Senior Software Engineer- Tactical

About Overwatch:

Overwatch Imaging is an imagery intelligence technology company working to bring sensor autonomy to time-critical airborne search, detection, tracking and monitoring missions. Our Automated Sensor Operator (ASO) software, native to our own line of purpose-built Smart Sensors and as an upgrade for airborne video gimbal platforms, brings Superhuman Vision and Workload Reduction to users of real-time imagery intelligence systems. We fundamentally believe that modern edge processing and AI-enabled autonomy can perform an important set of time-critical imagery intelligence missions better, faster, and more safely than humans can alone.

Founded in 2016 in Hood River, Oregon, we support private sector companies as well as federal, state and local agencies around the world with missions ranging from wildfire mapping and disaster response to law enforcement, border security, maritime domain awareness and tactical intelligence.

About this Role:

The Senior Software Engineer will design and implement software and firmware to transform high-level user inputs and raw sensor data into real-time customer intelligence for Overwatch's Tactical Applications products. This engineer works hands-on with prototype and low-rate production automated imaging systems, developing, testing, and deploying real-time onboard image processing and artificial intelligence algorithms, embedded hardware drivers, image manipulation software, user interfaces, and data post-processing tools built to perform within the size, weight, power, and latency constraints of tactical operating environments.

The Senior Software Engineer is responsible for leading the design, development, and maintenance of complex software applications. They may have a technical leadership role in mentoring and managing teams of junior and mid-level software engineers. They are expected to have a strong technical background, excellent leadership skills, and the ability to make high-level decisions that affect the entire software development process.

• Software Development:
  Design, develop, and maintain complex software applications. Write clean, maintainable, and efficient code, participate in code reviews to ensure code quality, and troubleshoot to optimize performance and functionality.
• Imaging Payload Embedded Software:
  Leads code development, version management and testing for motion control, camera and IMU drivers, and data management. Balances code-change urgency and unit-to-unit customization with long-term software sustainability and code reuse. Interfaces with low-level hardware using SPI, I2C, UART and analog interfaces. Improves error detection, reporting, and mitigation.
• Geospatial Imagery Optimization:
  Creates software to geolocate, rectify, mosaic, register and otherwise combine imagery with map data.
• Software Interfaces:
  Develops and maintains connections between Overwatch Imaging payloads and external systems for command and control, outside exploitation algorithms, and data export to other tools.
• Software Deployment:
  Creates automatic build tools to build, test, and deploy new software versions and manage dependencies.

• Thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced small startup business environment
• Highly motivated self-starter able to work independently and with a team
• Collaborates well in a small team environment
• Enjoys hands-on work and learning new skills
• Eager to learn and solve real-world problems and accept new challenges
• Takes pride in seeing new products reach operational use quickly

• Formal education in software engineering, computer science, aeronautical engineering, robotics, optics or related fields.
• Strong understanding of programming concepts and principles
• Experience in airborne or space-based remote sensing and image processing; hands‑on experience with mid-sized unmanned aircraft and/or airborne camera systems.
• Experience with image processing software, machine learning techniques, and/or autonomous systems.
• Experience with device driver implementation and embedded system deployment.
• At least 8 years of experience with a bachelor’s degree, or
• At…