Software Integration & Test Engineering Manager I

Inspired Flight; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited Paid Time Off

World Class Health, Dental, Vision

401k w/ 6% company match

Quarterly Team Bonus Plan

Job summary

Inspired Flight is seeking an Engineering Manager to lead a team of 4-8 software and test engineers, guiding system architecture and code while championing best practices in software engineering, drone testing, and DevOps.

This in-office role at Inspired Flight’s HQ in San Luis Obispo requires expertise in UAS, embedded software, and front-end development, with strong leadership and communication skills. FAA Part 107 license is a plus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer, Software, Electrical or related engineering field.
• 7+ years of experience, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Experience in UAS/aviation/aerospace/robotics or defense.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 4-8 software and test engineers.
• Provide technical guidance on system architecture and code.
• Champion best practices in software engineering, drone testing, and DevOps.
• Manage software development lifecycle from requirements through deployment.
• Work with product/hardware engineering teams to define integration & test requirements.
• Interface with Product and Program Management on scope, schedules, and risk communication.

Skills

UAS experience

Embedded software

Android development

AWS

C++

Java

C#

Front-end web development

QGC familiarity

ArduPilot

PX4

MavLink

Leadership

Communication

FAA Part 107 license

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

QGC

ArduPilot

PX4

MavLink

Job description

Company Description

Inspired Flight’s Purpose Statement says it all - Conserving resources, creating jobs, and saving lives by innovating the American drone manufacturing. Founded in San Luis Obispo, California our entirely U.S. based team designs, builds and supports highly capable and flexible drone platforms for both commercial and government customers.

Our purpose driven team exemplifies our Core Values. We are:

Collaborative: We harness the collective intelligence and energy of our team to surpass individual potentials and achieve shared goals.

Resilient: We approach obstacles with flexibility and creativity, supporting one another to stay focused, resourceful, and determined.

Diverse: We place a high value in people of all heritages, genders, sexual orientations, and points of view to spark innovation and solutions, enriching our work environment and outputs.

Continuously Improving: We are committed to ongoing learning and innovation by always seeking ways to enhance our processes, products, and personal expertise.

Underlying all of this is our deeply rooted belief that the cutting-edge aerial tools we create are advancing an industry that is good for people, good for our planet and good for the United States of America.

Location

This is an in-office position for hire at Inspired Flight’s HQ in San Luis Obispo, CA.

Job Description

Inspired Flight is seeking a talented and experienced Engineering Manager to join our team. An Engineering Manager is a specialized role responsible for leading a team that focuses on software development, integration of payloads, and running validation and reliability testing for complex hardware and software systems.

This position is at the core of the engineering department at Inspired Flight and will be part of a rapidly growing company in the growing UAV industry.

Typical responsibilities:

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 4-8 software and test engineers.
• Provide technical guidance on system architecture and code.
• Champion best practices in software engineering, drone testing, and DevOps.
• Manage software development lifecycle from requirements through deployment.
• Work with product/hardware engineering teams to define integration & test requirements.
• Interface with Product and Program Management on scope, schedules, and risk communication.

You’ll excel in this role if you have:

• Experience with UAS/drone systems.
• Experience in working with developing & testing software on hardware systems.
• Proficiency in Android app development, AWS, C++, Java, C#.
• Experienced in leading front end web development
• Familiarity with QGC, ArduPilot, PX4, and MavLink.
• Strong technical leadership and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• UAV Pilot experience and/or a FAA Part 107 License.

Education/Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent discipline.
• 7+ years experience, with at least 2 years leadership experience.
• Experience in a related field, preferably: UAS, aviation, aerospace, robotics, autonomy or defense industry.

Salary & Benefits Offered

• $140,000-$170,000 DOE
• Unlimited Paid Time Off
• World Class Health, Dental, Vision Insurance Plan
• 401k w/ 6% company match
• Quarterly Team Bonus Plan

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may need to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Inspired Flight is deeply committed to building a workplace where inclusion is not only valued, but prioritized. We pride ourselves on being an equal opportunity employer that seeks to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, or expression, family status, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, neurodiversity, age, or veteran status, or any other non-merit based or legally protected grounds.

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their supervisor.