Senior Robotics Engineer

Who We Are

At Firestorm, we’re on a mission to revolutionize how defense solutions are designed and delivered. Our goal is to empower U.S. ally nations to effectively deter aggressors—regardless of their defense budget—through innovative, cost-efficient technologies. We call this vision “democratized deterrence.” As a VC-backed company at the intersection of defense and Silicon Valley, we’re pioneering the development of mission-adaptable aerial vehicles that put power back into the hands of operators. By prioritizing operator effectiveness, we’re pioneering a new era of aerial vehicle design. We aim to upend the traditional defense procurement model by delivering world-class capabilities at a fraction of the usual cost. Join us at Firestorm as we redefine defense procurement, making cutting-edge technology accessible to all at a fraction of the cost.

About the Role

Firestorm is seeking a skilled Robotics Engineer to join our innovative engineering team in building autonomy and mission systems for next-generation defense platforms. As a Junior Robotics Engineer, you will support software development, testing, and integration for autonomous systems operating in real environments. You’ll help bring autonomy from simulation to field readiness by working across perception, controls, and system integration. This role is hands-on, fast-paced, and offers significant growth and ownership while working alongside experienced engineers.

What You’ll Do

• Support development of autonomy and mission-system software components
• Develop, implement, and optimize algorithms for real-time perception, localization, and path planning
• Implement vision-based target-tracking strategies
• Design and integrate interfaces for terminal guidance systems
• Build and execute simulation and hardware-in-the-loop testing workflows
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful deployment and integration of robotics solutions
• Develop data collection pipelines to aid our perception stack, monitoring system performance of onboard autonomy, and provide insights for continuous improvement
• Build and maintain autonomy simulation environments
• Research and prototype multi-aircraft control algorithms, focusing on communication and coordination across platforms
• Integrate sensors, compute hardware, and communication systems into development and test environments
• Collect, process, and analyze sensor and flight-test data to drive system improvements
• Create tools, automation, and test scripts to accelerate development and validation
• Participate actively in design reviews, providing and receiving constructive feedback to improve solutions
• Work hands-on with real-time embedded systems and autonomy stacks
• Debug and troubleshoot performance issues across software and hardware
• Support flight tests and field events, including test planning, execution, and data review

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
• Minimum 4+ years of professional experience in a robotics engineering role
• Thorough knowledge of robotics fundamentals including perception, controls, or autonomy concepts
• Demonstrated hands-on experience in robotics, controls, or dynamics
• Proficiency in C++, Python, and Matlab/Octave
• Strong communication and documentation skills, capable of conveying complex technical details to diverse audiences
• Exposure to ROS/ROS2, simulation frameworks (e.g., Gazebo, Isaac, PX4), or real-time systems
• Ability to work hands-on with hardware, sensors, and embedded platforms
• Must be a U.S. Person (citizen or permanent resident) and able to work on-site in San Diego.
• Willingness to travel approximately 1 week per month to support flight testing and demonstrations (travel expenses covered)

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
• Experience with flying platforms using PX4 or Arduplane codebases integrated with ROS
• Familiarity with Agile development processes
• High proficiency in C, C++, Python, and Matlab/Octave
• Experience flying RC fixed-wing aircraft
• Demonstrated experience developing multi-robot communication systems and control algorithms
• Experience with drones, autonomous vehicles, embedded systems, or aerospace platforms
• Hands-on lab, flight-test, or field robotics experience (RC aircraft, UAS, fixed-wing preferred)
• Exposure to Git-based workflows, CI/CD, and automated testing
• Adept in architecting and implementing modular decision trees and behavior n