teamwork are deeply valued. Our Santa Barbara office, located just minutes from the beach, offers a supportive, inclusive environment where engineers are trusted with technical ownership and meaningful impact. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

Job Summary

We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to take technical lead of software development for advanced undersea acoustics projects. This hands‑on role includes leading project planning, architecture, detailed design, technical, and delivering robust, production-ready software.

In addition to core software development, the engineer will help integrate our products into larger, complex systems. The engineer will help develop secure interfaces, support containerized deployments, contribute to cybersecurity compliance, and enable interoperability with external systems developed by other integrators.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Lead of small software team overseeing architecture, project planning, implementation strategy, detailed development, test and deployment.
• Collaborate closely with hardware, FPGA, and test teams to ensure effective system‑level integration.
• Collaborate with the Project Manager to plan sprints, define milestones, track execution, and collaborate in cross‑functional teams.
• Design and implement secure software interfaces for integration with external systems and third‑party platforms.
• Apply CMMC and NIST 800‑218 cybersecurity principles, NetBoot approach, performance monitoring and fault location techniques.
• Participate in and lead code reviews, design discussions, and troubleshooting.

Requirements

• Education - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a closely‑related technical discipline.
• Experience - 10+years of professional software development.
• Programming Skills - Expert‑level proficiency in C and C++ (C++11 or newer) and solid Python abilities for scripting, tooling, or test automation.
• Core Software Knowledge - Proven expertise in Redhat and Embedded Linux (required) plus at least one of the following:
• Real‑time systems (RTOS design, deterministic scheduling, latency analysis)
• Bare‑metal firmware (no‑OS, low‑level driver development, hardware bring‑up)
• Systems Integration - Experience collaborating with hardware, FPGA, and software teams to embed subsystems into larger networked or software‑defined platforms.
• Communication - Excellent written and verbal communication; comfortable presenting technical concepts to both engineering and non‑technical audiences.
• Security Clearance - U.S. citizenship and eligibility for a DoD Secret clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• DevOps & CI/CD - Hands‑on implementation of modern DevOps pipelines (GitLab CI, Jenkins, GitHub Actions) and container orchestration (Kubernetes, Docker) for embedded‑software builds and tests.
• Secure Software Development - Knowledge of secure coding practices, software‑quality assurance processes, and system‑level integration testing.
• SoC & CPU‑FPGA Co‑Design - Experience with system‑on‑chip architectures, especially designs that involve shared memory or tight CPU‑FPGA interaction.
• Cybersecurity Compliance - Familiarity with CMMC or NIST 800-218 frameworks and experience contributing to compliance efforts in a regulated software environment.
• Business Environment – Experience developing for DoD Projects.
• Domain Exposure - Prior experience in undersea acoustics, sonar, or similar signal‑processing domains is a strong plus.

Salary & Benefits

• Salary range: $155,000 – $200,000 annually.
• 3% 401(k) company contribution (no match required).
• Additional bonus contribution to 401(k): Discretionary employer contribution – historically averaging approximately 7% of eligible compensation, with actual contributions varying annually.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life insurance, paid vacation, and sick leave.
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• Supportive, inclusive work environment with active investment in employee growth.

Sonatech is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified individuals, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.