---
title: 'Autonomy Software Engineer at Hermeus'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/autonomy-software-engineer-hermeus-los-angeles-6nkw30m2638b'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-18'
---

# Autonomy Software Engineer at Hermeus

- **Company:** Hermeus
- **Location:** Los Angeles, CA
- **Compensation:** $110k–$160k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-08-28
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-18
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/hermeus/4b1f62d7-4a70-4d79-b83d-f8a6cae6ccaa

## Job description

Hermeus is a venture-backed defense aviation company reclaiming the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping to build the fastest aircraft in the world today. By prioritizing relentless hardware iteration, we deliver high-speed systems at the pace of the modern battlefield. We work with the Department of War to provide the high-speed capabilities our nation and its allies need to maintain a durable, asymmetric advantage.

## About the Role

We are seeking an Autonomy Software Engineer to develop flight autonomy capabilities for Hermeus’ supersonic vehicle fleet. You will build software spanning guidance and control, mission autonomy, and navigation while working closely with RPA pilots, GNC engineers, software platform engineers, simulation engineers, and command-and-control teams.

This is a hands-on role for an engineer who is comfortable owning difficult, cross-functional problems from initial design through integration and flight testing. You will directly influence how Hermeus aircraft navigate, execute missions, interact with operators, and progressively achieve higher levels of autonomy.

The ideal candidate combines strong modern C++ software-development skills with experience in autonomous or unmanned systems and a practical understanding of guidance, controls, and navigation.

## Responsibilities

- Develop modern C++ software for flight autonomy, guidance, navigation, and control

- Design and implement mission-autonomy behaviors and vehicle decision-making capabilities

- Develop and integrate guidance and control loops for unmanned aircraft

- Support the integration, evaluation, and validation of navigation sensors and navigation solutions

- Integrate autonomy capabilities into existing aircraft software architectures and command-and-control systems

- Develop automated test suites, simulation scenarios, and utilities to verify autonomy performance and expected behavior

- Work closely with GNC and simulation engineers to develop, test, and validate autonomy algorithms

- Partner with RPA pilots and flight-operations teams to define and execute the autonomy roadmap

- Integrate autonomy software with vehicle systems, communications links, ground systems, and operator interfaces

- Diagnose and resolve complex problems spanning autonomy software, vehicle dynamics, navigation, simulation, and command-and-control interfaces

- Participate in software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, ground-test, and flight-test activities

- Own technical problems from initial investigation through implementation, integration, testing, and operational use

- Drive solutions across multidisciplinary teams in environments where requirements and vehicle capabilities are rapidly evolving

## Requirements

- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, or a related technical field

- Strong proficiency with modern C++, including experience developing production-quality software

- Strong general software-engineering fundamentals, including software architecture, debugging, testing, and performance-conscious development

- Experience developing software for unmanned aircraft, autonomous vehicles, robotics, spacecraft, or other autonomous systems

- Experience with guidance and control algorithms, control loops, trajectory generation, or vehicle guidance software

- Experience developing or integrating flight or mission-autonomy capabilities

- Experience developing or integrating navigation systems, sensors, or state-estimation solutions

- Ability to work effectively across software, GNC, simulation, systems, operations, and other engineering disciplines

- Demonstrated ability to independently identify technical problems and drive them through resolution

- Experience integrating complex software capabilities into larger vehicle or robotic-system architectures

## Preferred Skills and Experience

- Experience developing autonomy software for unmanned aerial systems or remotely piloted aircraft

- Experience with flight guidance, path planning, trajectory generation, control allocation, or vehicle control

- Experience with GNSS, INS, IMUs, air-data systems, sensor fusion, or other navigation technologies

- Experience integrating autonomy software with command-and-control systems

- Familiarity with over-the-air communications, vehicle-to-ground protocols, telemetry, and command interfaces

- Experience with mission planning, contingency management, health monitoring, or autonomous decision-making

- Experience with Linux-based embedded or real-time software systems

- Experience with simulation, SIL, HIL, system-integration labs, ground testing, or flight testing

- Experience collaborating directly with pilots, operators, or flight-test teams

- Aerospace, defense, robotics, autonomous vehicle, or spacecraft experience

- Experience working in a startup, rapid-prototyping, or highly iterative development environment

The salary range listed for this role is intended as a general guideline. Final compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including role scope and responsibilities, relevant experience, education and training, key skills, market data, and business needs. At Hermeus, compensation is only one part of our total rewards package. We offer competitive pay, equity, and a range of benefits designed to support our team. Benefits: Health & Wellness: 100% employer-paid healthcare and pet insurance Financial: Competitive pay, stock options, 401(k) retirement plan, and potential year-end bonuses Time Off: Paid parental leave, 12 federal holidays, unlimited PTO for exempt employees, and generous accrued PTO for non-exempt employees Office Perks: Weekly paid office lunches and fully stocked breakrooms

