Swarm Aero

Software Engineer, Robotics at Swarm Aero (Remote)

Swarm Aero· $170k–$250k·

Role details

Salary
$170k–$250k
Work type
Remote
Employment
Full-Time
Equity
Yes

Job description

Swarm Aero is redefining air power, building the largest swarming UAV and the most versatile swarming aircraft network in the world. The company is moving quickly to launch the first aircraft designed specifically for swarming, as well as the Command & Control software to mobilize swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets and empower human operators to achieve superhuman results. The team has created and exited multiple startups, negotiated defense deals worth billions of dollars, and designed and built 30+ novel aircraft, with aerospace experience from Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic.

About the Role

We're looking for Software Engineers, Robotics to build the components that make up the autonomy stack for the largest drone swarm in the world. You'll work across the stack, from vehicle software and sensor integration to planning behaviors and simulation, building the pieces that turn architecture into flying capability.

What You'll Do

  • Build components across the autonomy stack: planning behaviors, vehicle software, sensor and payload integration, and simulation.
  • Build the core on-vehicle software platform to allow integration of a variety of first and third-party sensors, payloads, and software modules.
  • Create and validate physically realistic simulations of UxS.
  • Perform electronics prototyping including troubleshooting complex mixed hardware-software systems.
  • Write clean, maintainable, and efficient code.
  • Travel up to 25% of the time for onsite test and integration events.

Basic Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical field.
  • 3+ years building soft-realtime embedded systems or robotics software.
  • Deep expertise in at least one systems language (C/C++, Rust, or Go).
  • Hands-on experience implementing robotics algorithms (path planning, state estimation, behavior trees, etc.).
  • Working knowledge of embedded systems (SPI/I2C/serial protocols, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, microcontroller programming).
  • Strong networking fundamentals (NAT, mDNS, UDP/TCP, multicast, firewall configuration).
  • Excellent software engineering practices with emphasis on testable, reliable code.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Contributions to deployed robotics or IoT systems requiring complex edge processing (aerospace, autonomous vehicles, etc.).
  • Experience with robotics middleware (DDS/ROS2, ZeroMQ, gRPC) and serialization formats (Protobuf).
  • Hands-on electronics skills (breadboarding, soldering, schematic interpretation, datasheet analysis).
  • Familiarity with government UxS interoperability standards (OMS/UCI, STANAG 4586, FACE).

ITAR requirement To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Swarm Aero is an equal opportunity employer. We value diverse backgrounds and experiences and make employment decisions without regard to race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or disability.

What We Offer

  • Meaningful equity in a high-growth defense technology company
  • Competitive base salary commensurate with experience
  • Medical, dental, vision, and 401k
  • PTO and paid sick leave
  • Monthly wellness stipend
  • Daily catered lunch (office)
  • Paid parental leave
  • Direct impact on a critical national security mission
  • A world-class team of engineers and operators solving genuinely hard problems

Why work at Swarm Aero

  • Culture: “Move Fast and Make Things” – a startup ethos focused on rapid design-build-test cycles and real-world impact in defense tech.
  • Work environment: Likely on-site given manufacturing and hardware focus; offices in Oxnard, CA (HQ) and Fayetteville, AR (factory).
  • Team: Work alongside veterans of Scaled Composites, Anduril, Northrop Grumman, and leaders who have built five billion-dollar startups and software with 4.6B combined active users.
  • Perks: Not publicly detailed, but typical for well-funded defense startups (competitive compensation, equity, mission-driven work). The company uses modern tools (Kubernetes, Docker, Python, MATLAB, etc.) and offers roles from engineering to program management.
  • Growth opportunity: Early-stage company with strong funding and a clear path to scale – employees can have outsized impact on product and manufacturing processes.

Application questions