Senior Onboard Software Engineer
Matternet · Mountain View, California, United States · On-site
Pay: USD 180,000 – 240,000 a year
Posted Jul 14, 2026
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Matternet is building the future of delivery with autonomous drone networks that move critical goods faster, cleaner, and at lower cost. We work with partners across healthcare, logistics, food, and retail to deliver everything from medical items to everyday essentials, safely and reliably.
We’re seeking a Senior Onboard Software Engineer to develop the software that runs on our aircraft and ground assets. Working primarily in C++ on embedded Linux, you’ll develop and harden the safety-critical subsystems that allow our drones to fly autonomous Beyond-Visual-Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) missions across varied environments, from open airspace to dense, urban areas. This is a senior individual-contributor role with real ownership: you'll own specific subsystems end-to-end, drive implementation through simulation and flight test, and partner with teams across the company to validate and support them in the field.
In this role, you will:
Own safety-critical onboard subsystems that enhance our UAS capabilities and safety mitigations
Build the systems that allow aircraft to fly autonomously in demanding environments, including dense urban airspaces
Deliver major customer-facing features on flight and ground assets, while balancing performance, safety, and reliability
Drive software verification and release, from simulation and flight test to deployment across production fleets
Provide senior technical support, triaging and solving field and flight-test issues
Collaborate with stakeholders within Engineering, Operations, Safety, and Production
Requirements
5+ years of production software engineering, owning major subsystems end-to-end
Expertise in C++ or later, multithreading, real-time messaging, and algorithm design and optimization
Strong Linux background and experience with cross-compiling
Experience with Python, YAML, and other scripting tools
Solid applied math skills (geometry, coordinate transforms, kinematics) for navigation and avoidance
Proven ability to implement and validate complex native systems and validate them in simulation and on hardware
Proficiency with version control and peer code review workflows (e.g. Git)
Excellent technical communication and strong cross-disciplinary teamwork in a fast-paced environment
Preferred Qualifications:
UAV, autonomous robotics, aerospace, or other safety-critical regulated experience
Experience using AI coding assistants to accelerate development
Familiarity with an autopilot stack such as ArduPilot or PX4
Computer vision and perception (OpenCV or similar) and sensor integration
Experience with Docker, and containerized build, test, and development environments
Experience with distributed systems, networking, and fleet management
Relevant mechanical, aerospace, or electrical engineering experience
Work Environment:
In-person role based at Matternet Headquarters and access to our flight test facility
The ability to work and communicate efficiently online with a hybrid…