---
title: 'Senior Software Engineer / RF Systems at Quartermaster'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-rf-systems-quartermaster-arlington-fmg80br2zt9z'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-14'
---

# Senior Software Engineer / RF Systems at Quartermaster

- **Company:** Quartermaster
- **Location:** Arlington, VA
- **Compensation:** $200k–$230k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-10-01
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-14
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/quartermaster/b9d19296-4273-4876-a497-376adcee99f7

## Job description

## About Us

Quartermaster is building the world's most comprehensive maritime intelligence platform. Our SmartMast™ system transforms commercial and civilian vessels into a persistent, distributed sensing network—combining HD video, AI, radar, RF sensing, and AIS to deliver real-time maritime domain awareness at global scale. With 600+ sensors deployed across 25+ countries and more than 400,000 vessels identified outside of AIS, we are setting a new standard for what ocean surveillance and safety can look like. We are a mission-driven, high-velocity team building dual-use technology for defense agencies, coast guards, and commercial maritime operators.

Job Description We are looking for a Senior Software Engineer to help build the software backbone of Quartermaster's RF sensing platform—the edge applications, distributed data pipelines, and cloud services that turn raw spectrum captured on vessels around the world into actionable maritime intelligence. You will work alongside RF, FPGA, and hardware engineers to take signal processing from the lab bench to a deployed fleet: writing high-performance, hardware-aware code that runs on compute-constrained embedded Linux at the mast, moving timestamped IQ data and detections reliably from ship to cloud, and processing that data at scale as our sensor network grows into the thousands. This role sits at the intersection of systems software, cloud data processing, and RF. You do not need to be an RF engineer, but you should have worked with or alongside RF or SDR software and understand the constraints that come with it—sample rates, timing, throughput, and hardware that lives in harsh, remote environments. You will own components end-to-end, work directly with customers to shape requirements, operate with a high degree of independence, and collaborate closely with a small, senior team where every engineer's work is visible in the field.

## Key Responsibilities

- Design, build, and maintain high-performance software in Rust, C, and/or C++ that runs across a distributed system spanning edge devices and the cloud.
- Architect optimized, hardware-aware software that interfaces with SDR hardware, FPGA fabric, and embedded Linux on compute-constrained SmartMast units.
- Develop reliable streaming data paths for IQ samples, detection events, and metadata—from hardware drivers and DMA buffers through packetization (e.g., VITA 49), custom TCP/UDP transport, on-device processing, and upload to the cloud.
- Build and operate large-scale cloud data processing pipelines that ingest, process, store, and serve high-bandwidth RF captures and telemetry from a globally distributed fleet to deliver real-time insights.
- Work directly with customers to understand operational needs, derive and refine requirements, and translate them into technical solutions.
- Partner with RF and DSP engineers to turn algorithms prototyped in Python or GNU Radio into production-grade, tested, and maintainable implementations.
- Own device provisioning, configuration, versioning, and release tooling that allows new units to be brought up, updated, and monitored remotely with confidence.
- Establish strong engineering practices across the stack: automated testing, hardware-in-the-loop validation, CI/CD, code review, design discussions, and clear documentation.
- Support field deployments and diagnose issues on live units, using logs, telemetry, and captured data to identify root causes and drive durable fixes.

## Qualifications (Preferred)

- 4+ years of professional software development experience and a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
- Strong coding and debugging skills in compiled, native languages (C, C++, or Rust); production Rust experience is strongly preferred.
- Systems-level development on resource-constrained, embedded Linux platforms, including hardware-software interfaces (e.g., device drivers, memory-mapped I/O, DMA) and the computer architecture knowledge to write hardware-aware, performance-optimized code.
- Proficiency with IP networking, including implementing or debugging custom TCP/UDP protocols.
- Experience building and operating large-scale, distributed data processing pipelines in the cloud for high-volume or streaming data. Hands-on AWS experience (e.g., S3, IoT Core, Lambda, ECS, Kinesis) and familiarity with infrastructure-as-code tooling preferred.
- 2+ years working with or adjacent to RF, SDR, or wireless communications software. Familiarity with tools and standards such as GNU Radio, UHD/USRP, libiio, VITA 49, or SigMF is a plus.
- Demonstrated ability to independently decompose ambiguous, complex problems—including directly with customers—and carry them to deployment with minimal guidance.
- Active U.S. security clearance, or eligibility and willingness to obtain one.
- Bonus: Exposure to FPGA-based SoCs (e.g., Xilinx Zynq/MPSoC); background in digital signal processing (filtering, channelization, FFT-based analysis, CFAR detection) or GNSS timing and geolocation; prior experience on defense, maritime, or government programs.

