Software Engineer - Maritime
The Software Engineer in Confidential Client's Maritime Division develops and delivers software solutions for autonomous maritime systems, including autonomy, simulation, and command and control. This role involves end-to-end ownership of software projects, working collaboratively to enhance next-generation autonomous platforms that support national strategic priorities in defense technology.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Defense and Space Manufacturing.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
What You’ll Do
- Empathize with end users and design software solutions that balance user needs, constraints, and regulatory/mission requirements.
- Own software-enabled features deployed to customers, optimizing for delivered value and operational reliability.
- Implement software that extends platform capability with a maintainable architecture and clear evolution path.
- Contribute reusable services and components across product lines to accelerate cross-team delivery.
- Develop software that runs on robotic platforms and off-board systems using a range of technologies (embedded, backend, frontend).
- Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to develop, test, iterate, and sustain vehicle and mission software across the full lifecycle.
- Create test and simulation fixtures for software- and hardware-in-the-loop validation.
- Support vehicle manufacturing, integration, deployment and sustainment activities.
- Travel to co-locate with end-users and partner teams up to 20% of the time.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Mechatronics, Computer Science, Engineering or equivalent practical experience.
- Professional software engineering experience across one or more relevant domains (embedded, backend, autonomy, simulation).
- Strong systems- and application-level programming skills: algorithms, data structures, concurrency, scaling, testing, and software design.
- Experience troubleshooting and analyzing remotely deployed software systems.
- Ability to work across the software stack—from embedded to cloud—and through design, implementation, operation and sustainment.
- Demonstrated ability to learn rapidly and grow toward senior-level impact.
- Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.
- This is a full-time role based in Costa Mesa, CA.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience delivering military mission systems or other high-assurance, safety-critical systems.
- Experience writing backend services or embedded software in C++, Rust, and/or Go.
- Experience building frontend applications using TypeScript and React.
- Familiarity with horizontally scaled cloud technologies and their operation.
- Experience with embedded robotics software, modeling & simulation, and manufacturing/system acceptance.
- Familiarity with Systems Engineering practices and the product delivery lifecycle (manufacture, acceptance, deployment, sustainment).
Compensation & Benefits
- US salary range: $166,000—$220,000 USD (base salary estimate; final offer may vary based on experience, skills, and other factors).
- Competitive equity grants are commonly included in full-time offers and are part of the total compensation package.
- Top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including medical and other programs designed to support wellbeing and recovery.
- Confidential Client is committed to a secure, transparent hiring process; applicants should expect standard candidate screening and may be subject to pre-employment checks.
Additional Details
- Employment type: FULL_TIME
- Work location: Costa Mesa, CA (on-site / hybrid as required by program needs)
- Travel: up to 20% (to co-locate with end users or partner teams)
- Security: candidates must be eligible for a U.S. Secret clearance
- Industry: Defense and Space Manufacturing
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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