Software Integration Engineer

Apera; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Apera, a leading advanced aviation company, seeks a Software Integration Engineer to develop, integrate, and test flight automation systems. You will work with test aircraft, taking software from development through integration and flight using real-world flight data to understand performance and drive improvements.

Responsibilities include owning bring-up of GNC software, developing flight test cards, building test frameworks, and creating Python tools for analysis.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of professional experience with hardware-software integration.
• Experience with real-time or safety-critical software.
• Ability to work near hardware and debug complex integrated systems.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals.

Responsibilities

• Bring-up, integration, and checkout of GNC and flight automation on test aircraft.
• Develop and execute flight test cards to characterize GNC performance.
• Investigate and resolve flight test issues with multiple engineering teams.
• Support flight readiness reviews and configuration management.
• Build and improve software and systems test frameworks and processes.
• Develop automated testing and simulation tools for validation.
• Contribute to C++ flight controls and mission management code as needed.
• Develop Python tools for pre-flight predictions and post-flight analysis.
• Compare simulation predictions with flight data to improve models.
• Develop and optimize embedded software across hardware boundaries.
• 2+ years of experience and a bachelor’s degree.
• Experience near hardware and debugging complex integrated systems.
• Experience with real-time or safety-critical software.
• Strong fundamentals: networking, fault tolerance, and design.
• Ability to learn new technologies quickly and adapt.
• Strong problem-solving and independent work in a fast-paced environment.
• Hands-on mindset to work close to hardware and aircraft.

Skills

C++

Python

Real-time software

Embedded systems

Networking fundamentals

Fault tolerance

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Bazel

Messaging frameworks

Job description

A leading advanced aviation company is looking for a Software Integration Engineer to play a key role in developing, integrating, and testing cutting-edge flight automation systems.

This is a hands-on role at the intersection of software, hardware, flight controls, and autonomy.

You’ll work directly with test aircraft, taking software from development through integration and flight, and using real-world flight data to understand performance, uncover limitations, and drive improvements.

Responsibilities

• Own the bring-up, integration, and checkout of GNC and flight automation software on test aircraft
• Develop, review, and execute flight test cards to characterize GNC performance, stability margins, guidance accuracy, and autonomy features
• Investigate and resolve flight test issues, working closely with flight controls, software, systems, and other engineering teams
• Support flight readiness reviews, test readiness reviews, and configuration management
• Build and improve software and systems test frameworks and processes
• Develop automated testing and simulation tools to validate flight automation behaviour before it reaches the aircraft
• Contribute to flight controls and mission management software development in C++ where needed to support the test campaign
• Develop Python tools for pre-flight predictions, real-time monitoring, and post-flight analysis
• Compare simulation predictions against flight data to identify discrepancies and improve models
• Develop, debug, integrate, and optimize embedded software across hardware and software boundaries
• 2+ years of professional experience and a bachelor’s degree
• Experience working close to hardware and debugging complex integrated systems
• Experience with real-time or safety-critical software
• Strong software engineering fundamentals, including networking, fault tolerance, and system design
• Ability to quickly learn new technologies and apply them across different engineering problems
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment
• A hands-on mindset and a willingness to get close to the hardware and the aircraft

Nice to Have

• Experience working in aerospace or flight test
• Experience with mission management, robotics, or autonomous systems, including path planning, contingency management, or decision-making
• Familiarity with the Bazel build system
• Experience with messaging frameworks for distributed systems

Export Control

This position must meet US export control compliance requirements. Candidates must qualify as a “US Person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15, including US citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, or asylees.