Principal Engineer, Software & Integration Quality

Apply Description Due to the nature of our work in defense, Darkhive does not provide visa sponsorship for this role. Candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which usually requires US citizenship. About Darkhive: Established in 2021, Darkhive is redefining the future of autonomous systems. We design and build next-generation hardware and software solutions that seamlessly integrate into critical public safety and defense networks. Our core focus centers on developing tactical, human-machine interfaces and scaling the mass production of affordable, attritable uncrewed systems alongside our government partners. At Darkhive, we are a high-growth team of U.S. Special Operations veterans, aerospace engineers, robotics perception experts, and DevSecOps professionals. Above all, we are a mission-first culture. We believe that global teams operating on the front lines deserve high-quality, intelligent tools that ensure safety when each second counts. If you are a free-thinking problem solver looking to build cutting-edge robotics in a fast-paced, highly collaborative startup environment, apply with Darkhive today! The Principal Engineer, Software & Integration Quality Role: This is a remote position with occasional travel (1-2 weeks/quarter) required to HQ in San Antonio, TX and potentially customer, field, and/or partner sites. Darkhive is seeking a highly technical and hands-on Principal Engineer, Software & Integration Quality to build and scale software quality, systems integration quality, and operational reliability capabilities across Darkhive’s autonomous systems ecosystem. This role will report to the VP of Quality and operate as a deeply embedded technical leader and advisor across software engineering, autonomy, fleet operations, systems integration, and customer deployment environments. This role is focused on end-to-end quality for integrated systems consisting of autonomy software, embedded systems, cloud infrastructure, edge communications, networking, fleet management software, and mission-critical robotics platforms. The ideal candidate combines strong full-stack software engineering capability with advanced systems thinking, software quality engineering, integration testing, and operational troubleshooting expertise. Responsibilities: Build and scale software quality engineering and systems integration quality capabilities Lead integration quality initiatives across cloud services, embedded systems, networking, telemetry, firmware, APIs, and mission systems Develop scalable software validation, regression testing, and operational readiness strategies Drive root cause investigations and cross-functional troubleshooting for field and deployment issues Develop automated test frameworks, CI/CD quality gates, telemetry validation mechanisms, and software release quality processes Establish software quality KPIs, reliability metrics, and operational dashboards Partner with software, autonomy, infrastructure, and hardware engineering teams throughout the development lifecycle Support incident response and operational troubleshooting for customer-critical deployments Support cybersecurity, DevSecOps, and secure software deployment practices Mentor and grow software quality and systems integration engineering capabilities Qualifications You Bring: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Systems Engineering, or related technical field 10+ years of experience in software engineering, systems integration, software quality engineering, or related disciplines Strong full-stack engineering background with distributed systems, APIs, backend services, and infrastructure Experience troubleshooting complex integration and operational issues across software, hardware, networking, and cloud systems Experience with automated testing frameworks, CI/CD pipelines, source control systems, and observability tooling Strong understanding of software quality methodologies, defect lifecycle management, and operational reliability engineering Strong communication and cross-functional leadership skills Legally authorized to work in the U.S. Preferred Qualifications; Experience with Linux systems, embedded systems, cloud infrastructure, or real-time systems Experience in startups scaling high-reliability, customer facing, software environments Experience supporting customer deployments and operational sustainment activities Familiarity with TAK/ATAK ecosystems, tactical networking, or defense communications systems Experience with robotics, autonomy systems, UAV/UAS platforms, or distributed edge systems U.S. Military Veteran/Reservist experience is a plus Physical and/or Mental Requirements: Ability to sit and/or stand for periods of time Ability to use a keyboard, mouse, and other equipment with or without accommodations Ability to maintain awareness during business hours Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds Ability to travel periodically to supplier and manufacturing locations Excellent written and verbal communication and strong command of the English language Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced and ambiguous environments Reasonable accommodations will be provided to any person with a disability to be able to perform the essential job functions of this position Darkhive retains the right to change or assign other duties as required for this position Benefits Darkhive Offers: Welcoming and collaborative work environment Mission-driven team and product Opportunity to build and shape a growing organization Respect for work-life balance Exposure to cutting-edge robotics and defense technology Darkhive is an equal-opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment against any employee or applicant because of race, color, gender (including pregnancy), age, gender identity, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.