Embedded Firmware Architect — Maritime Systems Lead

The Company

Saildrone is a maritime defense company and the global leader in autonomous unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). With more ocean miles and real-world operational experience than any USV manufacturer or operator, Saildrone maintains active, combat-deployed systems supporting national security and force projection around the world, 24/7/365.

The Company

Saildrone is a maritime defense company and the global leader in autonomous unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). With more ocean miles and real-world operational experience than any USV manufacturer or operator, Saildrone maintains active, combat-deployed systems supporting national security and force projection around the world, 24/7/365.

Saildrone’s manufacturing and R&D headquarters are located in Alameda, CA, with business development and sales operations in Washington, DC, and deployment hubs in Europe and the Middle East. By combining proven autonomous operations, edge computing, advanced sensing, renewable power, and the most advanced and robust unmanned surface technology on the planet, Saildrone is shaping how the Navy of the future operates.

Join a fast-moving, mission-driven team at the forefront of maritime security and autonomous innovation.

THE POSITION

Saildrone is seeking a Staff Embedded Software Engineer to join our Firmware team. Reporting to the Director of Firmware Engineering, you’ll be leading the definition, design, and validation of firmware and embedded systems deployed across our entire fleet of world-class USVs. We are looking for a seasoned technical leader who will focus on real-time operating systems, low-level drivers, and power-efficient edge computing, as well as integrating the diverse suite of sensors, actuators, and communication devices essential for each vessel's autonomous navigation at sea.

This role is required to be onsite in Alameda, CA in the Bay Area 3 days per week - this is our hybrid model. This is not a remote position.

THE TEAM

The Firmware team is responsible for the architecture, development, and sustainment of the embedded software and real-time control systems that power Saildrone’s Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs). We engineer the resilient, high-performance devices that form the mission-critical foundation of our fleet, delivering dependable and persistent operations in some of the most extreme environments in the world.

The Responsibilities

• Embedded Architecture:
  Lead the design, implementation, and validation of embedded software systems to meet stringent performance and safety requirements for reliable and successful long-duration missions.
• Technical Ownership:
  Own the strategic direction for device architecture, hardware abstraction layers, and embedded computing subsystems, ensuring a robust backbone for all autonomous platforms.
• Firmware Delivery:
  Drive the end-to-end development of mission-critical firmware targeting RTOS-based or bare-metal applications, balancing real-time constraints with system-level reliability.
• Validation Strategy:
  Define and execute comprehensive test and quality assurance strategies, including hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, to ensure every system meets maritime, defense, and regulatory standards.
• Cross-Functional Integration:
  Partner with Mechanical, Electrical, and Software teams to resolve sensor integration, communication protocols, and system-level dependencies for seamless vehicle integration.
• Fleet Reliability:
  Act as the guiding source of root-cause analysis and diagnosis of complex firmware failures within R&D and across deployed global fleets of drones.
• Design Standards:
  Establish and institutionalize embedded design standards, coding guidelines, and CI/CD workflows to ensure technical rigor and team scalability.
• Technical Mentorship:
  Provide…