Senior SDK Engineer
Firestorm
Other Engineering
San Diego, CA, USA
USD 164k-183k / year + Equity
Posted on Jan 28, 2026
Senior SDK Engineer
San Diego, CA
Engineering
Remote
Full-time
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 Senior SDK Engineer to join our Software team and help shape SparkSDK —the toolkit developers use to integrate vehicle payloads, sensors, and data links into Firestorm’s ecosystem. You’ll report to the SparkSDK lead, and work closely with platform, autonomy, avionics, and applications teams to build a robust, secure, and developer-friendly SDK that powers real defense missions.
This is a high-impact, hands-on engineering role focused on designing and delivering a modular, cross-platform SDK with clean APIs, strong versioning guarantees, and first-class language wrappers/FFIs. You’ll implement a C/C++ core and expose it to multiple languages (C, C++, Java, Python, C#, etc.), enabling integrators to quickly connect to WarRoom and other Firestorm apps and services, application gateways, vehicle onboard services, and ground control software. You’ll help ensure interoperability with industry and defense standards while upholding security and performance requirements.
What You'll Do
- Design and implement SparkSDK core modules in modern C++.
- Build and maintain language bindings and FFIs (e.g., C ABI/PInvoke, JNI/JNA, pybind11/cffi, C# P/Invoke/Source Generators; Rust FFI as a bonus) to deliver first-class developer experiences across C/C++, Java, Python, and C#.
- Define clean, versioned APIs (SemVer, deprecation strategy) and deliver SDK packages, installers, and artifacts across Linux, Windows, and Android (e.g., deb/rpm/AppImage, MSI/MSIX, AAR/APK add-ons).
- Integrate comms and payload protocols and data models/IDLs (e.g., Protobuf/FlatBuffers); implement adapters to EmberCore and message middleware.
- Own the developer experience: samples, quickstarts, idiomatic wrappers, error models, logging/telemetry hooks, and clear documentation that make integration fast and intuitive.
- Engineer for real-time and mission-critical use: deterministic behavior, back-pressure, zero-copy paths, bounded latencies, and graceful degradation on CPU/GPU-constrained hardware.
- Harden security by default: memory-safe patterns, least-privilege design, secure transport (OpenSSL/libsodium), key/material handling, and supply-chain integrity for third-party deps.
- Build reliability into CI/CD: cross-platform builds (CMake, Conan/vcpkg), automated unit/integration tests (Catch2/GoogleTest, pytest, JUnit, NUnit), fuzzing, sanitizers, codegen validation.
- Collaborate across teams and with partners to gather requirements, refine APIs, and support field integrations; contribute to platform-wide architecture and roadmap discussions.
- Contribute to operability: diagnostics, tracing, metrics, compatibility matrices, and upgrade playbooks for customers in the field.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
- 5+ years professional experience building SDKs/libraries or platform APIs in modern C++ (C++17/10) with cross-platform delivery (Linux/Windows/Android).
- U.S. Citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.
- Proven experience creating and maintaining language wrappers/FFIs for at least two of: Java, Python, C# (plus C/C++). Rust FFI experience is a strong plus.
- Strong integration background with real-time or mission-critical systems (3+ years) including async/event-driven networking (TCP/UDP, REST, WebSockets, DDS/gRPC/ZeroMQ).
- Familiarity with industry/defense protocols and standards (e.g., RAS-A, MAVLink, STANAG 4586, OMS/UCI, Link 16) and data serialization (Protobuf/FlatBuffers).
- Expertise in secure coding and dependency hygiene (OpenSSL, libsodium, memory safety, fuzzing, sanitizers).
- Cross-platform build and packaging: CMake, Conan/vcpkg; Linux (deb/rpm/AppImage, systemd), Windows (MSVC/MinGW, windeploy/MSI/MSIX), Android (Gradle/JNI/APK signing).
- Excellent problem-solving and communication skills; comfortable driving features end-to-end (requirements → design → implementation → testing → release).
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior work on developer platforms/SDKs with rigorous API design, SemVer discipline, and long-term compatibility guarantees.
- Experience with ROS 2 (rclcpp/DDS), gRPC, ZeroMQ, and protocol gateways/bridges.
- Knowledge of telemetry pipelines and observability for SDKs (structured logs, metrics, distributed tracing).
- Experience in embedded/Linux environments (Yocto/Buildroot, cross-compilation, OTA updates) and constrained targets.
- Performance tuning and profiling across languages (perf, VTune, Valgrind, sanitizers) and build/toolchain optimization.
- Familiarity with geospatial data and formats common in UxS domains; prior exposure to GCS integrations is a plus.
- Experience developing to MIL-STD/DO-178C or similar safety/security standards.
- Track record of mentoring peers, conducting code reviews, and enforcing modern C++/API best practices.
Additional Requirements
- Willingness to travel up to 15% domestically within a calendar year.
Work Environment
- This role can be either on site at our headquarters in San Diego, CA or Remote
- We welcome candidates who are local or open to relocating; relocation assistance is available and may be included in the offer package where appropriate.
Compensation
U.S. Range: $164,000 - $183,000
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 growth. In addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovative, collaborative and 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
- Equity grants for new hires
- Unlimited PTO
- Extremely generous company holiday calendar, including a holiday hiatus in November, & December.
- Generous Parental Leave
- Lifestyle Spending Account
- FSA
- DCFSA
- 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, the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your family.
- Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, are available to you as well.
Export Control Compliance
To conform to U.S. government export control regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR), 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 or U.S. Department of Commerce.
Equal Opportunity Statement
Firestorm is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, and upholding equitable hiring 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 you require accommodations or assistance during the application process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected] so we can provide the support you need.
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EXPORT CONTROLS - This position requires access to information and technology that is subject to U.S. export controls. Your responses to the questions below will be used solely to determine your eligibility under U.S. law to receive information and materials subject to U.S. export controls.
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Clearance Eligibility - This position requires eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance
Req ID: R136
