Software Engineer II (Applications)

AeroVironment•San Diego, CA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

As a Software Engineer II (Applications) you will build mission systems software that flies on real uncrewed aircraft, working alongside a small, fast-moving team of engineers who love autonomy and robotics. This is a hands-on role for someone who wants real ownership of hard problems - designing, developing, and testing the software that powers vision-based navigation and autonomous flight, and seeing it deployed on live systems.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Math, or Physics, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
2 - 5 years of software development experience, or a strong track record of internships, research, personal projects, or startup work.
Proficiency in C++ (C++11/17), Python, or C, with a solid grasp of object-oriented design
Comfortable developing on Linux
Writes tests and debugs code; genuinely curious about how and why things work
Familiarity with version control (git) and modern development tooling (IDEs, debuggers, CI/CD)
Strong mathematical and analytical skills
Willingness to travel locally (Occasionally)
U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) or asylee/refugee status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) required.
Must be willing to work on government contracts and have the ability to obtain a security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Hands-on experience with UAS, drones, robotics, autonomous vehicles, or other embedded systems
Exposure to computer vision, machine learning, or sensor integration on embedded systems
Experience or strong interest in the Robot Operating System (ROS2) on Linux/ARM
Familiarity with unit testing frameworks, containerized development (Docker), and CI/CD workflows
Embraces AI-assisted development tools (e.g., code generation, review, and debugging assistants) to write better software faster and to accelerate related engineering work
Advanced degree is a plus
Genuinely passionate about autonomous systems and writing great software - the kind of person who tinkers, builds, and can't stop learning
Thrives in a fast-paced environment where a small team owns a broad variety of problems
Takes ownership of their work and is driven to improve, iterate, and get better every day
Strong problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills
Collaborative and team-first, and enjoys working through hard problems together

Responsibilities

Design, build, and test onboard Linux software powering AV's vision-based navigation, autonomy, and mission systems for uncrewed aircraft
Write software that integrates sensors, processors, and other robotics systems onto real aircraft - and see it fly
Own features end to end: from design and implementation through automated testing and deployment
Participate in software design reviews and contribute your ideas to how the team builds and ships
Turn detailed software requirements and algorithm designs into working, well-tested code
Collaborate closely with other software developers, reusing and improving shared software across multiple programs
Learn fast in a hands-on environment with strong senior mentorship, and level up quickly
Tackle problems of moderate scope, using good judgment to figure out the right approach
Other duties as assigned