Our V2 aircraft carries 30 lbs up to 500 miles, while our next-generation V3 carries 100 lbs over 1,000+ miles with 20+ hours of endurance. Both use a hybrid-electric architecture that takes off like a helicopter and cruises like a plane, enabling long-range autonomous delivery without traditional runway infrastructure.
Today, Skyways aircraft operate across three continents in controlled national airspace under FAA oversight and in support of U.S. military operations. We are transitioning from prototype development to full-rate production and scaling toward large autonomous cargo fleets.
Backed by Y Combinator and a $37M AFWERX STRATFI award from the U.S. Air Force, Skyways is creating a new form of transportation to advance our civilization from Austin, Texas.
The Opportunity
Skyways is hiring a Senior Software Engineer who can move comfortably from a 3D interface in SkyNav, to a high throughput Python service, to C++ running in our ArduPilot fork. You will own capabilities end to end across product, platform, and vehicle software, using modern AI tools and applied AI techniques to accelerate development and improve autonomous operations. This role is ideal for a broad, hands on engineer who wants to ship software that flies.
What You'll Do:
- Own and ship capabilities across SkyNav, backend services, telemetry infrastructure, and autonomous aircraft software.
- Build interactive 3D visualization and mission planning features in SkyNav using JavaScript or TypeScript and modern web graphics.
- Develop and operate Python services, APIs, data pipelines, and automation that support aircraft and fleet operations.
- Make safe, production quality changes to our ArduPilot C++ fork and integrate them with avionics, hardware, and higher level autonomy systems.
- Scale, load balance, and instrument our telemetry hub so real time fleet data remains reliable as aircraft volume grows.
- Apply AI and machine learning where they create real value, including engineering automation, data analysis, debugging, and operator tools.
- Partner closely with GNC, robotics, embedded software, flight operations, and hardware teams to validate changes in simulation and flight testing.
- Raise the engineering bar through thoughtful architecture, testing, code review, CI/CD, observability, and clear technical documentation.
What You'll Bring:
- 5+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a record of shipping production systems.
- Strong production proficiency in Python, JavaScript or TypeScript, and C++.
- Demonstrated ability to work across the stack, from user interfaces and 3D experiences to backend services and systems software.
- Experience designing APIs or distributed services with attention to performance, reliability, load balancing, and observability.
- Experience in aviation, robotics, autonomous systems, or another environment where software interacts with real world hardware.
- Strong applied AI fluency, including using modern AI development tools effectively and building AI enabled product or operational capabilities.
- Ability to debug complex issues across application, network, operating system, and hardware boundaries.
- A proactive, low ego approach, strong communication, and comfort owning ambiguous problems from concept through deployment.
Bonus Points:
- Experience with ArduPilot, PX4, or another autopilot stack.
- Experience with Electron, CesiumJS, Three.js, Babylon.js, WebGL, or similar 3D technologies.
- Experience with real time telemetry, event streaming, fleet systems, or high availability infrastructure.
- Experience with embedded Linux, avionics, sensors, or direct hardware communication.
- Background in GNC, computer vision, autonomy, or flight testing.
- Knowledge of FAA operations, UAS regulations, defense programs, or export controlled development environments.
- Experience at an early stage company where engineers move quickly across disciplines.
Want to join our mission? Apply to learn more!
Due to U.S. government contract requirements, this role is limited to U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, or candidates from specific countries authorized under applicable export control regulations.
Skyways is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other factor protected by applicable local, state or federal laws.
Skills Required
- 5+ years of professional software engineering experience shipping production systems
- Strong production proficiency in Python, JavaScript or TypeScript, and C++
- Ability to work across user interfaces, 3D experiences, backend services, and systems software
- Experience designing APIs or distributed services with performance, reliability, load balancing, and observability considerations
- Experience in aviation, robotics, autonomous systems, or another environment where software interacts with real-world hardware
- Strong applied AI fluency, including modern AI development tools and AI-enabled product or operational capabilities
- Ability to debug issues across application, network, operating system, and hardware boundaries
- Proactive, collaborative communication style and ability to own ambiguous problems through deployment
- U.S. citizenship, U.S. permanent residency, or eligibility under applicable export control regulations
- Experience with ArduPilot, PX4, or another autopilot stack
- Experience with Electron, CesiumJS, Three.js, Babylon.js, WebGL, or similar 3D technologies
- Experience with real-time telemetry, event streaming, fleet systems, or high-availability infrastructure
- Experience with embedded Linux, avionics, sensors, or direct hardware communication
- Background in GNC, computer vision, autonomy, or flight testing
- Knowledge of FAA operations, UAS regulations, defense programs, or export-controlled development environments
- Experience at an early-stage company working across disciplines
Skyways Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Skyways and has not been reviewed or approved by Skyways.
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Healthcare Strength — Employee medical and dental are employer-paid with additional vision and HSA/FSA options noted; core health coverage appears strong for a hardware/robotics startup.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Stock options are offered to every employee and performance bonuses are listed; ownership upside is broadly accessible across the organization.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off is described as generous, with paid holidays and generous parental leave highlighted; the breadth of leave supports work-life needs beyond baseline policies.
Skyways Insights
What We Do
We are creating a new form of transportation to advance the future of our civilization. Our story starts with fully autonomous, unmanned aerial vehicles with vertical take-off and landing capability and used for cargo transportation.
Why Work With Us
We are creating a new form of transportation to advance the future of our civilization. Skyways is building fully autonomous cargo aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capability to transform how goods move. Join a small, ambitious team solving hard aerospace and autonomy problems with real world impact.
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