Embedded Software Engineer - Flight Stack Job Scottsdale area,Arizona USA,Engineering

Knightwerx is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Embedded Software Engineer to develop, integrate, and optimize the flight control stack for a small unmanned electric aircraft. We balance innovation with reliability in a fast‑paced environment. You’ll work closely with aeromechanical, avionics, and autonomy teams to deliver robust, safe, high‑performance flight software from prototype through production.

Work Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent experience
5+ years professional experience developing embedded software for UAV flight‑control or similar safety‑critical systems
Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and test real‑time embedded software for flight control and avionics
Hands‑on experience with UAV autopilots (e.g., PX4, Ardu Pilot) and flight testing
Experience with international interoperability standards like STANAG 4586
Strong knowledge of MAVLink, RTPS and other UAV communication protocols.
Experience with uORB, FastDDS, or similar frameworks for real‑time communications in UAV systems
Familiarity with mission planning, geospatial systems, and mapping software.

Attributes

Ability to work effectively in a team environment, collaborating with cross‑functional teams and contributing to collective goals
Demonstrates a positive attitude towards feedback, actively seeking input from others to improve User Experience (UX)
Innovative, hands‑on, and practical
Multi‑disciplined, problem solver, driven by engineering analysis
Goal driven, learns from mistakes, and closes the loop on the design process

Primary Duties

Develop, integrate, and maintain real‑time flight‑control software for UAS
Implement control loops, state estimation, and sensor fusion for stable, precise flight
Integrate avionics hardware, navigation sensors, payload/power modules, and comms into the flight stack
Conduct SIL/HIL simulations and bench testing; validate flight performance and failsafes
Support flight tests: pre‑flight checkout, in‑flight telemetry monitoring, post‑flight log analysis
Collaborate with aerodynamics, propulsion, autonomy, and systems teams to tune performance
Maintain configuration management, version control, and documentation to safety/quality standards

Tasks

Implement and optimize flight‑control/estimation algorithms for embedded targets
Develop and maintain features for mission planning, autopilot management, and vehicle control
Create intuitive and responsive user interfaces (UI) for controlling and monitoring UAVs
Implement and test new features based on user feedback and technological advancements
Ensure the software is scalable, maintainable, and efficient
Participate in the development and documentation of software design, code, debugging, troubleshooting, and test procedures

Skills

Knowledge of cybersecurity principles and practices in software development
Experience with version control systems (Git) and build tools (CMake)
Proficiency in programming languages such as C++, Python, and/or Rust
Familiarity with Qt, React, or similar frameworks for GUI development
Strong understanding of real‑time communication protocols and back‑end integration
Experience with RTOS (FreeRTOS, Chibi

OS, NuttX, or similar), PX4/Ardu Pilot internals, messaging (uORB, MAVLink), and real‑time middleware (RTPS/FastDDS)
Nice to have: awareness of STANAG 4586/interoperability concepts and airworthiness/safety practices, and experience with containerization and container management

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