---
title: 'Staff Software Architect at Red 6'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/staff-software-architect-red-6-santa-monica-xnzrjagdd9sf'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-14'
---

# Staff Software Architect at Red 6

- **Company:** Red 6
- **Location:** Santa Monica, CA
- **Compensation:** $150k–$190k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-09-25
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-14
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/red6/5afcab5f-07cd-46b5-a2c7-d003c204f0ad

## Job description

Company Overview Red 6 is an innovative Augmented Reality (AR) technology startup leading the way in synthetic air combat training. Our primary technology, supporting our ATARS product, enables pilots to simulate the cognitive challenges of flying while accessing realistic, scalable training in dynamic outdoor environments.

## The Role

Red 6 is seeking a Staff Software Architect (Level 4) to join our dynamic team in Louisville, CO or Santa Monica, CA. This individual contributor role is responsible for defining, implementing, and evolving software architectures across Red 6’s Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) product portfolio and future software platforms. The Staff Software Architect works closely with Engineering leadership, Product Management, Chief Engineer(s), Systems Engineering, and Program teams to deliver scalable, secure, maintainable, and mission-ready software. The role provides hands-on architectural definition across real-time graphics, embedded software, edge computing, AI-enabled capabilities, cloud services, mission applications, simulation, and aircraft integration. This role also involves back-end code development for open mission systems, real time operating systems (RTOS), and safety critical code as necessary.

## Responsibilities

- Define, document, and evolve software architectures for ATARS and future software-enabled products.
- Lead architectural designs across embedded software, real-time rendering and operations, simulation, mission systems, networking, cloud infrastructure, edge computing, AI/ML services, and user applications.
- Design for mission-critical performance requirements, including latency, determinism, scalability, cybersecurity, reliability, maintainability, and operational resiliency.
- Work with Chief Engineers and Systems Engineering to align software architecture with system architecture, technical baselines, product roadmaps, interfaces, and verification plans.
- Develop and apply modular, scalable, and reusable software architectures supporting MOSA, OMS/UCI, FACE, and other applicable defense standards.
- Implement and certify safety critical code to DO-178, AC 17-01 or other similar standards.
- Establish and promote software design standards, architectural patterns, interface and API practices, code quality expectations, and secure software development lifecycle practices.
- Contribute to modernization efforts including containerization, cloud-native services, DevSecOps, CI/CD automation, infrastructure as code, and software factory practices.
- Collaborate with Systems Engineering on Digital Engineering, MBSE, requirements traceability, interface management, and verification planning.
- Support customer engagements, proposal development, and technical discussions when needed.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related STEM discipline.
- 10+ years of software engineering experience, including significant expertise in software architecture or technical leadership roles.
- Software development and architecture experience in aerospace or similarly complex integrated hardware/software systems.
- Experience with embedded systems, distributed computing, cloud platforms, and real-time applications.
- Experience developing software for flight-critical, safety-critical, or mission-critical systems; familiarity with DO-178 and/or AC 17-01 is strongly preferred.
- Understanding of microservices, event-driven architectures, distributed systems, containerized applications, and edge computing.
- Experience with DevSecOps, CI/CD, automated testing, secure software development practices, and modern software delivery methods.
- Experience with embedded Linux, RTOS, networking, GPU computing, and high-performance software architectures.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance.

## Preferred Qualifications

- Master’s degree in a relevant technical discipline.
- Experience developing software for AR, VR, MR, or advanced visualization systems.
- Experience with real-time graphics engines, rendering pipelines, GPU programming, or computer vision.
- Experience architecting AI/ML-enabled software platforms supporting autonomy, synthetic training, or mission applications.
- Experience with OMS, FACE, MOSA, CMOSS, or similar DoD standards.
- Experience with Kubernetes, cloud-native infrastructure, hybrid cloud, and edge deployment.
- Experience implementing Digital Engineering and MBSE practices.
- Experience with RMF, Zero Trust, and DoD cybersecurity frameworks.
- Active DoD Secret or Top Secret security clearance.

Estimated Base Salary dependent on skill and experience: $150,000 to $190,000 range Full-Time Employee Benefits

- Healthcare, Dental, and Vision (100% coverage for Employees)
- Paid time off, including vacation, sick, paid holidays, and parental leave
- Short and Long-Term Disability
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- Voluntary Worksite Benefits (Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity)
- May be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus based on individual and company performance, subject to plan terms.

Note Red 6 reserves the right to change its current benefits program at any time, in a manner that is consistent with applicable federal and state regulations. This job description is not a contract and confers no contractual rights, privileges, or benefits on any applicant or potential applicant. Red 6 has the right to change any and all terms of this job description, including, but not limited to, job responsibilities, qualifications, and benefits. Nothing in this job description constitutes an offer or guarantee of employment. Red Six Aerospace, Inc, is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. California: https://www.caljobs.ca.gov/vosnet/Default.aspx Colorado: https://www.connectingcolorado.com/ Florida: https://www.employflorida.com/vosnet/Default.aspx

