The future of defense will be decided by those who field intelligent machines at scale. At Scout, we’re developing Fury, the first robotic foundation model for defense, to give U.S. forces overwhelming, adaptable, and autonomous power across every domain. Fury enables human operators to command fleets of robots through natural language, and empowers those machines to sense, decide, and act together as one. It’s not just a leap in autonomy, it’s a force multiplier built for real-world conflict. This mission will ask everything of us: urgency, precision, and relentless work.
The Role
We're looking for an Embedded Engineer to build the intelligence stack powering our robotic platforms. This is a core technical role. You’ll architect firmware, design control loops, and integrate real-time software with sensing, actuation, and autonomy. Your code will be closest to the metal and first to react when our robots meet the real world. You’ll be hands-on with full-stack autonomy systems, developing embedded infrastructure that enables perception, planning, and action at mission tempo. You'll be the bridge between hardware and autonomy. This is a fast-moving, field-oriented team. Expect to work closely with mechanical and machine learning engineers to test, iterate, and deploy on real missions.
We’re a startup. You’ll be moving fast, context-switching daily, and helping define the culture and process as we go. This is a rare opportunity to come in early and architect the future of defense.
Responsibilities
- Develop embedded software for robotic platforms, including firmware, drivers, and control logic
- Integrate software with sensors, motor controllers, compute modules, and ruggedized payloads
- Architect deterministic control loops and real-time processes for robust autonomous behavior
- Optimize low-level system performance for latency, bandwidth, and power constraints
- Implement communication protocols including UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, and Ethernet for multi-module coordination
- Collaborate tightly with hardware and autonomy teams to design integrated subsystems
- Test, debug, and validate embedded software in simulation and on-vehicle
- Support mission deployments and ensure field reliability under adversarial conditions
- Maintain documentation and contribute to a rigorous, safety-first development process
Qualifications
- 4+ years experience developing embedded systems in C/C++ (bare metal and RTOS environments)
- Strong understanding of microcontrollers, embedded Linux, and real-time operating principles
- Familiarity with low-level communication protocols (UART, SPI, I2C, CAN)
- Experience with robotics-relevant topics such as motor control, sensor integration, and state estimation
- Proficiency with hardware debugging tools: oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG, etc.
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics, or related field
- Comfort navigating system schematics and working alongside hardware engineers during design and integration
- Bonus: Experience with ROS2, PX4, or similar robotics middleware stacks
- Bonus: Experience with autonomous ground or aerial platforms
- Legal authorization to work in the United States is required. Certain job duties may involve access to U.S. export-controlled information
Why Join Scout
- Work on the world’s most important frontier, ensuring U.S. and allied dominance in the age of intelligent machines
- Be a core part of a team building the first defense-specific robotic foundation model
- Collaborate with some of the top engineers in autonomy, AI, and national security
- See your work deployed on real systems
- Help define the future of intelligent defense systems
- Backed by Draper Associates, Booz Allen Ventures, and other top investors
Benefits
- Competitive base salary and bonus
- Meaningful equity
- Premium medical, dental, and vision plans with $0 paycheck contribution
- Competitive PTO and company holiday calendar
- Catered lunch daily and fully stocked kitchen
- EV charging
- Relocation assistance (depending on role eligibility)
The stated salary range below represents an estimated base pay only and reflects consideration of multiple compensation factors. Final salary offers may differ depending on factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience or training background, specialized skills, and business needs. Most full-time positions also include highly competitive equity awards, which form part of Scout AI's overall compensation package. In addition, Scout AI provides comprehensive, top-tier benefits to full-time employees.
Top Skills
Scout AI (scoutco.ai) Sunnyvale, California, USA Office
Sunnyvale, California, United States, 94089
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