About UsSaildrone is a defense company delivering maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance products to military, homeland security, and commercial customers. Saildrone unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are extreme-endurance platforms equipped with advanced sensors and proprietary AI to provide persistent insights above and below the sea surface. Insights that support border security, law enforcement, undersea infrastructure protection, hydrography, and naval power applications. With more than 2,000,000 nautical miles sailed and 50,000 days at sea, Saildrone USVs are trusted by governments across the planet and set the standard for cost-efficient maritime intelligence in the world's harshest environments. We are based in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington DC and St. Petersburg, FL, and operate missions worldwide. This is an exciting opportunity with a fast-growing team at the cutting-edge intersection of big data services, autonomy, and AI. You will be part of a high-performing, multidisciplinary team delivering data, intelligence, and firepower for strategic superiority. The RoleWe’re seeking a highly skilled and experienced Embedded Software Engineer who will lead our Embedded Systems team! You will split your time between hands-on development and leading a small engineering team to ensure successful execution of a roadmap in alignment with other software and firmware teams, hardware teams and business objectives. The scope of the Embedded Systems team encompasses:<ul><li>Linux OS and driver code integration for core and payload computes on the drone</li><li>Integration for Nvidia platforms</li></ul>This role is required to be onsite in Alameda, CA in the Bay Area 3 days per week - this is our hybrid model. This is not a remote position. What you’ll doThe first few months in this role will be 100% as an IC, to enable developing familiarity with the stack and how we work. You'll then transition to roughly a 50/50 split between managing a small team and individual contributor work.<ul><li>Work with your team and engineering leaders and other technical and non-technical stakeholders to develop a high quality on-board software stack.</li><li>Develop, review and ensure quality design of on-board software components that align to a consistent architectural approach.</li><li>Utilize your engineering management skills to plan and execute along a roadmap defined by business objectives and informed by rigorous engineering design.</li><li>Work with our technical program management team to align work to schedules and ensure delivery.</li><li>Communicate in a friendly, supportive manner with engineers or other stakeholders, ensuring alignment and advocating for effective solutions.</li><li>Engage with cross-functional teams of product managers, technical program managers, technical leads, hardware engineers, software engineers and infrastructure engineers.</li><li>Mentor and facilitate career development for individual contributors.</li><li>Work with engineering leadership to define and measure success of the vehicle systems software stack using rigorous key performance metrics.</li><li>Drive and support a culture of rigorous design and test around software features.</li></ul> Required Skills<ul><li>8+ years of experience in embedded software</li><li>1+ years people management experience, including technical team leadership, scheduling, and resource planning</li><li>Board support package integration and bringup of new embedded Linux computers.</li><li>Experience with standards such as CAN or Ethernet</li><li>Bash scripting, and Python or similar scripting</li><li>Build automation and deployment experience</li><li>Prefer Bachelor's or Master's degree in related field (Robotics, CS, EE, etc)</li></ul> Desired Skills<ul><li>Hands-on experience with NXP i.MX8 family processors and Yocto</li><li>Practical knowledge of video processing chips (Nvidia)</li><li>Familiarity with camera technologies and video processing systems</li><li>Kernel module code integration, C debugging</li><li>Camera or perception payload experience </li></ul>Physical Requirements<ul><li> Work is performed on a computer and requires ability to operate a keyboard and other peripheral devices. </li></ul>Location: This position is hybrid in Alameda, CA (Onsite 3 days per week required). Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay in always sunny Alameda. All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. Please note that the Company does not sponsor employees for work visas or permanent resident cards to work in the U.S. If you need sponsorship for a work visa or green card, you will not be qualified for employment with Saildrone. Benefits:<ul><li>Paid time off, including vacation, bereavement, jury duty, sick time and parental leave</li><li>Comprehensive and competitive medical, dental and vision plans, and HSA with employer matching.</li><li>Company sponsored life insurance</li><li>Stock Options</li><li>Annual stipend for continued learning and development</li><li>Quarterly company BBQs at our Alameda HQ (bring your friends and family!)</li><li>Free Bay Area Public Transportation via AlamedaTMA with the BayPass Clipper Card</li><li>Plenty of snacks in our 3 office locations</li><li>Dog-friendly work environment</li></ul> <div><div>A reasonable estimate of the current range is $189,000-$243,000 annually.</div></div><div> </div> Catch up on the latest news about us:<a href="https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/technology/article/the-british-engineer-behind-the-us-navys-high-tech-ocean-drones-vnr5lvhf7">The British Engineer Behind the US Navy’s High-tech Ocean Drones – The Times of London</a><a href="https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2025/05/08/denmark-to-field-unmanned-vessels-for-monitoring-busy-shipping-routes/">Denmark to Field Unmanned Vessels for Monitoring Busy Shipping Routes – Defense News</a><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/counter-drug-sea-drones-utilized-navy-trump-ramps-up-military-resources-border">Counter-drug Sea Drones Utilized by Navy as Trump Ramps Up Military Resources at the Border</a><a href="https://breakingdefense.com/2025/03/saildrone-palantir-partner-to-use-ai-to-streamline-usv-manufacturing-operations/">Saildrone, Palantir Partner to Use AI to Streamline USV Manufacturing, Operations – Breaking Defense</a><a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/climate/article/underwater-mountain-california-alaska-17852430.php?utm_source=marketing&amp;utm_medium=copy-url-link&amp;utm_campaign=article-share&amp;hash=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2ZjaHJvbmljbGUuY29tL2NsaW1hdGUvYXJ0aWNsZS91bmRlcndhdGVyLW1vdW50YWluLWNhbGlmb3JuaWEtYWxhc2thLTE3ODUyNDMwLnBocA==&amp;time=MTY4Mzg0MjA4OTIzNQ==&amp;rid=YWRjMTllMzgtYzkzNi00OGQ2LTljMzgtMTQ2OGNlMThiZWY4&amp;sharecount=MQ==">An Underwater Mountain was Newly Discovered off California Coast – San Francisco Chronicle</a><a href="https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2023/august/usvs-could-deter-iuu-fishing">USVs Could Deter IUU Fishing – USNI Proceedings</a><a href="https://time.com/6978988/saildrone/">TIME 100 Most Influential Companies 2024: Saildrone</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeNeAwBccKamrUbEQxoygLQ">Saildrone Featured Videos Playlist</a> Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, relevant experience, and the ability to deal with complexity and problem solve within our organization, among other factors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Any unsolicited resumes/candidate profiles submitted through our website or to personal email accounts of employees of Saildrone are considered property of Saildrone and are not subject to payment of agency fees. #LI-Hybrid#LI-LP1

Saildrone designs and manufactures wind and solar powered autonomous surface vehicles called Saildrones, which make cost-effective ocean data collection possible at scale. We are working with governments, civic agencies, foundations, universities, and private companies around the globe to drive better information about our oceans and seas - be it in mapping out the ocean floor, collecting new CO2 data in hard-to-reach areas, counting biomass to establish fishing quotas, or detecting and stopping illegal fishing and trafficking. We believe that better inputs in planetary models in turn yield better outputs and that the new insights gained in weather forecasting, carbon cycling, global fishing and climate change will have tremendous impact on humanity. We are based in Alameda, CA.

Tech Lead Manager, Embedded Linux

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