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), Red 6 Aerospace, Inc. operating company you are applying to work for (hereinafter, “we”, “our”, or “us”) may collect personal information and use it for certain business purposes as described below in this Job Applicant and Employee Privacy Notice. We are required to disclose the following information to California “consumers” regarding our collection of their personal information. Under the CCPA, “consumers” means California residents, including job applicants, employees, or contractors of a business. [Candidate Privacy Notice](https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:a94896ca-279e-421c-a4eb-8c50a46fcbf4)

## About Red 6

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Red 6 develops a revolutionary outdoor augmented reality system for military flight training, enabling pilots to see and interact with synthetic threats in real-world environments at high speeds.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series B, last round in 2022; $111.3M total funding)
- **Headquarters**: Orlando, Florida, United States
- **Founded**: 2018
- **Founders**: Daniel Robinson (CEO/Founder) and Jeremy Stovall (CPO/Founder)

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Defense and Space Manufacturing; Military Flight Training; Augmented Reality Hardware/Software
- **Target customers**: Government defense agencies (U.S. Air Force, Royal Air Force, NATO), prime defense contractors (Lockheed Martin, SNC, Northrop Grumman), and allied air forces.
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “Create adaptive, immersive, simulated environments, outdoors to solve a national security problem threatening the readiness of warfighters; a chronic lack of relevant, affordable training delivered at scale and frequency.” (from team page)

## Products & Services
- **Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS)**: A platform that generates fully immersive, data-driven, AI-enabled 3D synthetic training worlds outdoors. ATARS uses extremely low-latency, waveform-agnostic protocols to enable multi-player AR experiences at high speeds. It is designed to work with fighter jets, collaborative combat aircraft (CCA), and ground systems.
- **EVE Headset (Enhanced Visual Environment)**: A wearable AR headset purpose-built for outdoor, high-speed environments. It offers 18,000 nits brightness (usable in full daylight), a wide field of view, low latency (~10 ms), and high optical efficiency. The headset enables pilots to see virtual assets overlaid on the real world while maneuvering.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue $15M (LinkedIn estimate) | Total Funding $111.3M as of 2026
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Lockheed Martin Ventures (lead), Disney Accelerator, SNC (Sierra Nevada Corporation), Palantir Technologies, AERALIS, and the U.K. Royal Air Force.
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 50.4% YoY to 139 employees (2026). Active job postings (12 positions as of mid-2026). Secured a U.S. Air Force contract to revolutionize F-16 pilot training with ATARS (Aug 2025). Signed strategic partnership with SNC to transform military flight training (Jul 2025). RAF Hawk jets successfully trialed Red 6 AR technology (2024–2025). Expansion into Denver and Santa Monica offices.

## Competitive Advantages
- **First-mover in outdoor airborne AR**: No other company has demonstrated an augmented reality system that works reliably in full daylight, at high speeds, and in dynamic outdoor environments.
- **Deep domain expertise**: Founded by a former RAF pilot and augmented reality veterans; leadership includes retired USAF Major General, former Lockheed Martin/Sierra Space executives, and F-22/F-35 instructors.
- **Low-latency, waveform-agnostic architecture**: ATARS can run on existing military networks without requiring new hardware, enabling rapid integration with current aircraft.
- **Strong government and prime contractor partnerships**: Direct contracts with U.S. Air Force and RAF, plus strategic alliances with Lockheed Martin, SNC, Palantir, and Northrop Grumman.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scaling ATARS across multiple platforms**: Expanding from fighter jets (F-16, Hawk) to include collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) and ground-based training.
- **International expansion**: Deepening presence in the United Kingdom (subsidiary in UK, trials with RAF) and pursuing NATO allies.
- **Integration with AI and data analytics**: Partnering with Palantir to leverage ontology software for real-time data fusion and readiness measurement.
- **Contract growth**: Targeting larger production contracts and multi-year programs as ATARS moves from prototype to operational deployment.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as “an agile startup changing the way the world engages with digital information.” Emphasis on impact (every employee closely involved with tech), autonomy (trusted contributor from Day 1), and community (unique team sharing a common mission).
- **Locations**: Three primary offices – Santa Monica, CA; Denver, CO (Louisville); and Orlando, FL (HQ). Roles are likely on-site given the hardware/defense nature.
- **Work environment**: Fast iteration cycles (concept to flying prototype in days), collaboration with veterans and top aerospace engineers. Typical startup perks are not explicitly listed but the reviews on LinkedIn give a 4.2/5 rating (25 reviews) with high marks for Culture (4.3) and Work-Life (4.2).
- **Engineering culture**: Heavy technical focus – 37% of employees work in technical roles, tech stack includes Unreal Engine, Python, Docker, TypeScript, JavaScript, Altium, NetSuite, Confluence. Cross-functional teams include optics, systems engineering, mechanical engineering, and software.

## Sources
1. [red6ar.com – Company home and team page](https://red6ar.com)
2. [red6ar.com – ATARS product page](https://red6ar.com/atars/)
3. [red6ar.com – Careers page](https://red6ar.com/careers/)
4. [linkedin.com – Red 6 company profile](https://www.linkedin.com/company/red6)
5. [prnewswire.co.uk – US Air Force contract announcement](https://prnewswire.co.uk)
6. [washingtontechnology.com – Northrop autonomous flight cohort](https://washingtontechnology.com)
7. [prnewswire.co.uk – SNC partnership](https://prnewswire.co.uk)

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