Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Embedded Software Engineer
Airbus · Bingen, Washington, United States
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Job Description:
Airbus/Aerovel is seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Embedded Software Engineer to join our team in Bingen, WA. In this role, you will be building cutting-edge unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems. You will contribute to the design, development, and deployment of both embedded flight software and ground control station (GCS) software that together enable intelligent and autonomous flight. This role is well-suited to engineers with a solid foundation in embedded systems and 2+ years of experience who are eager to expand their impact. You’ll collaborate closely with hardware, systems, and software teams on projects spanning flight control, communication, navigation, and operator interfaces. We value clean, maintainable code and a growth mindset—engineers who are curious, collaborative, and committed to learning.
Meet The Team:
Our Engineers have the privilege of working on complex, highly engineered machines and are involved at all stages of the aircraft life cycle, from product development to manufacturing and direct support to our airline customers. If you’re interested in designing, creating, and testing the present and future of Airbus products across the globe, join our mission to connect the world.
Your Working Environment:
Nestled in the heart of the stunning Columbia River Gorge in Bingen, WA, our workplace offers innovation and the ability to contribute to game-changing solutions while enjoying the flexibility to spread your wings. Whether it's solving complex challenges, or celebrating victories, you’ll be part of a cohesive crew that thrives on innovation and the beauty that the Pacific Northwest has to offer!
How We Care for You:
- Financial Rewards: Competitive base salary, incentive compensation which may include profit sharing schemes, retirement savings plan and the ability to participate in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”)
- Work/Life Balance: Paid time off including personal time, holidays and a generous paid parental leave program.
- Health & Welfare: Comprehensive insurance coverage including medical (traditional and high-deductible health plans), prescription, dental, vision, life, disability, Employee Assistance Plan (“EAP”) and other supplemental benefit coverages.
- Individual Development: Upskilling and development opportunities through our global Leadership University, including unlimited access to 10,000+ e-learning courses focusing on ways to develop your employability, certifications, career path as well as the opportunity to participate in accelerated development programmes and both national and international mobility.
Your Challenges:
Software Development (~55%)
- Design, implement, and maintain embedded software for UAV flight platforms
- Contribute to the development of Ground Control Station (GCS) software, including user interfaces, telemetry, and mission tools
- Write reliable, maintainable, and well-documented code in C++, C, Python and/or MATLAB
- Develop and support real-time flight software, including control loops, sensor drivers, and mission logic
- Implement and test communication protocols such as UART, CAN, TCP/IP, UDP, and serial
- Design, develop and support software tools for UAV system configuration
- Develop software modules and system services targeting embedded Linux platforms, including process management, device interfaces, and inter-process communication
Testing & Integration (~20%)
- Support testing and debugging in both lab environments and during field flight tests
- Collaborate with hardware, electrical, and systems engineers to bring up and integrate new UAV platforms
Documentation & Architecture (~10%)
- Document internal designs, software architecture, and interfaces to support maintainability and team alignment
Support & Maintenance (~10%)
- Maintain and support existing embedded and ground control software
- Support software tools for UAV system configuration
Professional Development (~5%)
- Stay current with UAV industry developments and continuously grow your skillset
- Collaborating with other software developers
- Regularly report on activities and progress
Your Boarding Pass:
- B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
- 2+ years of experience in embedded software development, either through industry roles or substantial project work
- Experience with C++.
- Experience with Python.
- Familiarity with embedded Linux or real-time operating systems (RTOS)
- Exposure to UAV flight control concepts, sensor integration, or telemetry systems
- Experience using Git and development tools such as Gitlab or similar
- Strong focus on writing clean, well-documented code with an emphasis on maintainability
- Familiarity with modern UI software architecture and development practices (e.g., Qt, PyQt, or similar frameworks)
- Able to work legally in the US (valid work visa and work authorization)
Preferred Education/Skills:
- M.S in Embedded System Engineering, Software Engineering, Control System Engineering
- Experience with UAV autopilot software
- Exposure to Ground Control Station software
- Hands-on experience with UAV flight testing or platform integration
- Awareness of aerospace safety standards or robust software validation practices
- Basic understanding of aircraft systems, particularly in the areas of guidance, navigation, and control (GNC).
- Exposure to real-time operating systems (RTOS) and/or safety-critical software environments.
Physical Requirements:
- Onsite or remote: 95% Onsite.
- Vision: able to see and read computer screens and other electronic equipment with screens, able to read documents, reports and engineering drawings daily.
- Hearing: able to participate in conversations in person and via teleconference or phone and to hear sounds on the production floor including safety warnings or alarms daily.
- Speaking: able to speak in conversations and meetings, deliver information and participate in communications daily.
- Equipment Operation (personal computer, telephone, copies, fax machine, and related office equipment and using electronic identification card to enter building floors and internal doors): able to operate most office and personal electronic equipment and some tools including production tools such as hydraulic lifts daily.
- Carrying: able to carry documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30lbs/14kgs daily.
- Lifting: able to lift documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30lbs/14kgs daily.
- Pushing / Pulling: able to push and pull small office furniture and some equipment and tools daily.
- Sitting: able to sit for long periods of time in meetings, working on the computer daily.
- Squatting / Kneeling: able to squat or kneel to retrieve or replace items stored on low shelving.
- Standing: able to stand for discussions in offices or on the production floor daily.
- Travel: able to travel independently and at short notice several times a month.
- Walking (include routine walking such as to a shared printer to retrieve documents): able to walk through office and production areas including uneven surfaces daily.
- Personal Protective Equipment required: Required PPE includes, but is not limited to, Safety Shoes, Safety Glasses, Hearing Protection, Respirators/Masks, and/or Protective Gloves as required by site and/or customer site
- Administrative position only PPE required: Steel-toed shoes are required for all shop floor visits, appropria