Senior Software Engineer, Dropship and Cargo

Role Overview

Pyka is looking for a Senior Software Engineer to be the software owner of our Dropship and Cargo programs. The software problems in these programs span the stack: path planning over long ranges, controls for a new airframe, integration of new sensors, engine control and state-of-charge management on a hybrid powertrain, and incorporating weather into how a mission is planned and flown. You will be responsible for the software behavior of these aircraft as a whole - what it needs to do, how the pieces fit together, and whether it is ready to fly - and you will be the engineer the Dropship team comes to when software is the open question on their side.

Some of the current and future projects you will likely contribute to include:

• Path planning for long-range cargo missions that accounts for energy state, winds aloft, and weather along the route
• Energy management on a hybrid powertrain: engine control, state-of-charge policy, and how the aircraft trades power against range, payload, and reserve
• Flight controls and handling for a new airframe, from simulation through flight test
• Integrating new sensors and payload systems, and defining the software needs before the hardware is fixed
• Turning operational feedback from cargo flights into requirements for the next iteration of the aircraft
• Defining what mission planning and ground tools need to expose to operators flying these aircraft

Responsibilities

• Own the software for the Dropship and Cargo programs: collect requirements from our test teams and commercial and military customers, define what the aircraft needs to do, build most of it, and specify the remainder clearly enough for others to build against
• Delegate work when scope requires it, and stay accountable for the result either way
• Break down ambiguous problems (e.g., new aircraft capabilities, energy and range tradeoffs, operational tooling) into plans, and adapt them as flight test and operations produce new information
• Write production-quality code in C++17 and Python across the aircraft stack, including testing and validation
• Support flight testing directly: be present for tests, review flight data, and diagnose what the aircraft did and why
• Work with propulsion, hardware, product, and flight operations to make practical tradeoffs between range, payload, reserve, and schedule
• Represent software in program-level decisions, including giving the program an honest read on what is and is not ready
• Provide technical leadership through design reviews, debugging support, and mentorship of other engineers

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience with C++ (ideally C++11 or newer)
• Professional experience with Python
• Depth in at least one of: path planning, controls, state estimation, sensor integration, or embedded and powertrain control
• A track record of taking ownership of unfamiliar technical domains
• Experience owning software for a subsystem across multiple teams
• Experience working on real-world robotic or vehicle systems, especially where software interacts with hardware
• Exposure to energy management, hybrid or electric powertrains, or engine control is a plus
• Comfort working across the stack from low-level systems to user-facing tools
• Working knowledge of trigonometry and linear algebra
• Willingness to travel to flight test and field sites

Compensation & Benefits

• $166,000-$205,000 salary per year + equity. Compensation will vary depending on location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Salary ranges are subject to change.
• Employer-sponsored health, dental and vision insurance
• FSA with employer matching
• 401(k)
• Paid holidays, generous PTO, and additional unpaid time off
• Voluntary short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance
• Pre-tax commuter benefits
• Free catered lunch and plenty of snacks