Embedded Software Engineer

About Powerus

Powerus is building a next-generation American autonomous systems platform designed to move, protect, and sustain critical assets in high-consequence environments. The company combines advanced autonomy, manufacturing capability, operational expertise, and strategic acquisitions to support defense, national security, critical infrastructure, and commercial operations globally.

Mission

Our mission is to deliver resilient autonomous technologies that strengthen national security, improve operational safety, and expand the capabilities of organizations operating in complex environments.

Why Join Powerus

Every Powerus aircraft carries a set of microcontroller-based boards: flight controller, electronic speed controllers, battery management, power distribution, and payload interfaces. Each board runs software that must start reliably, report its state, and keep working through vibration, temperature extremes, and electrical noise.

This role writes and maintains that software across the board set, from bring-up of new hardware revisions through production release, working directly with the hardware engineers who design the boards and the manufacturing team that builds them.

Position Overview

Powerus is seeking an Embedded Software Engineer to develop software for the microcontroller-based electronics in Powerus autonomous aircraft.

Key Responsibilities

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• Develop embedded C and C++ software for flight, propulsion, power, and payload boards
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• Bring up new board revisions, including drivers for sensors, communication buses, and peripherals
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• Implement CAN, UART, SPI, and I2C communication between boards
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• Implement bootloaders and field firmware update
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• Develop fault detection, logging, and health reporting
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• Write unit tests and support hardware-in-the-loop testing
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• Support production test and failure analysis of returned units
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Qualifications

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• Must be located in the United States, within commuting distance of Rock Hill, SC
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• Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience
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• Professional experience developing embedded software in C or C++
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• Experience with ARM Cortex-M or comparable microcontrollers
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• Experience with an RTOS such as FreeRTOS or Zephyr, or with bare-metal development
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• Ability to read schematics and use oscilloscopes and logic analyzers
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• Experience with version control and code review
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• U.S. Person status required (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)); this role involves access to ITAR- and EAR-controlled technical data
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Preferred Qualifications

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• Experience with PX4, ArduPilot, or other flight control software
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• Experience with motor control or battery management firmware
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• Experience with DroneCAN or CANopen
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• Experience with embedded software for aerospace, defense, or automotive products
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• Active or prior U.S. security clearance
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What We Look For

Candidates should have brought up software on new hardware and be able to describe a hardware-software defect they isolated with lab instruments.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Powerus is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and mission-driven workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.