The salary range for this role is: $82,000 - $125,000
Employment
full time
Employer job description
From AeroVironment's posting. “We” and “our” refer to the employer.
Worker Type
Regular
Job Description
Summary
The Software Engineer II (Embedded) has the opportunity to develop a variety of innovative unmanned and robotic systems for multiple defense and commercial applications. The Embedded Software Engineer writes functional software for deployment on embedded devices and systems like aircraft and payloads and have the opportunity to test out those devices in flight test environments.
This requires the engineer to design, develop, code, test and debug system software as well as analyze and enhance efficiency, stability and scalability of the software on particular devices . There is a mix of full lifecycle development as well as a need to use existing software code base to expand the capabilities to match specific program requirements.
Position Responsibilities
Writes and tests software to support integration of sensors and embedded processors into aircraft (such as autopilots, payloads, software defined radios or other functional components) or other robotic systems
Designs and implements software for prototypes and products using established AeroVironment and industry developed tools and practices. Ensure good configuration control and management of software
Assists in writing of requirements, test plans, diagnostic tools, and in validation testing of software. Assist with hardware selection and recommend processing, memory and storage needs of systems
Supports development of rapid prototyping and conceptual level testing and will require estimating time to develop software and scoping the depth of the development with project/program management to fit timeline and budget constraints
Works closely with other engineering disciplines. Focused on getting the job done
Supports transition of development software to production environments and to certification. Participates in multi-disciplinary development teams
Develops proof of concept capability demonstrations. Conducts and supports design reviews
Follows AV's software development process to develop quality code
Works on problems of moderate scope where analysis of situations or data requires a review of a variety of factors. Operates in a continuous learning environment under little supervision.
Ability and willingness to work on-site daily in Moorpark.
A BS degree in Computer Science , Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience .
Minimum 2- 5 years of work experience or demonstrated equivalent competency and professionalism.
Strong expertise in C++ and object - oriented d evelopment .
Demonstrated knowledge of Visual Studio, Eclipse or similar IDE as well as defect tracking tools .
Experience collaborating closely with and building formal consensus with colleagues on engineering teams.
Experience troubleshooting complex realtime systems from application layer down to comms, drivers, and board support layers . Willingness to pursue troubleshooting trails wherever they lead, including beyond nominal domain of expertise .
Demonstrated mathematical and analytical skill s.
Demonstrated ability to break down large or ambiguous problems into manageable tasks.
Strong product focus: Driven to understand the product and all its subsystems as a cohesive whole the role that assigned tasks play in .
Demonstrates strong interpersonal and communication (written and verbal) skills
Has effective problem-solving, analytical, interpersonal and communication skills
Takes ownership and responsibility for current and past work products
Demonstrates competency in researching and re-engineering to propose alternate solutions to issues
Able to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, managing responsibilities to multiple concurrent projects.
Is committed to learning from mistakes and driven to improve and enhance performance of oneself, others, and the company
Focuse d on teamwork, collaboration and puts the success of the team above one's own interests .
Periodic travel will likely be required in support of testing equipment at approved flying locations
Periods of development may require long irregular hours around deadlines, weekends and some holidays and in field test environments
Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies
Expertise in C and Python.
Experience with unit testing and test-driven development.
Experience working with and development for Comms bus drivers using common protocols such as Ethernet, RS-485, RS-232, CAN, I2C, SPI, USB , “bit banging”.
Demonstrated professional and/or hobby experience with LLM-assisted software development.
Experience with updating build pipelines, especially CI/CD.
Proficiency in Verilog and VHDL.
Prior experience with embedded development ( e.g. robotics, drones, vehicle systems, medical systems)
Prior experience with professional coding standards and linters (MISRA, JSF, PClint , Understand)
Prior experience working with or developing autopilot code ( e.g. Ardupilot , PX4, INAV)
Prior experience in aerospace or defense sectors.
Prior experience with board bring-up / developing board support packages.
Experience with ARM architecture processors , particularly STM32 product family.
Proficiency working with microcontroller RTOS systems (such as μC /OS, freeRTOS ) . Expertise with common aerospace RTOSs such as Integrity or VxWorks.
Demonstrate d electronics knowledge and experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, network analyzers.
Prior experience as a system engineer and/or test engineer.
Piloting experience in general aviation and/or remote-control fixed wing aircraft (Part 91 and Part 107 licenses a plus).
Physical Demands
Ability to work in an office and R&D environment (Constant)
Required to stand and sit for long periods ; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent)
Special Requirements:
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 .
Occasionally may be required to travel within the Continental U.S.
Clearance Level
Secret
The salary range for this role is:
$82,000 - $125,000
AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.
ITAR Requirement:
This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction.
Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements. A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.
Benefits : AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits .
We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.
Principals only need apply. NO agencies please.
About AV:
AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.
We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.
Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next.
If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.
We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.
ITAR
U.S. Citizenship required. Must be willing to work on government contracts and have the ability to obtain a security clearance.
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