Senior Software Engineer, Drone systems

Write software that actually flies

About Avy

Avy pioneers unmanned aviation technology for emergency services and life-saving applications. We partner with innovative organizations that are among the first in the world to integrate long-range drone operations into their daily workflows.

We're an award winning scale up in the aviation industry, we pride ourselves for combining an innovative garage startup culture with being a professional and safety minded aviation organisation.

About the role

Our software team of five is growing and we are looking for a senior engineer to help us take our drone systems to the next level. The team owns the full software stack of a flying system, from autopilot firmware to the applications that control missions in the field. This role sits primarily at the higher end of that stack: companion computer software, mission logic, payload control and ground control station development.

What makes this role different from a typical embedded or robotics position is the direct connection between the code you write and real-world operations. Avy's drones are deployed by emergency services and other partners for whom reliability is not a nice-to-have, but it is the whole point. That means you will work closely with hardware engineers and flight test teams, iterate on software that gets tested on actual aircraft and contribute to systems that are already operational in the field.

It is an environment where you will have genuine ownership and where the impact of your work is visible quickly. At the same time it asks for a mindset that takes quality and safety seriously, because the stakes are real.

Key responsibilities

• ✅ Develop and maintain embedded flight controller software based on PX4, running on the drone's autopilot hardware;
• ✅ Build and improve software on the drone's companion computer, including mission control, gimbal and camera control and payload management;
• ✅ Contribute to our ground control station software;
• ✅ Work across the full stack of a flying drone system, from low-level firmware to user-facing desktop applications;
• ✅ Collaborate closely with hardware engineers, operations and flight test teams to integrate, test and deploy software on real aircraft;
• ✅ Take part in design reviews, code reviews and architectural decisions as a senior member of the software team.

About you

You are someone who gets genuinely excited when software you wrote takes off; literally. You are comfortable working close to the metal one day and contributing to a desktop application the next. You enjoy working in a small, multidisciplinary team where your decisions have real and visible impact. You are an optimistic person who thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic and international environment and you are not afraid of the occasional unexpected result during a flight test.

You understand that writing software for real aircraft comes with real responsibility; that does not intimidate you, it motivates you. You are comfortable with structured processes and documentation as part of the job, not an obstacle to it.

Requirements

• ✔ Relevant education on bachelor or master level;
• ✔ At least 5 years of professional experience in C++;
• ✔ Experience with Linux-based development environments and real-time systems;
• ✔ Understanding of software architecture for systems with multiple interacting components, and ability to work in large existing codebases;
• ✔ Demonstrable affinity with robotics, drones, aerospace or autonomous systems. Your background should show a genuine connection to the domain;
• ✔ Good communication skills and comfortable working in a small, multidisciplinary team.

Nice to haves

We don't expect you to tick every box below, but we do hope to see at least two of these in your background. They are a good signal that you are already comfortable in the domain:

• ✔ Experience with PX4, ArduPilot or similar autopilot frameworks;
• ✔ Knowledge of MAVLink and related communication protocols;
• ✔ Understanding of control theory (PID controllers, state estimation, sensor fusion);
• ✔ Proficiency in Python for tooling, testing or scripting;
• ✔ Experience with ROS or ROS2;
• ✔ Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines;

The rest? If you are a fast learner who is genuinely motivated by the domain, we are happy to grow into those together.

What we offer

• 🚀 Impactful work: Be part of a company using technology to save lives and drive sustainability;
• ⭐ Leading the drone revolution: Work on advanced aerial systems that keep you on the front lines of innovation;
• 💰 Competitive salary: The salary range is €5200 to €6500 depending on relevant experience. The higher end is reserved for candidates who already demonstrate deep expertise in C++ and embedded systems plus proven impact in similar roles;
• 🌴 Unlimited time off: Take the time you need to recharge and stay at your best, with respect for your team and shared priorities;
• 🏢 An inspiring office: Work from our awesome space in Amsterdam, featuring a maker space, sauna and great lunches!
• 🎢 Startup experience: Embrace the excitement, freedom and fast growth of an ambitious tech startup;
• 🤝 A great culture: A warm and fun atmosphere with regular get-togethers, drinks and celebrations, plus a work environment built on trust, freedom and learning from mistakes;

EU citizenship or an EU work permit is required for this position (Avy does not offer relocation support).