---
title: 'Senior Software Engineer at Tycho.AI'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-tycho-ai-cambridge-vk8jbffjrd28'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-09'
---

# Senior Software Engineer at Tycho.AI

- **Company:** Tycho.AI
- **Location:** Cambridge, MA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-02-26
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/tycho-ai/02325cb6-652c-417d-9fd7-6fa7674f7ccf

## Job description

## ABOUT TYCHO.AI

Tycho.AI builds autonomy software for unmanned systems operating in GPS- and comms-denied environments. Backed by VCs with unicorn wins and trusted by defense customers, our team is rethinking autonomy from the chip up using modular AI, advanced visual-inertial sensing, and real-time edge compute to unlock next-gen mission capability.

## ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for experienced energetic software engineers to join our growing team building out and delivering on-board and off-board software for state of the art unmanned aerial vehicle products.

As part of the Autonomy Product team you will work closely with high calibre software and hardware engineers to bridge the gap from research to production autonomy systems.

An ideal candidate has experience developing software in a mature collaborative software development environment (ie. with software continuous improvement, simulation and test driven development as well as evaluation pipelines) and is enthusiastic about making a big impact maturing software components into a robust, cohesive, maintainable whole system.

As a software generalist this role spans from going deep implementing specific individual features, creating internal or customer facing interfaces to taking the lead on whole end-to-end capabilities or enabling pipelines.

## RESPONSIBILITIES

- Design, develop, and optimize software to enable robotics tasks.
- Design, develop, and optimize software to interface with internal and external stakeholder software.
- Integrate new capabilities into real-world platforms, bridging research and production.
- Write and supervise the development of clean, efficient, and maintainable code in C++ and Python.
- Contribute to robust software development and test pipelines for large-scale dataset based test evaluation and resimulation.

## REQUIREMENTS

- Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
- 3+ years of software development experience in C++ environment.
- Strong coding skills in C++ or Python (ideally both).
- Strong software engineering architecture, abstraction and design skills.
- Hands-on experience applying writing software for robotics and/or computer vision applications.
- Experience with Robotics middleware (such as ROS2 or protobuf), and Linux based software development.
- Experience with Git, code review, integration testing, CI/CD.
- Experience with test driven development, evaluation, integration and burndown testing.
- Experience implementing software interfaces to other onboard or offboard software.

## NICE TO HAVE

- Experience working in autonomous driving or similar robot software development environments.
- Familiarity with robotic software algorithms SLAM, cameras, sensor fusion and/or motion planning.
- Experience with interfacing to physical devices, sensors, data exchange/network protocols, and realtime systems.
- Familiarity with bash and python scripting.
- Experience with Drone software (such as Ardupilot, Betaflight).
- Familiarity with defense software platforms such as Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK).

## WHY TYCHO.AI

- Be part of a high calibre rapidly scaling startup defining the future of autonomous intelligence.
- Make a difference, help create the software development culture and ecosystem you want to develop in.
- Collaborative, high-trust culture that values innovation, execution, and continuous learning.
- Competitive salary, meaningful equity, and generous benefits package.

## EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO) STATEMENT:

Tycho AI is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or protected veteran status.

## E-VERIFY AND RIGHT TO WORK

Tycho AI participates in E-Verify to confirm work authorization in the United States. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. and may be subject to a government security clearance process

## About Tycho.AI

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Tycho.AI builds mission-critical autonomy software and compute hardware for unmanned systems operating in GPS-denied and contested environments, enabling real-time edge decision-making without remote control or persistent connectivity.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A; total funding ~$12M)
- **Headquarters**: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Sertac Karaman (Founder & Executive Chair)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Defense and Space Manufacturing
- **Target customers**: U.S. Department of Defense (Air Force, SOCOM), defense primes, and unmanned system integrators (B2G/B2B)
- **Mission statement**: Deliver mission-ready autonomous intelligence for unmanned systems that fly, drive, and decide in the world’s toughest environments — ensuring operations succeed even when GPS and communications fail.

## Products & Services
- **Voyager**: Low-size, weight, and power (SWaP) hardware and software autonomy stack that fuses AI-driven perception, navigation, and control. Enables precision navigation and autonomous decision-making in GPS-denied, comms-degraded environments. Designed with a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) for integration on any uncrewed platform.
- **Halley VTOL UAS**: Vertical takeoff and landing uncrewed aerial system validated for C-UAS and one-way attack demonstrations (TRL 6). Supports low-altitude, high-speed flight with swarming capability.
- **Autonomy Software Modules**: Battlefield assessment, threat identification, 3D mapping, multi-agent coordination, and mission planning tools that run entirely on the edge.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total funding of $12M (latest: $10M Series A led by FirstMark Capital, closed November 2025; plus earlier option/warrant rounds and $1M AFWERX SBIR Phase II grant)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**:
  - Investors: FirstMark Capital, Pillar
  - Partners: Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), AFWERX, SOFWERX
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Headcount grew 766.7% year-over-year (now ~18 employees)
  - 18 active job postings (up 157% month-over-month)
  - Secured $2M AFRL TACFI contract (TRIDENT project) to advance maritime autonomy
  - Achieved CMMC Level 2 cybersecurity certification
  - Successful Halley VTOL demonstration at T-REX 26-2 (May 2026)
  - LinkedIn followers grew 1,075% year-over-year to 1,375

