If you’re passionate about robotics, autonomous systems, and building software that helps intelligent machines navigate the real world, this could be an exciting opportunity. Skydio is hiring an Autonomy Software Engineer in San Mateo, California, offering a competitive salary of $147,000–$210,000 per year. This role is a strong fit for software engineers who want to work on challenging autonomy problems and contribute to advanced drone technology.
Job Overview
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Skydio |
| Role | Autonomy Software Engineer |
| Qualification | Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field; relevant software engineering experience |
| Job Location | San Mateo, CA, United States |
| Salary | $147,000–$210,000 per year |
| Work Type | On-site / Hybrid, depending on company requirements |
| Job Type | Full-time |
| Job Level | Mid-level / Experienced |
| Industry | Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Systems, Drone Technology |
Job Description
As an Autonomy Engineer, your primary goal will be to make our autonomy system more capable and more reliable for all of our customers. You will own developing new autonomous capabilities end-to-end and deploying these capabilities to customers tackling a wide range of use cases, including inspection & mapping, drone-as-first-responder (DFR), security/patrols, situational awareness, and more. These represent some of the first real-world deployments of truly autonomous robots performing valuable tasks in large and critical industries.
How you’ll make an impact:
- Build cutting-edge autonomous capabilities through tight cross functional collaboration with our vision, planning & controls, deep learning, infrastructure, embedded, cloud, mobile, design, product, and flight test teams
- Develop core robotics algorithms to expand our autonomous operational envelope in challenging environmental conditions, including night time, in urban canyons, in areas of GNSS and C2 interference, at sea, and in precipitation
- Triage customer issues, recognize trends, and rapidly make our system more resilient to failures seen in the field
- Research investments in simulated and in-real-life test infrastructure
- Develop a deep understanding of core robotics principles coupled with a full understanding of how our system works
- Help out across the full software stack when needed, maintaining the highest standards for code quality and proactively addressing tech debt
- Conceive, design, implement, simulate, evaluate, and fly new motion planning strategies to extend capabilities and improve customer experience
What makes you a good fit:
- 1+ years of experience writing production level code for autonomous robots, preferably flying robots with a high level of proficiency in C++ and Python
- Practical experience implementing state of the art algorithms in a robotics-adjacent area including computer vision, state estimation, motion planning, controls, sensor characterization and integration, UAS software and hardware development
- Highly curious, creative, and able to communicate concepts to non-technical audiences
- Strong software engineering fundamentals and a commitment to writing clean, well-designed, maintainable, readable code
- Excited to use robotics to make the world safer, more productive, and more creative
Selection Process
- Submit your online application and resume.
- Recruiter reviews your qualifications and experience.
- Initial recruiter screening.
- Technical interview focused on software engineering and autonomy concepts.
- Technical/onsite interview with the engineering team.
- Team and behavioral interviews.
- Final evaluation and offer discussion.
- Background and employment verification, as applicable.
- Receive the final employment offer.
How to Apply
- Visit the official Skydio careers page.
- Search for the Autonomy Software Engineer position in San Mateo, CA.
- Review the job requirements and responsibilities carefully.
- Prepare an updated resume highlighting software engineering, robotics, autonomy, C++, Python, or related experience.
- Submit your application through the official application portal.
- Complete any required screening or technical assessments.
- If shortlisted, attend the interview stages and discuss the role with the hiring team.
