Senior Software Engineer, Data Integration and Applications

Job Description

Job Description

About Us

With more than 2 million nautical miles sailed and 50,000 days at sea, Saildrone has earned the trust of governments worldwide. Our unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) deliver continuous, real-time intelligence in the toughest oceans on Earth—giving our partners faster awareness, stronger security, and a decisive edge at sea.

Our USVs are long-range, extreme-endurance platforms powered by advanced sensors and proprietary AI - they have been designed to operate where no crewed vessel can. They collect critical insights above and below the surface to support border security, law enforcement, naval operations, and undersea infrastructure protection.

Headquartered in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington, DC, and global deployment hubs, Saildrone operates missions worldwide. Join a fast-moving, mission-driven team at the intersection of AI, autonomy, and defense technology—where data turns into intelligence, and intelligence drives action.

The Role

You will support the design, build, and maintenance of the software systems that support Saildrone’s bathymetry data collection and mapping workflows. This includes ingesting sonar data streams, transforming and storing large datasets, managing cloud-based data pipelines, and developing web applications that deliver high-quality geospatial products to internal and external users. The role spans the full stack — from connecting to sonar software data feeds, to processing point clouds and time series data, to creating APIs and interactive map displays. You will work closely with engineers and operators to ensure data is collected, processed, and visualized reliably and at scale. We’re looking for a flexible engineer with strong software fundamentals who can thrive in diverse technical domains, who is comfortable switching between backend services and frontend interfaces, and who can take ownership of complex workflows. A key aspect of this role is building redundancy across critical systems, ensuring that knowledge and capabilities are shared across the team.

This role is required to be onsite in Alameda, CA in the Bay Area 3 days per week - this is our hybrid model. This is not a remote position.

Required Skills and Experience

• 5–8 years of professional software development experience
• BA / BS in related field or equivalent experience
• Strong proficiency in Python for data processing, scripting, and APIs
• Proficiency in JavaScript / TypeScript and ReactJS for frontend development
• Experience working with Linux environments (bash scripting, system services)
• Familiarity with sensor data integration via WebSockets, MQTT, or UDP packet streams
• Proficiency with AWS and other cloud services (S3, DataSync, CLI-based workflows)
• Experience with REST API development and integration
• Experience working with geospatial data formats and libraries (e.g., GDAL, GeoTIFF, XYZ point clouds)
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to own projects end-to-end
• Experience working with agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban)

Desired Skills and Experience

Location : This position is hybrid in Alameda, CA (Onsite 3 days per week required). Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay in always sunny Alameda.

All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. Please note that the Company does not sponsor employees for work visas or permanent resident cards to work in the U.S. If you need sponsorship for a work visa or green card, you will not be qualified for employment with Saildrone.

Benefits :

The salary range for this role is $176,400-$226,800 annually.

Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, and relevant experience, among other factors.

Saildrone is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

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