Senior/Staff Embedded Software Engineer – Camera Systems

Skydio•San Mateo, CA

About The Position

Skydio designs and manufactures fully autonomous drones that use state of the art hardware paired with advanced computer vision and machine learning to ensure our users always have access to the visual information they need. As a key member of our end-to-end imaging team, you will leverage deep expertise in ISP pipelines and LInux-based SoCs to architect and develop cutting-edge camera subsystems for both current and next-generation products. We design camera systems that support autonomous navigation, professional media capture, and industrial inspection and situational awareness. From early-stage user needs analysis to mass production, we manage the entire lifecycle: requirements definition, hardware bring-up, tuning, and validation. We work closely with the broader software organization to lay a strong foundation for the rest of the stack.

Requirements

Proven experience with ISP development on ARM-based Linux/Android SoCs, especially Qualcomm platforms
Deep understanding of ISP pipeline architecture, including front-end, Bayer processing, and post-processing
Strong background in algorithm development across CPU, DSP, GPU, and ISP pipelines
Hands-on experience with real-time 3A algorithms
Familiarity with Android Camera HAL3, Linux V4L2, AVC, and HEVC standards
Experience with GStreamer and GPU shader-based implementations for image processing (Debayering, lens shading, etc.)
Strong embedded development experience, including firmware for physical hardware
Proficiency in modern C++ in real-time, embedded environments
Python scripting and development skills
Skilled in hardware bring-up, low-level debugging, and performance optimization
Commitment to writing clean, maintainable, and well-abstracted code

Responsibilities

Lead development and integration of camera subsystems
Design and bring up ISP and camera hardware
Configure and optimize ISP and encoder pipelines
Collaborate with image quality, calibration, and test teams to deliver production-ready camera software
Develop next-generation image processing algorithms for autonomous flight applications
Bring up and debug new hardware platforms and prototypes