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# Software Engineer, Rust

- **Company:** Helsing Inc.
- **Location:** Washington, DC, United States
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Testing (Software), Artificial Intelligence, Computing Platforms, C++ (Programming Language), Data Link, Communications Protocols, Computer Programming, Distributed Systems, Hardware-In-The-Loop Simulation, Python (Programming Language), Network Protocols, Sensor Fusion, Software Engineering, Data Streaming, Multi-Agent Systems, Build Management, Information Technology, Low Latency, Machine Learning Operations, Video Streaming, Multiplatform, Data Pipelines
- **Published:** November 5, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.careerbuilder.com/job-details/software-engineer-rust-washington-dc--9fe8db41-1a12-406f-bcca-7045f3573823

## About the Role

Software Engineering, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Problem Solving Skills, Systems/Internals Programming, High Reliability, Multiplatform/Cross-Platform, Network Protocols, Software Simulation, Software Development, * Have 5+ years of experience in systems-level software engineering

 * Have a Bachelor''s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field
 * Are proficient in Rust, or have strong experience in C++ or another systems-level compiled language with a willingness to work in Rust daily
 * Have experience building distributed systems, particularly in unreliable or constrained network environments
 * Have worked with real-time or low-latency systems where performance and reliability are critical
 * Have experience with at least one or two areas relevant to our stack: video streaming, pub/sub messaging, sensor data processing, embedded systems, protocol design, or robotics
 * Have designed or built systems that interface with AI/ML pipelines - streaming data to models, handling inference outputs, managing pipeline orchestration
 * Are familiar with Python, particularly for interfacing with ML/AI components
 * Are a U.S. citizen eligible to obtain a security clearance

Nice to have

 * Direct experience with Rust in production systems
 * Background in robotics, autonomous vehicles, or drone systems
 * Experience with sensor fusion or multi-sensor data processing
 * Familiarity with swarming, multi-agent systems, or decentralized coordination algorithms
 * Experience with constrained or embedded platforms
 * Familiarity with Nix or NixOS for reproducible builds and development environments
 * Experience with SITL/HITL (Software/Hardware-In-The-Loop) simulation and testing frameworks for autonomous systems
 * Experience with RF communications, telemetry, or datalink systems
 * Background in defense or national security

## Description

You will work on Altra, Helsing''s drone software platform, primarily written in Rust. You will design and build systems-level software that powers autonomous capabilities in challenging operational environments. You don''t need to be a drone expert - but you should be a strong systems programmer who thrives in low-latency, high-reliability environments and is excited to apply those skills to a mission-critical product.

The day-to-day

 * Designing, building, and maintaining Rust services across the Altra platform
 * Collaborating with ML engineers to integrate AI/ML pipelines into the broader system
 * Working across the stack, from networking and protocol implementation to application-level services
 * Contributing to increasingly advanced autonomy features
 * Developing and testing software using simulation environments
 * Writing software that must perform reliably on resource-constrained platforms under real-world constraints