Software Lead - Integrations
About The Position
Covenant Industries is seeking a lead software and autonomy engineer to guide embedded edge-compute, Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC), and communications architecture for the Anthem multi-domain cruise missile platform. Based at the company’s advanced manufacturing footprint in Grand Prairie, Texas, the role owns the software execution layer supporting Army and Navy contracts and future platform variants. The position combines embedded C++ and Python development with physical range deployment, computer-vision optimization, live-fire test support, and technical briefings to senior defense stakeholders. The role leads real-time embedded software and edge-AI development, including migration and optimization of the flight guidance stack to NVIDIA Jetson platforms, flight-stack and sensor-fusion work, and command-and-control communications integration. It also supports hardware-in-the-loop validation, troubleshooting during live-fire tests, range safety and fail-safe integration, and configuration of tactical launch assets. The lead serves as the principal technical representative for the software and autonomy suite, presents technical findings to defense customers and government stakeholders, mentors junior engineers, and coordinates engineering work with an international technical team in Israel. Travel to remote, austere, and littoral military test ranges may be required, up to 30% of the time.
Requirements
- Active Secret clearance and verified Top Secret / SCI eligibility.
- B.S. or M.S. in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a highly technical equivalent.
- At least 5 years of production-level C++, C, and Python development in a real-time Linux (Ubuntu/ARM64) defense R&D environment.
- Hands-on familiarity with the Pixhawk autopilot footprint, ArduPilot or PX4 source-code modification, and MAVLink messaging structures.
- Experience deploying deep neural networks or computer-vision object-tracking loops on NVIDIA Jetson embedded modules.
- Practical knowledge of integrating Microhard RF transceivers, tactical mesh networking layers, or SATCOM hardware.
Nice To Haves
- Active Top Secret/SCI clearance.
- Direct engineering experience in a US Navy or US Army laboratory environment, such as NSWC or DEVCOM.
- Development experience with the Team Awareness Kit (TAK / COTAF) framework for battlefield command and control.
- Experience modeling missile or uncrewed-vehicle signatures, including Radar Cross-Section (RCS) or FLIR thermal blending.
- Active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification or a military UAS operator rating.
Responsibilities
- Design, implement, and maintain real-time, low-latency computer-vision perception and target-tracking pipelines on embedded hardware.
- Lead migration and optimization of the core flight guidance stack to the NVIDIA Jetson edge platform using TensorRT, GStreamer, and ONNX.
- Program, modify, and flight-certify aeromechanical stability loops, sensor-fusion nodes, and autonomous waypoint-navigation scripts within the Pixhawk hardware architecture and ArduPilot flight stack.
- Develop resilient command-and-control data interfaces over MAVLink, integrating Microhard RF transceivers and transitioning the platform to high-priority US SATCOM data links.
- Deploy to remote military test ranges as a technical extension of the Range Execution Pod, with travel up to 30%.
- Lead hardware-in-the-loop laboratory validation and troubleshoot software and telemetry during live-fire conditions.
- Coordinate with the Director of Test to integrate software fail-safes, flight-boundary geofencing, and range-safety protocols.
- Support configuration of tactical assets, including autonomous ground-launch containers, remote unmanned barge launch loops, and Mk 41 Vertical Launch System electrical interfaces.
- Represent Covenant’s software and autonomy suite to external defense customers.
- Translate modeling and simulation metrics, swarm behaviors, and trajectory data into clear tactical insights.
- Deliver technical briefings to government and defense stakeholders, including Senators, Congressional staff, Generals, Admirals, and Program Managers.
- Mentor junior electrical and software team members, conduct code reviews, and support their development.
- Coordinate engineering synchronization with the international technical node in Israel to validate skills and align software subsystems.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
