Software Engineer (iOS)

The Job:

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled iOS Engineer to partner with our Lead iOS Engineer in building and maintaining the primary mobile application for operating and monitoring Seneca's autonomous drone systems. This is a mission-critical role where your work directly translates our backend robotics, perception, and controls technology into a reliable, intuitive, and performance-driven user experience for frontline fire professionals.

You will be responsible for implementing core features, ensuring application stability in resource-constrained environments, and working closely with our embedded, perception, and controls teams to translate complex systems-level data into actionable information for our users. 

What You’ll Do:

• Feature Development & Partnership: Implement core application features across the full development lifecycle, working closely with the Lead iOS Engineer to drive technical architecture and product roadmap.

• Mission-Critical UI/UX: Design and build intuitive and reliable user interfaces for commanding drone missions (e.g., flight path planning), monitoring real-time telemetry (e.g., drone status, battery life, control parameters), and viewing live perception data.

• Data Translation & Visualization: Develop robust code to ingest, process, and visually represent complex data streams from the autonomous stack (e.g., sensor fusion outputs, path planning maps, real-time fire detection, and control system diagnostics).

• Connectivity & Reliability: Implement resilient networking and data synchronization protocols to maintain reliable communication with ground control stations and cloud services, often under limited or intermittent bandwidth conditions (a key factor in remote fire environments).

• System Integration: Collaborate cross-functionally with Perception Engineers and Controls Engineers to define and implement necessary API endpoints and data models for effective mobile-robot communication.

• Testing & Deployment: Write unit and UI tests, manage CI/CD pipelines, and ensure application quality, performance, and stability across various iOS devices for field deployment.

What You Bring:

• 5+ years of professional experience in native iOS application development.

• Expert proficiency in Swift and deep familiarity with the iOS SDK and core frameworks (e.g., UIKit, Combine/RxSwift, Core Data/Realm). SwiftUI experience is a plus.

• Demonstrated experience with robust networking, including asynchronous programming and handling data from low-bandwidth, high-latency environments.

• Solid understanding of object-oriented design principles, software architecture patterns (e.g., MVC, MVVM, VIPER), and practical software engineering practices.

• Experience with Git and standard development workflows (code reviews, branching strategies).

• Excellent problem-solving skills and a high level of ownership in a fast-paced, ambiguous (startup) environment.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to articulate technical decisions to both software and non-software engineers (e.g., robotics specialists).

Bonus Points for:

• Experience with real-time data streaming protocols (e.g., WebSockets, MQTT, GRPC).

• Familiarity with geospatial libraries and mapping frameworks (e.g., MapKit, ArcGIS) for displaying drone paths and detected hazards.

• Prior experience in robotics, autonomous systems, defense, or other safety-critical systems where reliability is paramount.

• Exposure to low-level communication protocols or working directly with embedded systems engineers.

What We Offer:

• Competitive Salary – Reflective of your skills and experience

• Equity Compensation – Be a part-owner in the company's future

• Comprehensive Health Coverage – Including medical, dental, and vision plans

• Health Savings Account (HSA) – Optional pre-tax savings for medical expenses

• Unlimited PTO – Flexible time off to recharge, plus paid company holidays

About Us
Seneca is eliminating the $1 trillion threat of wildfire across 500 million acres with AI-powered autonomous drone systems. Imagine a world where firefighters can respond to a blaze in under 6 minutes using autonomous suppression technology. That's the world Seneca is building. We’re combining the deep expertise of seasoned fire professionals with the innovation of billion-dollar technology builders to create advanced systems that save lives, property, and natural resources.

This is more than a job—it's a mission to transform safety across 500 million acres. Whatever your background, if you’re a builder, an innovator, or a problem-solver, you belong here.

Don’t meet every single requirement? If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification, we encourage you to apply — you may still be the right fit for our team.