Work Environment:

- Small, senior, cross-disciplinary team spanning RF, FPGA, hardware, and software.
- Start-up atmosphere with significant autonomy and ownership given to engineers.
- Hands-on work with real hardware, with occasional travel to support testing and field deployments.
- In-office and flexible hours

## About Quartermaster

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Quartermaster builds a real-time, distributed maritime awareness network by equipping vessels with AI-powered sensor packages (SmartMast) and an analytics platform.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A)
- **Headquarters**: Arlington, Virginia, United States
- **Founded**: 2023
- **Founders**: Neil Sobin (CEO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Maritime intelligence, defense technology, AI/robotics, ocean sensing
- **Target customers**: Governments (navies, coast guards), commercial shipping operators, insurers, and maritime researchers (B2G, B2B)
- **Mission**: “Connect every vessel on the water to create a comprehensive, real-time picture of our oceans, unlocking critical data insights that underpin a prosperous global maritime ecosystem.” [quartermaster.us](https://www.quartermaster.us/about)

## Products & Services
- **SmartMast**: A weather-hardened hardware package (cameras, radios, sensors) mounted on a ship’s mast that continuously collects and relays maritime data. Combined with an AI analytics platform, it provides real-time vessel identification, anomaly detection, and environmental monitoring. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
- **Quartermaster Analytics Platform**: Cloud-based software that ingests SmartMast data and applies computer vision and machine learning to generate actionable intelligence for fleet operators, insurers, and government agencies.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: $43 million in Series A funding (announced May 20, 2026) [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Co-led by First Round Capital and Quiet Capital, with participation from TMV, Steel Atlas, BoxGroup, Operator Partners, Shorewind Capital, and David (surname not specified). Key hires from Anduril (Steve Ribaudo as CGO) and Scale AI (Matt Beck as COO). [quartermaster.us](https://www.quartermaster.us/about) | [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/quartermasterai)
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Headcount grew 625% year-over-year to 40 employees (as of mid-2026). [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/quartermasterai)
  - Over 600 ships equipped with SmartMast, covering 10 million square miles of ocean. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
  - Assisted in “over 20 rescues of mariners at sea.” [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
  - Operates in 7 countries (Panama, Colombia, South Korea, UAE, Brazil, Taiwan, United States). [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/quartermasterai)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proprietary hardware edge**: SmartMast is far more advanced than the standard AIS (Automatic Identification System), which is opt-in and easily spoofed. Quartermaster’s sensors provide persistent, verified, real-time data that is less susceptible to fraud. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
- **Pro-mariner incentive model**: Rather than selling sensors to fleet operators (a tough sell in a low-margin industry), Quartermaster creates value for mariners (e.g., rescue support, safety data) to encourage voluntary adoption, locking in network effects. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
- **First-mover in distributed ocean sensing**: No other company has deployed a real-time, AI-powered sensor constellation at this scale, giving Quartermaster a data moat and early relationships with governments and commercial fleets.

## Strategic Focus
- **Engineering hiring**: A large portion of the $43M Series A is earmarked for hiring engineers (RF, software, AI, systems) to accelerate product development. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
- **Fleet expansion**: Continue equipping more vessels with SmartMast, especially in key maritime corridors, to densify the network.
- **New applications**: Developing uses for government intelligence, marine autonomy training data, environmental monitoring, and insurance risk assessment.
- **Global presence**: Scaling operations in Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East (already in 7 countries). [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/quartermasterai)

## Why Work Here
- **High-impact mission**: Directly contribute to ocean safety, security, and sustainability – work that has tangible real-world results (e.g., rescues at sea).
- **Fast-growing startup**: 625% YoY headcount growth; employees have significant ownership and influence over product direction.
- **Engineering culture**: “A single engineer can make a significant impact in relatively short periods of time” because the ocean space is largely untapped. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
- **Remote-friendly**: Some roles (e.g., “Opportunity Hire”) are listed as remote, though the HQ in Arlington, VA likely expects hybrid for core engineering teams. [quartermaster.us](https://www.quartermaster.us/jobs/opportunity-hire)
- **Diverse, inclusive environment**: Equal opportunity employer that encourages individuals of all backgrounds to apply. [quartermaster.us](https://www.quartermaster.us/jobs/opportunity-hire)
- **Notable perks**: Not explicitly listed, but the company emphasizes pro-mariner values and a collaborative, mission-driven culture.

## Sources
1. [quartermaster.us/about](https://www.quartermaster.us/about)
2. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
3. [linkedin.com/company/quartermasterai](https://www.linkedin.com/company/quartermasterai)
4. [quartermaster.us/jobs/opportunity-hire](https://www.quartermaster.us/jobs/opportunity-hire)
5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/quartermaster](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/quartermaster)

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