Senior Software Engineer - Mobile Platform

Booster; San Mateo (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in stock options

Comprehensive benefits package

Paid vacation time

Job summary

A leading drone technology company in San Mateo is seeking a Senior Android Engineer to architect and develop native mobile applications. You will focus on integrating advanced drone control features and supporting communication across devices. Ideal candidates have 3-5 years of experience with C++, Android, and the Android NDK. The position offers a competitive salary range of $170,000 - $240,000 along with equity and benefits, emphasizing an inclusive and diverse work culture.

Qualifications

• 3-5+ years professional software engineering experience with C++ and Android.
• Substantial experience with the Android NDK and JNI.
• Proficiency in Kotlin and modern Android practices.

Responsibilities

• Architect and build advanced drone control features.
• Design and improve video streaming and real-time telemetry.
• Own the JNI/NDK layer connecting C++ libraries with the Kotlin app.

Skills

C++

Android (Kotlin/Java)

Android NDK

JNI

Debugging and profiling

Low-latency network communication

Tools

Vulkan

OpenGL ES

Job description

About the Role

When a drone understands its surroundings, it can respond to a much richer set of input commands, allowing a user with a mobile device to communicate with the drone at a much higher level than before. We're looking for a Senior Android Engineer who is excited to help architect, develop, and polish native mobile applications for the most powerful real-world tool of our generation. You will own critical subsystems that bridge our C++ autonomy engine with the Android application layer, and mentor other engineers on NDK and systems-level best practices.

About the Team

Skydio\'s Autonomy Engine is powered by an extensive C++ and Python codebase, which our mobile applications leverage to build user-facing features. Native Android code is primarily written in Kotlin, with some legacy Java classes. The mobile team owns the full stack from native C++ libraries through JNI bindings to the Kotlin UI layer.

How You’ll Make an Impact

• Architect and build advanced drone control features that integrate low-latency communication between device, drone, and cloud

• Design and improve video streaming, augmented reality, and real-time telemetry rendering on Android

• Own the JNI/NDK layer that bridges our C++ autonomy libraries with the Kotlin application

• Drive technical decisions on performance-critical paths (memory management, threading, GPU utilization)

• Work cross-functionally with autonomy, firmware, cloud, and product teams to deliver best-in-class drone control applications

• Mentor engineers and raise the bar on native Android and C++ code quality

What Makes You a Good Fit

• 3-5+ years professional software engineering experience, with substantial work in both C++ and Android (Kotlin/Java)

• Deep experience with the Android NDK and JNI — you\'ve built and debugged native libraries that ship in production Android apps

• Proficiency in Kotlin and the modern Android ecosystem (Coroutines, Jetpack/Architecture Components, Gradle)

• Previous experience with one or more graphics APIs such as Vulkan, OpenGL ES, or Metal

• Strong debugging and profiling skills across the native/managed boundary (ASan, Perfetto, Android Studio profilers)

• Experience with low-latency network communication (UDP, WebRTC, or custom protocols)

• Track record of shipping mobile apps that integrate with hardware, IoT devices, or robots

• Proficiency in Linux development environments

Nice To Haves

• Have shipped mobile apps that integrate with IoT devices or robots

• Experience with Bazel build system

• AOSP or Android platform/framework-level experience

• Familiarity with video codecs (H.264/H.265), camera pipelines, or real-time media processing

Compensation

At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $170,000 - $240,000*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company\'s success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.

*Compensation for certain positions may vary based on the position’s location.

#LI-SM1

At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.

For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/