Description
We are building a next-generation autonomous aerial platform, combining edge computing, real-time control, and advanced mission management across complex operational environments.
The Senior Edge Navigation Software Engineer will play a key role in designing and developing the platform's navigation and state estimation software—a core capability that enables the drone to accurately understand its position, orientation, and motion in complex and dynamic environments.
This role requires deep expertise in navigation algorithms, sensor fusion, perception, and real-time software development, with the opportunity to influence the architecture and implementation of advanced navigation capabilities for autonomous UAVs.
Responsibilities
Navigation & State Estimation
- Design and develop robust navigation and state estimation algorithms.
- Develop algorithms to evaluate sensor reliability and dynamically fuse or select sensor inputs.
- Ensure accurate and continuous state estimation (position, velocity, and orientation) under varying operational conditions.
- Improve navigation robustness in GNSS-degraded and GNSS-denied environments.
Sensor Fusion
- Design and implement multi-sensor fusion algorithms using IMU, cameras, radar, barometer, GNSS, and additional onboard sensors.
- Develop estimation frameworks based on Kalman Filters, EKF/UKF, factor graphs, or similar approaches.
- Optimize estimation accuracy, consistency, and real-time performance.
Optical & Perception-Based Navigation
- Develop vision-based navigation capabilities.
- Implement and optimize perception algorithms for localization and navigation.
- Integrate perception outputs into the broader navigation and control pipeline.
Software Development
- Design, develop, test, and maintain high-performance C++ software for real-time autonomous systems.
- Write clean, maintainable, and production-quality code.
- Optimize algorithms for embedded and edge computing platforms.
- Participate in software architecture discussions and technical design reviews.
System Integration
- Collaborate closely with control, autopilot (APS), mission software, perception, and infrastructure teams.
- Ensure seamless integration between navigation outputs and guidance/control loops.
- Work with simulation and QA teams to validate system performance.
Robustness & Performance
- Design algorithms for real-time execution under strict latency and computational constraints.
- Validate solutions through simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and flight testing.
- Optimize performance in challenging environments with degraded or uncertain sensor data.
Requirements
- B.Sc. or higher in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, or a related quantitative discipline.
- 5+ years of experience developing software for navigation, estimation, GNC, robotics, or autonomous systems.
- Strong background in sensor fusion and state estimation (Kalman Filters, EKF/UKF, factor graphs, or similar).
- Excellent C++ development skills (modern C++), with Python used for prototyping and analysis.
- Experience developing real-time software for embedded or edge computing platforms.
- Proven experience with autonomous systems (UAVs, drones, robotics platforms, autonomous vehicles, or similar).
- Strong understanding of IMU integration, coordinate frames, motion models, and inertial navigation.
- Experience designing complex software systems from concept through production deployment.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Preferred Experience
- Experience with Visual Navigation, Visual-Inertial Odometry (VIO), SLAM, or Visual Localization.
- Experience integrating heterogeneous sensors such as radar, cameras, LiDAR, GNSS, and barometers.
- Familiarity with ROS, DDS, MAVLink, or similar robotics middleware.
- Experience deploying software on embedded or resource-constrained hardware.
- Experience with simulation environments for validation and testing.
- Familiarity with Linux development and multi-threaded programming.
- Experience optimizing software for real-time performance.