## U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. US persons include U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

## EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Hermeus is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions at Hermeus are based solely on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

## #LI-JC3

## About Hermeus

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Hermeus is an aerospace and defense company building the world’s fastest aircraft through rapid iterative prototyping, targeting high-Mach and hypersonic flight for national security and commercial applications.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series C, ~$350M raised in latest round)
- **Headquarters**: Hawthorne, California, USA (primary HQ at 3401 Jack Northrop Ave; additional offices in Los Angeles/El Segundo, Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Washington, D.C.)
- **Founded**: 2018
- **Founders**: AJ Piplica, Glenn Case, Skyler Shuford, Michael Smayda

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing; Defense Technology
- **Target customers**: B2G (primarily U.S. Department of Defense and allied nations), with future potential in commercial high-speed travel
- **Mission**: Build the world’s fastest aircraft by reclaiming the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping, delivering high-speed systems that provide an asymmetric advantage for the nation and its allies.

## Products & Services
- **Quarterhorse Program**: A series of four purpose-built unmanned aircraft, each designed to unlock a specific technical challenge and incrementally de-risk hypersonic technology. The first aircraft flew in 2025, and the company reached supersonic flight just 364 days later—the fastest time from founding to supersonic flight in aviation history.
- **High-Speed Propulsion Systems**: Development of air-breathing engines, including testing at the High Enthalpy Airbreathing Test (HEAT) facility in Jacksonville, FL, using Pratt & Whitney F100 engines as a baseline.
- **Hypersonic Aircraft Platforms**: Future planned vehicles aimed at affordable, reusable hypersonic flight for defense and eventually commercial passengers.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed (conflicting reports; PitchBook lists latest Series C at $350M, total funding ~$566M)
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding ~$566M (9 rounds); Annual Revenue estimated at $5.6M (LinkedIn data, likely early-stage).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Sam Altman (led Series B), Khosla Ventures (led Seed), United States Air Force ($60M grant), NASA (Non-Equity Assistance), and other defense-focused investors.
- **Growth Signals**: 286 employees (+42% YoY); 122,889 LinkedIn followers (+58.2% yearly); rapid expansion from concept to supersonic flight in under 7 years; multiple open positions across engineering, manufacturing, and operations.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Speed of Iteration**: Hermeus is the fastest company in aviation history to go from founding to supersonic flight (364 days after first flight), using a hardware-rich, test-early approach reminiscent of the Skunk Works era.
- **First-Principles Engineering**: Small, cross-disciplinary teams that own problems end-to-end, enabling rapid decision-making and prototyping.
- **Government & Strategic Relationships**: Deep ties with DoD, USAF, and NASA, providing both funding and clear mission requirements.
- **Facilities & Infrastructure**: Four locations covering design, manufacturing, propulsion testing, and policy engagement, including a 110,000 sq ft facility in Atlanta and a dedicated test site in Jacksonville.

## Strategic Focus
- **Current priorities**: Scaling the Quarterhorse program to achieve hypersonic flight; maturing engine and airframe integration; expanding manufacturing capacity; hiring top engineering and operations talent; deepening partnerships with defense customers.
- **Direction for growth**: Move from unmanned demonstrators to operational hypersonic aircraft for defense, and eventually develop a commercial high-speed air transport capability.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as "rapid, relentless iteration" with a "total disregard for what others say can't be done." Emphasizes extreme ownership, stubborn focus, and a small-team, high-impact environment.
- **Remote/Hybrid/Office Policy**: On-site roles required at Hawthorne (LA), Atlanta, Jacksonville, or D.C. (multiple open positions are on-site).
- **Notable Perks**:
  - 100% premium coverage for health, dental, and vision for employees and dependents
  - 3 months paid parental leave (100% pay) plus optional additional unpaid month
  - Stock options for all full-time offers with equity refresher program
  - 401k & retirement plans
  - Unlimited PTO for exempt employees (generous accrued PTO for non-exempt) plus 12 federal holidays
  - Free weekly lunches, dog-friendly offices, commuter benefits
- **Engineering Culture**: Hands-on, cross-functional teams; opportunities to work on flight hardware, propulsion, avionics, software, and test operations; fast promotion cycles for high performers.

## Sources
1. [Hermeus Careers](https://www.hermeus.com/careers)
2. [Hermeus Company Page](https://www.hermeus.com/company)
3. [LinkedIn Company Profile](https://linkedin.com/company/hermeus)
4. [PitchBook Profile](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/267414-22)
5. [Lever Job Board](https://jobs.lever.co/hermeus)

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