About the role
- Field operators control drones in environments with poor connectivity, harsh conditions, and zero tolerance for app crashes. As a Senior Mobile Software Engineer, you will build the iOS and Android applications that provide mission-critical situational awareness—real-time telemetry, maps, and controls that work reliably in the field.
- You will build offline-capable, high-performance mobile experiences that integrate with hardware and handle live data streams. We use AI-assisted development tools (GitHub Copilot) to accelerate delivery, and expect engineers who can leverage these while building apps that meet the reliability standards our operators depend on.
What you'll do
- Lead the architecture and development of primary mobile applications for iOS (iPad focus) and Android, ensuring maximum performance and reliability in the field.
- Develop complex real-time visualization features, including maps, live video streaming, and dynamic telemetry overlays.
- Drive the selection and implementation of mobile-first technologies, balancing the speed of cross-platform frameworks with the performance and hardware access of native development.
- Optimize mobile applications for battery efficiency, memory usage, and low-latency data processing—critical for long-duration field operations.
- Implement robust offline-first synchronization patterns to ensure mission continuity in areas with intermittent connectivity.
- Collaborate with backend and hardware teams to define efficient API contracts and low-level communication protocols.
- Work closely with UI/UX designers to implement interfaces adapted for varying field conditions.
- Mentor junior developers and establish mobile best practices for CI/CD, automated testing, and crash reporting.
- Ensure compliance with high-security standards and data privacy regulations across all mobile touchpoints.
Qualifications
Core Technical Skills
- Mobile Expertise: 5+ years of experience building and shipping high-quality mobile applications for both iOS and Android.
- Native & Cross-Platform: Expert proficiency in cross-platform frameworks, with a strong ability to write native modules in Swift (iOS) and Kotlin (Android).
- Real-time Data: Experience with real-time data streaming and complex state management for high-frequency updates.
- Hardware Integration: Previous experience interfacing mobile apps with external hardware via Bluetooth or proprietary controllers.
- Mapping & GIS: Hands-on experience with mobile mapping SDKs.
- Performance Tuning: Proficient in using profiling tools to debug memory leaks and CPU bottlenecks.
Ideal Background & Attributes
- Mission-Critical Experience: Background in autonomous vehicles, robotics, or public safety software.
- Field-First Mindset: Understanding of the unique challenges of mobile apps used in real-world environments.
- Security Conscious: Experience with encrypted local storage, biometric auth, and secure communication protocols.
- Portfolio: A history of shipping complex, data-heavy apps currently available on app stores.
- Prototyping to Production: Ability to quickly iterate on novel UI concepts while maintaining a path to stable, production-grade code.
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Security Responsibility Statement:
_Employees are expected to provide a high level of security to any personal or private information accessed as part of their work, whether at a DroneUp facility or remotely. This includes participating in security training, remaining sensitive to individual rights to personal privacy, and complying with company policies. Employees who have access to sensitive data that is protected by regulation, such as HIPAA, or by contract, such as credit card data, must comply with any additional requirements dictated by the governing regulations or associated contracts.
