Software Engineer, Real-Time & Safety-Critical Systems

Global Placement Firm is conducting a confidential search for a Software Engineer to join a highly specialized deep-tech company rebuilding air traffic control infrastructure from the ground up.

This is a high-impact, hands-on engineering opportunity for a software engineer who wants to work on real-time, safety-critical systems where their work directly impacts the reliability and safety of aviation infrastructure.

The ideal candidate is a strong generalist and builder with production experience in C++, Python, or similar systems-level languages and a background in real-time, embedded, firmware, aerospace, automotive, robotics, medical devices, or other safety-critical environments.

Position Overview

As a Software Engineer, you will become one of the core engineering contributors on a small team developing a modern remote air traffic control system.

You will work across real-time perception, state estimation, automation, streaming data pipelines, computer vision, speech recognition, and controller-facing applications.

This is a greenfield engineering environment where you will have significant ownership and the opportunity to build core systems from the ground up rather than working within a narrowly defined technical lane.

The team is developing technology designed to modernize air traffic control for the many airports that currently operate without traditional control towers.

Key Responsibilities

• Build core software for remote air traffic control tower systems.
• Develop real-time perception, state estimation, and automation systems processing sensor data.
• Work with video, audio, radar, and other sensor streams in production environments.
• Design and optimize streaming data pipelines for ADS-B, voice, and video.
• Make engineering tradeoffs involving latency, reliability, performance, and safety.
• Develop controller-facing human-machine interfaces (HMI) for remotely monitoring and managing airport traffic.
• Build pilot companion applications and tower-side software.
• Develop low-latency systems involving speech-to-text and computer vision.
• Work across software, hardware, RF, and mechanical systems.
• Collaborate closely with a small engineering team to rapidly prototype, test, iterate, and deploy new systems.
• Take ownership of core systems and technical problems from initial concept through production.
• Debug complex issues across multiple layers of the technology stack.
• Help establish engineering standards and development practices as the technical organization grows.
• Contribute to the architecture and technical direction of a new generation of aviation infrastructure.

Required Qualifications

• 2+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Experience shipping production software using C++, Python, or comparable systems-level languages.
• Strong generalist engineering ability with the capacity to work across multiple areas of the technology stack.
• Experience with real-time systems, embedded software, firmware, or safety-critical software.
• Experience in one or more relevant industries such as:
  • Aerospace
  • Aviation
  • Automotive
  • Robotics
  • Medical devices
  • Defense
  • Embedded systems
  • Other safety-critical technology environments
• Understanding of real-time systems and engineering tradeoffs involving latency, reliability, and safety.
• Demonstrated ability to build and ship production systems rather than working exclusively in simulation or research environments.
• Strong problem-solving and debugging skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a highly collaborative, cross-disciplinary environment.
• Strong startup mentality and willingness to work on systems outside a narrowly defined job description.
• Must be based in or willing to relocate to New York City.
• Must be comfortable working on-site five days per week in Brooklyn.

Technical Environment

Ideal experience with hands-on experience includes the following:

• C++
• Python
• Real-time systems
• Embedded systems
• Firmware
• Sensor processing
• Streaming data pipelines
• Computer vision
• Speech recognition
• Machine learning
• Radar
• Video processing
• Audio processing
• ADS-B
• Low-latency systems
• Distributed systems
• Safety-critical software
• Hardware/software integration
• RF systems

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a hands-on software engineer and technical builder who wants to work on difficult problems with direct real-world consequences.

You should be comfortable operating in an environment where there are few layers between you and the product, and where engineers are expected to take ownership rather than wait for detailed requirements.

We're Looking For Someone Who:

• Has experience shipping production-level safety-critical or real-time systems.
• Is highly proficient in C++, Python, or comparable systems-level technologies.
• Has hands-on experience with aerospace, aviation, embedded systems, robotics, automotive, or similar environments.
• Enjoys working on technically difficult problems with real-world constraints.
• Understands the importance of reliability and safety when building mission-critical systems.
• Can work across software, hardware, and other engineering disciplines.
• Has a strong startup and builder mentality.
• Enjoys creating first and second versions of systems from scratch.
• Moves quickly while maintaining engineering discipline.
• Has demonstrated initiative outside of their formal job responsibilities.
• Has built side projects, open-source software, hardware projects, or other technical projects independently.
• Is comfortable working in a small team where every engineer has significant impact.
• Is willing to get hands-on and solve problems wherever they arise.
• Is energized by greenfield development and ambiguous technical challenges.

Production Experience Requirement

Production-level experience in real-time, safety-critical, embedded, or systems software preferred.

Simulation, academic research, game development, or non-production environments with directly applicable production systems experience that can be demonstrated desired.

Must showcase the following:

• The production systems they personally worked on.
• The programming languages used.
• Their specific ownership and responsibilities.
• Real-time or latency requirements.
• Safety or reliability requirements.
• Hardware/software integration experience.
• The environment in which the system was deployed.

Startup & Ownership Experience

This is a very small, early-stage engineering organization where individual contributors have substantial responsibility.

Demonstration of startup ownership and greenfield development experience desired.

Must be able to provide examples of:

• Building core systems from scratch.
• Taking products from prototype through production.
• Working with limited resources and minimal process.
• Making architecture and technical decisions independently.
• Debugging problems across hardware and software boundaries.
• Shipping products quickly in an evolving environment.
• Taking ownership of systems rather than contributing only to isolated components.

Long tenures exclusively within large, process-heavy organizations should be evaluated carefully for demonstrated ownership and ability to operate in a highly autonomous startup environment preferred.

Work Environment

This is an intensely hands-on, highly collaborative, early-stage engineering environment.

The engineering team works across software, hardware, RF, mechanical systems, perception, automation, and user-facing applications.

Because of the small team size, engineers will have significant influence over the product architecture and technical direction.

The company values engineers who are willing to get their hands dirty, move quickly, solve difficult problems, and take ownership of systems from initial concept through real-world deployment.

Compensation & Benefits

Base Salary: $140,000 – $250,000 annually
Equity: Competitive equity package
Employment Type: Full-Time
Open Positions: 1–2
Experience: 2+ years
Work Arrangement: Primarily On-Site

Location & Schedule

Location: Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York

Work Arrangement: On-Site

In-Office Requirement: 5 days per week

Candidates must be based in or willing to relocate to New York City.

The company may consider 1–2 hybrid days per week for exceptional candidates, but the standard expectation is five days on-site.

Visa Sponsorship

The company is open to visa transfers, including qualified candidates currently on OPT or H-1B who are eligible for transfer.

Why Join

This is an opportunity to work on one of the most significant modernization efforts in aviation infrastructure.

The company is rebuilding air traffic control technology from the ground up, combining real-time software, computer vision, automation, sensor processing, AI, and hardware systems to modernize how airports manage aircraft.

As an early engineering team member, you will have the opportunity to:

• Build greenfield real-time systems from the ground up.
• Work on safety-critical aviation infrastructure.
• Develop technology spanning perception, automation, AI, and streaming data.
• Work directly across software and hardware systems.
• Help shape the architecture of a new generation of air traffic control technology.
• Work closely with experienced founders and technical leadership.
• Have significant ownership over core systems.
• Build products with direct real-world safety and infrastructure impact.
• Work at the intersection of aerospace, AI, robotics, software, hardware, and transportation.

Confidential Search

This position is being presented by Global Placement Firm on behalf of a confidential client. Additional client and company information will be shared with qualified candidates during the recruitment process.