Lead - Firmware (UAVs)

About the Role<\/span><\/b>
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As the Head of Firmware<\/b>, you will lead the design, development, and deployment of embedded software across all UAV flight platforms. You will re\-define the entire hardware architecture of unmanned aerial vehicles. You will manage a growing team of embedded engineers, and ensure the successful integration of several sub\-systems (meeting Mil grade standards) with onboard hardware. Your work will directly impact aircraft safety, responsiveness, and feature capabilities.
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You\u2019ll also collaborate closely with autonomy, hardware, perception, and systems integration teams to ensure smooth end\-to\-end operation from sensor to sky.
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Key Responsibilities<\/span><\/b>
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  • Firmware Architecture & Development<\/span><\/b>
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    • Own and evolve the firmware architecture<\/b> for UAV flight systems, ensuring modularity, scalability, and performance.
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    • Lead the design and development of high performance flight controllers meeting DO\-178 standards.
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    • Develop sub\-systems required to perform end\-to\-end operations (Launch platforms, Charging infra, Base stations, communication Equipment etc)
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    • Work with high speed interfaces for motor control, sensor input(GPS, IMUs, barometers, Lidar etc.), telemetry, and power management to create smart sub\-systems in UAVs.
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    • Ensure low\-latency<\/b>, deterministic<\/b>, and fail\-safe execution<\/b> on embedded platforms.
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    • Testing, Reliability & Validation<\/span><\/b>
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      • Define and drive the firmware testing strategy<\/b>, including:
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        • Unit testing<\/b>
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        • HIL/SIL simulations<\/b>
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        • Regression testing<\/b>
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        • Flight validation and fault injection<\/b>
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        • Ensure the firmware meets real\-time performance<\/b>, safety<\/b>, and reliability<\/b> goals under varying mission conditions.
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        • Own firmware reliability metrics and track bug resolution and release cycles.
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        • Cross\-Functional Collaboration<\/span><\/b>
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          • Work closely with:
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            • Hardware team<\/b> for board bring\-up, sensor interfaces, and power systems.
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            • Autonomy and controls teams<\/b> to ensure closed\-loop control systems are stable and efficient.
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            • Systems integration<\/b> to support test campaigns, tuning, and logs.
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            • Collaborate with the CTO and other department leads on overall technical roadmap<\/b> and priorities.
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            • Compliance, Safety, and Process<\/span><\/b>
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              • Contribute to or lead efforts for firmware certification readiness<\/b> (e.g., DO\-178C<\/b>, ISO 26262).
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              • Establish robust version control<\/b>, release management<\/b>, and CI/CD pipelines<\/b> for firmware deployment.
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              • Ensure secure and recoverable firmware<\/b> systems are in place (e.g., bootloaders, firmware upgrades, watchdogs).
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                Requirements<\/h3>
                Qualifications<\/span><\/b><\/div>
                • Bachelor\u2019s or Master\u2019s degree in Electrical Engineering<\/b>, Computer Engineering<\/b>, Robotics<\/b>, or related fields.
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                • 6+ years<\/b> of experience in embedded systems / firmware development, with atleast 1 year in a leadership role<\/b>.
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                • Strong expertise in C/C++<\/b> for real\-time systems.
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                • Deep experience with flight control stacks<\/b> like PX4<\/b>, ArduPilot<\/b>, or custom autopilot software.
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                • Hands\-on experience with RTOS<\/b> environments (VxWorks, FreeRTOS, RTEMS, etc.).
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                • Strong understanding of sensor internals, data formats, failure conditions, and tolerating failures.
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                • Experience with board bring\-up<\/b> and bootloader design<\/b>.
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                • Ability to work hands\-on or design hardware debugging tools (oscilloscope, JTAG, logic analyzer, Test environments / jigs).
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                  Preferred Qualifications<\/span><\/b><\/div>
                  • Experience working on DO\-178C<\/b> or other safety\-critical systems.
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                  • Familiarity with certified RTOS<\/b> (INTEGRITY, SafeRTOS, etc.).
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                  • Experience in flight test support<\/b> and analyzing log data (e.g., uLog, MAVLink).
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                  • Contributions to open\-source firmware projects (PX4, ArduPilot, etc.).
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                  • Knowledge of CI/CD<\/b> for embedded systems (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI, custom pipelines).
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                    Benefits<\/h3>
                    What We Offer<\/span><\/b><\/div>
                    • A high\-impact leadership role in shaping the core of our flight systems.
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                    • Be part of a collaborative team passionate about innovation.
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                    • Access to real hardware, test ranges, and flight platforms.
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                    • Build the next era of UAVs and autonomy.
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                    • Competitive salary and equity options.
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