Software and Autonomy Engineering Lead

Wild West Systems, Inc.; Leander (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Wild West Systems, Inc. seeks a Software and Autonomy Engineering Lead to own the technical direction of our autonomous software stack, from firmware to perception and beyond. You will guide architecture, mentor engineers, and drive field deployments on edge hardware.

You will build real-time perception and autonomy systems, lead multi-sensor fusion, and ensure robust interfaces across firmware, perception, and targeting layers in dynamic, contested environments.

Qualifications

• Experience leading or mentoring a software/firmware engineering team.
• Experience with modern computer vision models and training/fine-tuning/deployment.
• Proven edge model optimization experience.
• Experience with lead-angle calculation for computing aimpoint solutions from tracked target kinematics.
• Experience building human-in-the-loop control interfaces or state machines for automated tracking.
• Embedded/firmware experience: real-time OS, sensor drivers, hardware management.
• Experience with real-time video pipelines and multi-sensor fusion.
• Experience with Hailo or similar edge AI accelerators.
• Python, C++ &/OR Rust skills.

Responsibilities

• Set technical direction and architecture standards spanning firmware and autonomy software.
• Lead, mentor, and help grow a small team of firmware and software engineers.
• Own build vs. buy and make vs. partner decisions for perception and autonomy components.
• Partner with hardware and program management on system-level tradeoffs.
• Develop and deploy real-time object detection, classification, and tracking systems for small, fast-moving aerial and ground targets.
• Optimize models for edge deployment in constrained environments.
• Build multi-sensor perception pipelines that enable sensor fusion.
• Build robustness for real-world conditions.
• Integrate perception outputs into downstream tracking and effector control systems.
• Oversee firmware architecture for sensor drivers, real-time OS scheduling, and hardware controls.
• Ensure clean interfaces between firmware, perception, and targeting layers.
• Support field testing, integration, and troubleshooting across the full stack.

Skills

Team leadership

Computer vision

Edge model optimization

Lead-angle computation

Human-in-the-loop interfaces

Embedded/firmware RTOS

Real-time video pipelines

Sensor fusion

Edge AI accelerators

Python/C++/Rust

Job description

Position Overview

We are seeking a Software and Autonomy Engineering Lead to own technical direction for our full autonomy software stack from embedded firmware through perception and into higher autonomous targeting behaviors. This role leads the engineering team building computer vision, sensor fusion, targeting, and control systems that operate on constrained edge hardware in dynamic, contested environments.

You will set architecture and coding standards across firmware and software, mentor and grow the engineering team, and personally develop perception and autonomy systems from prototyping through field deployment.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Set technical direction and architecture standards spanning firmware and autonomy software
• Lead, mentor, and help grow a small team of firmware and software engineers
• Own build vs. buy and make vs. partner decisions for perception and autonomy components
• Partner with hardware and program management on system-level tradeoffs

Perception & Autonomy

• Develop and deploy real-time object detection, classification, and tracking systems for small, fast-moving aerial and ground targets
• Optimize models for edge deployment in constrained environments
• Build multi-sensor perception pipelines that enable sensor fusion
• Build robustness for real-world conditions
• Integrate perception outputs into downstream tracking and effector control systems

Firmware & Systems Integration

• Oversee firmware architecture for sensor drivers, real-time OS scheduling, and hardware controls
• Ensure clean interfaces between firmware, perception, and targeting layers
• Support field testing, integration, and troubleshooting across the full stack

Required Skills And Experience

• Experience leading or mentoring a software/firmware engineering team
• Experience with modern computer vision models and training/fine-tuning/deployment
• Proven track record of edge model optimization
• Experience with lead-angle calculation for computing aimpoint solutions from tracked target kinematics
• Experience building human-in-the-loop control interfaces or state machines that facilitate automated tracking and operator authorization
• Embedded/firmware experience: real-time OS, sensor drivers, and hardware management
• Experience with real-time video pipelines and multi-sensor fusion
• Experience with Hailo or similar edge AI accelerators
• Python, C++ &/OR Rust skills

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Experience in kill chain methodologies, edge perception and classification for specific target sets, and an understanding of the trade-offs for different sensing modalities and wavelengths
• Experience with hardware control loop algorithms for tracking and targeting
• Experience with multi-object tracking and target fusion and arbitration
• Prior experience in defense, counter-UAS, or small-UAS autonomy systems
• Experience developing and/or working in .cu files