Location: Austin, TX (Hybrid on-site, with up to 20% travel)
Clearance Requirement: U.S. Citizen with the ability to obtain a security clearance
NODA is a veteran-owned, venture-backed technology company that is transforming how unmanned systems collaborate in complex, mission-critical environments. We are developing next-generation solutions that enable the autonomous orchestration of heterogeneous unmanned systems across air, sea, land, and space with vital applications in the defense, intelligence, and commercial sectors.
Networking and distributed systems form the backbone of resilient autonomy. At NODA, our Network / Distributed Systems Engineers ensure swarms of autonomous vehicles remain connected, adaptive, and mission-ready even in degraded or denied environments.
Joining NODA means working on meaningful technology that pushes the boundaries of autonomy alongside a team that thrives on innovation, rapid iteration, and collaboration.
The RoleAs a Networking / Distributed Systems Engineer, you will design and optimize the communication stack that keeps fleets of unmanned systems coordinated in real time. You will develop mesh networking protocols, integrate tactical radios, and validate system performance in constrained, intermittent, and adversarial environments. This role requires close collaboration with autonomy and AI engineers to ensure networking becomes a force multiplier for mission planning, dynamic task allocation, and swarm-level decision-making.
Key ResponsibilitiesDesign and implement mesh/ad hoc networking protocols tailored for UAVs, USVs, and UUVs.
Develop resilient comms middleware (unicast/multicast, adaptive bandwidth optimization).
Integrate with tactical radios and communication hardware used in defense applications.
Simulate and validate networking in contested, intermittent, and low-bandwidth environments.
Collaborate with AI and autonomy teams to enable bandwidth-aware orchestration and tasking.
Build observability into the networking stack (telemetry, packet tracing, latency metrics).
Ensure networking reliability for distributed, real-time autonomous operations.
3+ years of professional experience in networking or distributed systems engineering.
Expertise in OSI/TCP/IP stack, multicast/unicast, and routing protocols.
Experience with wireless/RF networking (mesh, ad hoc, MANET).
Proficiency in Python and/or C++ for protocol design and testing.
Familiarity with real-time telemetry pipelines and low-latency distributed systems.
Experience designing or securing communication systems in contested or low-trust environments.
U.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain a clearance.
Experience with tactical radios or defense-grade networking systems.
Knowledge of ROS2 DDS/RTPS middleware and distributed publish/subscribe frameworks.
Background in distributed consensus, swarm coordination, or multi-agent networking.
Exposure to simulation-in-loop or hardware-in-loop validation environments.
Prior work in defense, aerospace, or contested communication domains.
Awareness of secure comms practices (encryption, Zero Trust, or DoD IL4/IL5 environments).
Experience with network observability frameworks (Grafana, Prometheus, ELK) applied to comms performance.
Systems thinker: balances bandwidth, latency, reliability, and mission needs.
Hands-on problem solver: skilled at debugging and optimizing real-world comms.
Field-ready: comfortable working with radios and autonomous platforms in lab and field environments.
Collaborative: thrives working across AI, autonomy, and systems engineering disciplines.
Hybrid work environment
Competitive pay
Flexible time off
Generous PTO policy
Federal holidays
Generous health, dental, and vision benefits
Free OneMedical membership
Senior Networking Engineer – lead comms stack integration across multi-domain platforms.
Distributed Systems Architect – design resilient, scalable architectures for autonomous swarms.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. All qualified individuals will receive consideration for employment regardless of race, age, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
Top Skills
What We Do
NODA AI is a venture-backed defense company focused on building algorithm superiority. We deeply understand that the introduction of novel autonomy brings a new generation of algorithmic warfare.
While national security is our north star, we embrace diverse skillsets and are looking for exceptional teammates from all backgrounds. If you share our passion for solving seemingly impossible problems against all odds, check out our careers page at https://www.NodaIntelligence.ai/careers or email us at [email protected]
