Senior Software QA Engineer, Avionics Platform
Job Location:
Job Location:
San Diego, CA - USA
Monthly Salary:
$ 140000 - 185000
Monthly Salary:
Posted on:
2 days ago
Posted on:
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Vacancies:
Department:
Job Summary
Who We Are
At Firestormwereon a mission to revolutionize how defense solutions are designed and delivered. Our goal is to empower U.S. ally nations to effectively deter aggressorsregardless of their defense budgetthrough innovative cost-efficient technologies. We call this vision democratized deterrence. As a VC-backed company at the intersection of defense and Silicon Valleywerepioneering the development of mission-adaptable aerial vehicles that put power back into the hands of operators. By prioritizing operator effectivenesswerepioneering 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 makingcutting-edgetechnology accessible to all at a fraction of the cost.
About the Role
FirestormsAvionics Platformteam builds the softwareplatformthat flies our vehicles: flight computers and peripheral controllers running embedded Linux and RTOS stacks; middlewareand Linux services; low-level drivers and HALs; and the critical interfaces that connect autonomy payloads and comms.
Werehiring aSenior Software QA Engineerto be the first deep-testing line for this avionics stackvalidatingembedded firmware board support packages device drivers and safety-critical data paths long before Flight expert exploratory/system testing with targeted automation across HIL/SIL rigs exercising real buses (CAN/CAN-FD UART SPI I²C Ethernet) and stressing links (MAVLinkTactical Data Links etc.) under real-world fault closely with avionics autonomy radio and payload engineers to harden reliability where it matters most: on theaircraft.
This is a full-timeonsiterole at our San Diego HQ. Expect meaningful hands-on time with benches flight computers power systems radios and sensors tovalidateend-to-end flight workflows.
WhatYoullDo
- Own system test for avionics(embedded Linux RTOS targets) providing fast actionable feedback on functional defects timing issues and regressions that impact flight safety and operator trust.
- Plan and execute risk-based strategies: feature/bring-up test plans exploratory charters protocol-level regression suites acceptance criteria and release sign-off gates ahead of Flight Test.
- Build andmaintainautomation for HIL/SIL:
- SIL: host-based unit/integration tests for drivers and middleware ( simulation of sensors/buses fault-injection hooks.
- HIL: Python-driven benches to exercise serial/CAN/Ethernet I/O sensor emulators and power-cycle/bootloader/OTA flows; automate log capture and golden-trace diffs.
- Stand up reproducible rigs: power supplies/electronic loads CAN analyzers logic analyzers GNSS/sensor simulators programmable RF links; script scenario playback and telemetry injection.
- Validate robustnessunder degraded conditions: jitter clock drift packet loss/duplication bus contention brownouts hot-plug and watchdog resets; verify safe behavior and recovery paths.
- Instrument anddiagnose:collect structured logs/metrics; create packet and log scrapers; use Wireshark logic-analyzer traces and serial/TCP/UDP sniffers to isolate timing and state issues quickly.
- Own defect triage: minimize and reproduce; file high-signal reports with traces steps suspected root cause; track to closure with responsible engineers.
- Shift-left qualitywith the team: review code/IDLs from a testability lens encourage dependency hygiene feature flags determinism controls and golden datasets.
- Integrate into CI/CD(GitLab/Jenkins): hardware runners for on-bench smoke protocol/regression gates and per-target artifact validation ( DFU OTA).
- Contribute to safety security and reliability hardeningaligned to MIL-STD/DO guidance (negative testing fuzzing on parsers permission audits fail-safe defaults persistent-state hygiene).
- Produce crisp test docs(plans procedures bench/bring-up checklists) and mentor engineers on embedded QA techniques and automation patterns.
Qualifications
- Bachelors degree in Robotics Computer Science Engineering or related field
- 5 yearsprofessional QA/SDET experience including automation forembedded/real-time or safety-critical systems.
