--- title: 'Senior/Principal Mission Software Engineer at Hermeus' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-principal-mission-software-engineer-hermeus-atlanta-m0q5yhze2j2k' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-18' --- # Senior/Principal Mission Software Engineer at Hermeus - **Company:** Hermeus - **Location:** Atlanta, GA - **Compensation:** $128k–$157k - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-10-09 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-18 - **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/hermeus/19d682c6-1baa-4925-ad26-e1d806487893 ## 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: The Mission Systems Engineering team develops the Mission Management System—the software platform connecting mission subsystems, autonomy services, operator interfaces, communications links, and telemetry across Hermeus aircraft and ground systems. As a Senior/Principal Mission Software Engineer, you will architect, build, integrate, and validate critical portions of this platform. You will work across software, avionics, communications, autonomy, simulation, and flight operations to solve complex problems in distributed, hardware-connected environments. This is a hands-on technical leadership role with the opportunity to define foundational architecture and directly influence how Hermeus aircraft are commanded, monitored, tested, and expanded with new mission capabilities. Responsibilities: - Own major Mission Management System capabilities from architecture through integration, testing, and operational use - Design and develop high-performance C++ software for command and control, telemetry, mission workflows, and subsystem coordination - Define scalable architectures, interfaces, APIs, protocols, and message schemas - Integrate autonomy services, sensors, payloads, radios, tactical datalinks, and third-party systems - Make technical decisions involving performance, reliability, latency, fault tolerance, and extensibility - Diagnose complex issues across distributed software, networks, embedded hardware, avionics, and communications systems - Partner with systems, avionics, autonomy, networking, flight-test, and operations teams - Build and improve simulation, software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and system-integration environments - Lead design reviews, code reviews, technical trade studies, and integration activities - Identify technical risks and drive solutions in environments where requirements are still evolving - Mentor engineers and establish strong software architecture and development practices - Support ground and flight-test campaigns, including real-time troubleshooting Requirements: - Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related field - 7+ years of professional software-development experience for Senior-level consideration - 10+ years of relevant experience, or an equivalent record of technical leadership and impact, for Principal-level consideration - Advanced proficiency with modern C++, including C++17 or newer - Experience designing and delivering complex, production-quality software systems - Strong knowledge of concurrency, memory management, software architecture, and performance-oriented development - Experience with distributed, real-time, embedded, robotic, aerospace, or other hardware-connected systems - Experience with TCP, UDP, multicast, and socket-level network programming - Ability to define architectures, interfaces, protocols, and system boundaries in ambiguous environments - Experience integrating software with hardware, external services, or independently developed subsystems - Strong debugging skills across software, networking, and hardware interfaces - Ability to clearly communicate technical decisions, risks, and tradeoffs across multidisciplinary teams - Demonstrated ownership through design, implementation, integration, testing, and deployment Preferred Skills and Experience: - Experience with mission systems, command-and-control software, mission planning, ground-control systems, autonomy platforms, or operator-facing applications - Aerospace, defense, robotics, autonomous vehicle, or spacecraft experience - Experience with RF communications, SATCOM, line-of-sight radios, or tactical datalinks - Familiarity with publish/subscribe architectures or middleware such as DDS, ZeroMQ, ActiveMQ, or Kafka - Experience integrating third-party sensors, payloads, autonomy services, radios, or mission subsystems - Knowledge of avionics architectures, aircraft networks, telemetry, and command-and-control workflows - Linux software development and deployment experience - Experience developing fault-tolerant or degraded-mode behaviors for distributed systems - Experience with simulation, SIL, HIL, system-integration labs, ground tests, or flight tests - Familiarity with standards such as DO-178C, ARINC, FACE, OMS/UCI, STANAG, or MIL-STD - Experience establishing technical direction or influencing execution across multiple teams - Experience working in a startup or rapid-prototyping environment U.S. Citizenship Requirement Due to U.S. Government requirements associated with access to Controlled Cryptographic Items (CCI) and related controlled information, this position is limited to U.S. citizens. U.S. permanent residents (Green Card holders) are not eligible for this role. 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) ## Other roles at Hermeus - [Avionics Electrical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/avionics-electrical-engineer-hermeus-los-angeles-4zejn6w966px) — Los Angeles, CA - [RF Systems Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/rf-systems-engineer-hermeus-atlanta-nhdshafjhpnb) — Atlanta, GA - [Senior Avionics Electrical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-avionics-electrical-engineer-hermeus-los-angeles-pq9qt7ewxmpt) — Los Angeles, CA - [Senior Software Simulation Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-simulation-engineer-hermeus-los-angeles-yptr4pphr7rz) — Los Angeles, CA - [Senior RF Systems Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-rf-systems-engineer-hermeus-atlanta-vx5fvfc69fdq) — Atlanta, GA - [Senior Electrical Engineer - Power Electronics](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-electrical-engineer-power-electronics-hermeus-los-angeles-5vmycmmkehrq) — Los Angeles, CA - [Flight Software Engineer – Command & Control](https://feeny.ai/job/flight-software-engineer-command-control-hermeus-atlanta-enxssy7wy71b) — Atlanta, GA - [Senior Finance Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-finance-manager-hermeus-los-angeles-891m1brh2n1s) — Los Angeles, CA - [Sr IT Support Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-it-support-specialist-hermeus-atlanta-50r3738z6knn) — Atlanta, GA - [Loads & Dynamics Engineering Intern - Summer 2027](https://feeny.ai/job/loads-dynamics-engineering-intern-summer-2027-hermeus-los-angeles-gzfw8e5nt513) — Los Angeles, CA