## Competitive Advantages
- **MIT Origins**: Founders and key technical staff from MIT research labs bring deep academic rigor and cutting-edge autonomy algorithms.
- **Proven Defense Track Record**: Multiple government contracts (AFRL, AFWERX, SOFWERX) and successful field demonstrations validate technology readiness.
- **True GPS-Denied Capability**: Voyager operates without GPS, comms, or external ranging beacons — a critical differentiator as electronic warfare proliferates.
- **Low-SWaP Design**: Compact module designed for small UAS, enabling swarming and high-tempo operations.
- **CMMC Level 2 Certified**: Demonstrates cybersecurity maturity required for handling controlled unclassified information (CUI) in defense programs.

## Strategic Focus
- **Maritime Autonomy**: The TRIDENT contract aims to deliver overland and over-the-water navigation in GPS-denied environments, extending Voyager to naval platforms.
- **Scalable Swarming**: Developing multi-agent coordination and swarm tactics to enable “low, fast, and in overwhelming numbers” battlefield advantage.
- **Industrial Base Expansion**: Transitioning from prototyping to production, integrating Voyager with existing operational frameworks (e.g., FANTOM middleware).
- **Commercial Adjacencies**: While currently defense-focused, the company’s edge autonomy stack has potential applications in logistics, infrastructure inspection, and disaster response.

## Why Work Here
- **Impact**: Your work directly supports national security; see your code and hardware fly in real-world missions.
- **Team**: Small (18 people), rapidly growing, composed of engineers from MIT, Harvard, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Cruise, and defense primes. Highly collaborative and mission-driven culture.
- **Flexibility**: Hybrid model based in Cambridge, MA (Kendall Square). Flexible hours and work schedules.
- **Compensation & Benefits**: Competitive salaries, excellent medical/dental/vision, 401(k), HSA/FSA, disability insurance.
- **Perks**: Unlimited PTO, growth opportunities in a fast-scaling startup.
- **Office Location**: “The most innovative square mile on the planet” — Cambridge/Kendall Square ecosystem with deep tech and defense talent.

## Sources
1. [tycho.ai](https://tycho.ai/)
2. [tycho.ai/careers](https://tycho.ai/careers)
3. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/tycho-ai](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/tycho-ai)
4. [linkedin.com/company/tycho-ai](https://www.linkedin.com/company/tycho-ai)
5. [cbinsights.com/company/tycho-ai](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/tycho-ai)

## Other roles at Tycho.AI

- [UAV Flight Test Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/uav-flight-test-lead-tycho-ai-cambridge-fdjjb7zsrctx) — Cambridge, MA
- [Operations Associate](https://feeny.ai/job/operations-associate-tycho-ai-cambridge-erns332nn0bm) — Cambridge, MA
- [Software Integration & Test Engineer – Autonomy & Flight Test](https://feeny.ai/job/software-integration-test-engineer-autonomy-flight-test-tycho-ai-cambridge-casz8pkynkrp) — Cambridge, MA
- [Embedded Linux Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/embedded-linux-software-engineer-tycho-ai-cambridge-q1jtacc3ashy) — Cambridge, MA
- [Electrical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-tycho-ai-cambridge-d1t7v6qng8t0) — Cambridge, MA
- [Machine Learning Engineer - Computer Vision & Robotics](https://feeny.ai/job/machine-learning-engineer-computer-vision-robotics-tycho-ai-cambridge-t7s32hppg0ps) — Cambridge, MA
- [Autonomy Engineer - State Estimation](https://feeny.ai/job/autonomy-engineer-state-estimation-tycho-ai-cambridge-z95fzpt3bgyj) — Cambridge, MA
- [Autonomy Engineer - Motion Planning & Controls](https://feeny.ai/job/autonomy-engineer-motion-planning-controls-tycho-ai-cambridge-tyc6sxp8r97j) — Cambridge, MA
- [Autonomy Engineer - Perception](https://feeny.ai/job/autonomy-engineer-perception-tycho-ai-cambridge-dv5n7f7t0s9s) — Cambridge, MA
- [Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-tycho-ai-cambridge-f7xy46zpyess) — Cambridge, MA