- Hands-on testing forembedded Linux and/or RTOS( PX4) and driver/HAL layers acrossUART/SPI/I²C/CAN-FD/Ethernet.
- Practical experience building automated tests withPython(pytest/Robot or equivalent) controlling benches over serial/CAN/Ethernet; comfort withC/Cartifacts and host-based unit tests (gtest).
- Comfortable validatingnetworked real-time systems(MAVLink DDSWebSockets) async I/O and telemetry flows under constrained or lossy links.
- Proficient withLinux and Windowstest environments CLI tooling scripting (Python/Bash/PowerShell) andGit.
- Experience integrating test suites intoCI/CD(GitLab CI/Jenkins/GitHub Actions) and working with firmware packaging/bootloaders/OTA.
- Strong exploratory testing defect isolation and written communicationable to translate flight and bring-up workflows into crisp testable scenarios.
- U.S. Citizenshipand ability to obtain andmaintaina U.S. Government security clearance.
Preferred Qualifications
- Deep experience withHIL/SILdesign (sensor and bus emulation fault injection golden-trace comparison) anddata-driven test design.
- Experience withPX4/ArduPilotmiddlewareuORB/parameters and flight-control logging; familiarity withQGroundControlmission/telemetry workflows.
- Protocol/domain knowledge:MAVLink STANAG 4586 Cursor-on-Target DDS/RTPS CAN diagnostics.
- Comfort with radios GNSS IMUs payload interfaces and lab bring-up; basic electronics (oscilloscope/logic-analyzer/JTAG) a plus.
- Performance/reliability testing: stress/soak/latency boot-time and watchdog behavior power-interrupt/EMI considerations; awareness ofDO-178C/DO-160/MIL-STD-810/461practices.
- Experience withYocto/Buildroot containerized benches (Docker/Podman) and artifact reproducibility.
- Test management/reporting ( and metrics for release readiness.
Work Environment
- Onsite at San Diego HQ with frequent hands-on work at benches and labs; tight collaboration with avionics autonomy payload manufacturing and Flight Test.
- Occasional local field/range support for pre-flight validation; some travel (<20%).
- Fast-paced iterative development with tight feedback loops;youllhelp harden reliability before software reaches Flight Test.
- Ability to lift/move lab kits (25lbs)occasionally and follow lab/range safety procedures.
Compensation
US Salary Range: $140000 $185000 USD.
The posted salary range reflects an estimate based on a variety of compensation factors including but not limited to relevant experience education certifications specialized skills geographic location and business needs. Actual compensation may vary and this range is subject to change as our compensation structure or market conditions evolve.
Benefits & Perks
Our culture fosters collaboration respect and trust empowering passionate people to do their best work. We offer a competitive salary comprehensive benefits and opportunities for career addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovativecollaborativeand fast-growing business with a highly motivated and skilled team we also take pride in taking care of our employees. Here are just a few ways that we show our appreciation:
- We offer comprehensive medical dental and visions plans
- 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan to invest in your long-term retirement goals
- Unlimited PTO
- Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a holiday hiatus in December.
- Generous Parental Leave
- FSA
- HSA
- Hospital Indemnity insurance
- Critical Illness insurance
- Accident insurance
- Basic Life/AD&D short-term and long-term disability insurance 100% covered by Firestorm. Plus theoptiontopurchaseadditionallife insurance for you and your family.
- Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy and more.
- Additionalwork-life services such as free legal and financial support are available to you as well.
ITAR Compliance
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen lawful permanent resident of the U.S. protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or otherwise eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Equal Opportunity Statement
Firestorm is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and upholdingequitablehiring practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin disability protected veteran status or any other characteristic under federal state or local law including those with a criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities women Veterans and those with disabilities to apply and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process.
Firestorm is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment. If yourequireaccommodations orassistanceduring the application process pleasedonthesitate to reach out to us atso we can provide the support you need.
Required Experience:
Senior IC
