Software Engineer - Drone Systems

We are currently looking for a Senior Software Engineer - Drone Systems to join the team in the Amsterdam Area.

You will join a small, high-impact engineering team working on advanced unmanned systems used in real-world, mission-critical environments. The team owns the full software stack of an autonomous system, ranging from low-level flight control to mission planning and operator interfaces.

This role focuses primarily on the higher levels of the system, including onboard computing, mission logic, payload integration, and ground control applications. Unlike many embedded or robotics roles, your work will be directly deployed in live operational settings, where performance and reliability are essential rather than optional.

You will collaborate closely with hardware engineers and operational teams, contributing to systems that are actively tested and used in the field. The environment offers strong ownership, rapid feedback loops, and visible impact, while requiring a disciplined approach to quality, safety, and system reliability., * Develop and maintain software for embedded flight control systems

• Build and enhance onboard software for mission execution, payload control, and system coordination
• Contribute to operator-facing applications, such as ground control or mission planning tools
• Work across the full system stack, from low-level components to user-facing interfaces
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate, test, and deploy software on physical systems
• Participate in design discussions, code reviews, and architectural decision-making as a senior contributor, At S[&]T we contribute to a safer life on earth by translating space data into valuable and actionable insights. We oversee data from instruments to application, and apply our expertise within our software frameworks, information products and consultancy.

Our society relies on space and scientific instruments for climate change monitoring, navigation, defence and national security, and other crucial services we all use in our daily lives. These instruments produce an enormous quantity of complex data, and our goal is to unlock its value.

We have more than 20 years of experience working on instrument calibration, the creation of data quality monitoring tools, the development of real-time data processing frameworks, and the development of application-specific algorithms. With this, we help organisations, governments and industries to strengthen their information position and thereby improve their decision making. We focus on the following domains: Space & Science, Defence & Security, Environment & Sustainability, and High-Tech Consulting.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant technical field
• ~10 years of experience in software development, including significant experience with C++
• Strong experience working in Linux-based environments and with real-time or embedded systems
• Solid understanding of software architecture in complex, multi-component systems
• Ability to navigate and contribute to large, existing codebases
• Clear affinity with domains such as robotics, autonomous systems, or aerospace
• Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team

Preferred experience (not mandatory)

• 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