Principal Engineer, Software & Integration Quality

Due to the nature of our work in defense, Darkhive does not provide visa sponsorship for this role. Candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which usually requires US citizenship.

About Darkhive:

Established in 2021, Darkhive is redefining the future of autonomous systems. We design and build next-generation hardware and software solutions that seamlessly integrate into critical public safety and defense networks. Our core focus centers on developing tactical, human-machine interfaces and scaling the mass production of affordable, attritable uncrewed systems alongside our government partners.

At Darkhive, we are a high-growth team of U.S. Special Operations veterans, aerospace engineers, robotics perception experts, and DevSecOps professionals. Above all, we are a mission-first culture. We believe that global teams operating on the front lines deserve high-quality, intelligent tools that ensure safety when each second counts.

If you are a free-thinking problem solver looking to build cutting-edge robotics in a fast-paced, highly collaborative startup environment, apply with Darkhive today!

The Principal Engineer, Software & Integration Quality Role:

This is a remote position with occasional travel (1-2 weeks/quarter) required to HQ in San Antonio, TX and potentially customer, field, and/or partner sites.

Darkhive is seeking a highly technical and hands-on Principal Engineer, Software & Integration Quality to build and scale software quality, systems integration quality, and operational reliability capabilities across Darkhive’s autonomous systems ecosystem. This role will report to the VP of Quality and operate as a deeply embedded technical leader and advisor across software engineering, autonomy, fleet operations, systems integration, and customer deployment environments.

This role is focused on end-to-end quality for integrated systems consisting of autonomy software, embedded systems, cloud infrastructure, edge communications, networking, fleet management software, and mission-critical robotics platforms. The ideal candidate combines strong full-stack software engineering capability with advanced systems thinking, software quality engineering, integration testing, and operational troubleshooting expertise.

Responsibilities:

Build and scale software quality engineering and systems integration quality capabilities
Lead integration quality initiatives across cloud services, embedded systems, networking, telemetry, firmware, APIs, and mission systems
Develop scalable software validation, regression testing, and operational readiness strategies
Drive root cause investigations and cross-functional troubleshooting for field and deployment issues
Develop automated test frameworks, CI/CD quality gates, telemetry validation mechanisms, and software release quality processes
Establish software quality KPIs, reliability metrics, and operational dashboards
Partner with software, autonomy, infrastructure, and hardware engineering teams throughout the development lifecycle
Support incident response and operational troubleshooting for customer-critical deployments
Support cybersecurity, DevSecOps, and secure software deployment practices
Mentor and grow software quality and systems integration engineering capabilities

Qualifications You Bring:

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Systems Engineering, or related technical field
10+ years of experience in software engineering, systems integration, software quality engineering, or related disciplines
Strong full-stack engineering background with distributed systems, APIs, backend services, and infrastructure
Experience troubleshooting complex integration and operational issues across software, hardware, networking, and cloud systems
Experience with automated testing frameworks, CI/CD pipelines, source control systems, and observability tooling
Strong understanding of software quality methodologies, defect lifecycle management, and operational reliability engineering
Strong communication and cross-functional leadership skills
Legally authorized to work in the U.S.

Preferred Qualifications;

Experience with Linux systems, embedded systems, cloud infrastructure, or real-time systems
Experience in startups scaling high-reliability, customer facing, software environments
Experience supporting customer deployments and operational sustainment activities
Familiarity with TAK/ATAK ecosystems, tactical networking, or defense communications systems
Experience with robotics, autonomy systems, UAV/UAS platforms, or distributed edge systems
U.S. Military Veteran/Reservist experience is a plus

Physical and/or Mental Requirements:

Ability to sit and/or stand for periods of time
Ability to use a keyboard, mouse, and other equipment with or without accommodations
Ability to maintain awareness during business hours
Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds
Ability to travel periodically to supplier and manufacturing locations
Excellent written and verbal communication and strong command of the English language
Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced and ambiguous environments
Reasonable accommodations will be provided to any person with a disability to be able to perform the essential job functions of this position
Darkhive retains the right to change or assign other duties as required for this position

Benefits Darkhive Offers:

Welcoming and collaborative work environment
Mission-driven team and product
Opportunity to build and shape a growing organization
Respect for work-life balance
Exposure to cutting-edge robotics and defense technology

Darkhive is an equal-opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment against any employee or applicant because of race, color, gender (including pregnancy), age, gender identity, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.