At Zone 5 Technologies, we're redefining what's possible in precision weapons and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Our team of engineers and innovators are developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions to deliver affordable and scalable precision weapons, interceptors, and UAS.

We're building the next generation of munitions and unmanned systems for the United States and its allies. If you're driven by hard problems, energized by rapid innovation, and ready to make an impact on defense technology, you belong here.

From air-launched effects and open interceptor systems like White Spike to advanced autonomy and mission-critical software, our work directly shapes multi-domain operations for demanding government customers. We're scaling rapidly (recently acquired by KONGSBERG and growing fast), and we're seeking elite software engineering talent to architect and deliver the high-reliability, safety-critical software that powers these groundbreaking systems. If you're a battle-tested senior engineer who thrives on owning complex domains, mentoring high-performing teams, driving technical excellence in regulated aerospace/defense environments, and solving problems where failure is not an option — this is your opportunity to leave a lasting mark on next-generation flight and strike capabilities.

We're looking for a principal-level C#/.NET software engineer (with strong embedded or real-time systems depth) ready to lead the design and evolution of complex, high-assurance software for autonomous UAS platforms in the aerospace and defense sector.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the architecture, design, implementation, and verification of embedded and application-level software for high-reliability, safety-critical UAS systems — from flight controls and mission autonomy to ground station integration and real-time data processing.
Own end-to-end technical ownership of major software components or subsystems, driving decisions on technology stack, performance optimization, fault tolerance, and certification pathways (DO-178C familiarity a strong plus).
Collaborate deeply with systems, hardware, GNC, flight test, and cybersecurity teams to define requirements, resolve cross-domain challenges, and integrate software into full-system flight demonstrations.
Champion modern development excellence: architect and evolve CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions + AWS), automated testing frameworks, build systems, and deployment strategies for cloud-edge hybrid environments.
Mentor and guide mid-level and senior engineers, conduct in-depth code/design reviews, establish best practices, and foster a culture of rigorous, high-quality engineering in a fast-paced environment.
Contribute to strategic technical roadmaps, evaluate emerging technologies (e.g., real-time middleware, model-based design, AI/ML integration for autonomy), and influence product direction for long-range strike, counter-UAS, and multi-domain systems.
Support qualification, certification, and airworthiness processes through rigorous verification, validation, and documentation in compliance with defense and aerospace standards.

Qualifications

8–15+ years of professional software engineering experience, with significant time spent on complex, high-reliability or safety-critical systems (aerospace, defense, automotive, medical devices, or similar strongly preferred).
Deep expertise in C# (preferred) and strong proficiency in additional languages such as C/C++, Python, or Matlab/Simulink for real-time/embedded/model-based workflows.
Proven track record designing and delivering real-time embedded software, flight-critical applications, autonomy stacks, or mission systems for UAS, drones, robotics, or related platforms.
Advanced hands-on mastery of Git/GitHub workflows at scale, Visual Studio, and scripting/automation (Bash, PowerShell, Python) for build/deploy/test pipelines.
Strong experience building and optimizing CI/CD systems (GitHub Actions required; Jenkins, GitLab CI, or similar a plus) and deploying/managing software in AWS or hybrid cloud environments.