Senior Software Integration Engineer

Sierra Ventures; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Sierra Ventures in Huntsville, Alabama, is seeking a Software Integration Engineer to lead the deployment and operational readiness of navigation and quantum sensing software. You will ensure integration with evolving software releases and support defense and aerospace programs as part of a collaborative engineering team.

This hands-on role involves working closely with systems and hardware engineers to validate implementations and manage data for analysis. Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering and experience with embedded platforms.

Qualifications

• Experience deploying and operating software on Linux-based embedded, robotics, or UAS platforms.
• Experience in defense, aerospace, autonomy, robotics, or navigation systems is highly desirable.
• Ability to work effectively across teams.

Responsibilities

• Own software deployment and configuration on UAS platforms.
• Act as the on-site software authority during field trials.
• Lead strategic communication with internal teams and external partners.

Skills

Linux-based embedded systems

C/C++/Rust/Python

Numerical software and algorithm development

DevOps practices

Education

Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering or related field

Tools

Continuous integration systems

Sensor drivers

Job description

About the team

The Sensing Engineering team at Q-CTRL transforms quantum research into deployable technologies that address real‑world problems. We design, build, and field‑validate an array of quantum sensors that support our key products, including Ironestone Opal – our solution for GPS‑denied navigation. You don’t need a background in quantum to make an impact here. We value strong engineering fundamentals, a product mindset, and a drive to solve the hardest engineering problems in quantum sensing today.

About the role

We are seeking a Software Integration Engineer to own the deployment, configuration, and operational readiness of Q-CTRL’s navigation and quantum sensing software on UAS platforms. This role is hands‑on and execution focused, ensuring rapidly evolving software developed at HQ is correctly integrated, configured, tested, and run on real platforms in lab and field environments. You will work closely with systems and hardware engineers, and HQ software teams to bring up full sensor and navigation stacks, verify correct operation prior to flight, and manage data flow for analysis. As Q-CTRL’s quantum sensing technology matures, you will help establish robust deployment, testing, and release practices for hardware‑in‑the‑loop and fielded systems. You will join a growing global engineering team, working as part of a small US‑based group supporting defense and aerospace programs, and operating at the intersection of software, hardware, and field operations.

What you'll be doing:

• Own software deployment and configuration on UAS platforms, ensuring alignment with fast‑moving HQ software releases.
• Bring up and verify full sensor, driver, transport, and navigation stacks prior to lab tests and flight operations.
• Act as the on‑site software authority during field trials, diagnosing and resolving software and system‑level issues.
• Manage intermittent domestic and international travel and maintain regular communication across time zones.
• Retrieve, validate, and organize test and flight data for delivery to HQ software and science teams.
• Work closely with systems, hardware, and HQ software engineers to close integration gaps.
• Contribute to improving deployment workflows, testing, and CI/CD processes for hardware‑integrated software.
• Lead strategic communication with internal teams and external partners.
• Perform other duties within the employee’s skills and experience, or with reasonable training.

Ideally you’ll have:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering or a related field.
• Experience deploying and operating software on Linux‑based embedded, robotics, or UAS platforms.
• Experience with numerical software and/or algorithm development, with an emphasis on inertial navigation, state estimation, data fusion, or optimization.
• Proficiency with systems programming languages such as C, C++, Rust, and Python.
• Experience setting up and maintaining continuous integration systems.
• Familiarity with DevOps practices applied to hardware systems.
• Experience working with sensor drivers, middleware, and data transport layers.
• Ability to work effectively across software, hardware, systems, and research teams.
• Experience in defense, aerospace, autonomy, robotics, or navigation systems is highly desirable.

This position may require access to information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be ‘U.S. persons’ as defined in 22 CFR §120.62.