Level

Scout AI

Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Scout AI is hiring a Senior Embedded Software Engineer in Sunnyvale, United States. It pays $210k-$340k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Scout AI.

Level's read on this job

  • Little AI ●○○○ is how Level rates this software engineer role: aI is not part of the work.
  • The listed pay starts 25% above the typical software engineer posting on Level.
  • Level classifies it as a senior role.
  • Level lists 24 other open roles at Scout AI.

AI in this role

The future of defense will be decided by those who field intelligent machines at scale. At Scout AI, we’re developing Fury, the first robotic foundation model for defense, to give U.S. forces overwhelming, adaptable, and autonomous power across every domain. Fury enables human operators to command fleets of robots through natural language, and empowers those machines to sense, decide, and act together as one. This mission will ask everything of us: urgency, precision, and relentless work.

The Role
We’re looking for a Senior Embedded Software Engineer who is excited about working close to the hardware layer, especially bringing up and validating sensors on new platforms. This role focuses on developing low-level firmware and drivers that enable sensors to function reliably in embedded and robotics systems.

You’ll work with experienced engineers across hardware, robotics, and AI to ensure sensor data is accurate, stable, and production-ready. We’re a startup. You’ll be moving fast, context-switching daily, and helping define the culture and process as we go. This is a rare opportunity to come in early and architect the future of defense.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and debug sensor drivers for embedded platforms

  • Bring up new sensors (IMU, camera interfaces, LiDAR modules, environmental sensors)

  • Work with hardware engineers during board bring-up and validation

  • Implement and test communication protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN)

  • Write firmware for microcontrollers and embedded processors

  • Build tools and tests to validate sensor data quality and reliability

  • Troubleshoot hardware-software integration issues

  • Contribute to firmware architecture and documentation

Qualifications

  • Strong fundamentals in C or C++ for embedded systems

  • Strong experience in embedded linux

  • Understanding of microcontrollers and embedded development workflows

  • Familiarity with basic electronics concepts (signals, timing, debugging)

  • Experience working with hardware interfaces like SPI, I2C, or UART

  • Ability to read datasheets and implement drivers from documentation

  • Strong debugging mindset and attention to detail

  • Interest in robotics, embedded systems, or hardware-adjacent software

  • Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities

  • Passion about defense of the United States and its allies

  • May be expected to obtain and hold a U.S. Top Secret security clearance

Why Join Scout

  • Work on the world’s most important frontier, ensuring U.S. and allied dominance in the age of intelligent machines

  • Be a core part of a team building the first defense-specific robotic foundation model

  • Collaborate with some of the top engineers in autonomy, AI, and national security

  • See your work deployed on real systems

  • Help define the future of intelligent defense systems

  • Backed by Draper Associates, Booz Allen Ventures, and other top investors

Benefits

  • Competitive Cash Compensation

  • Meaningful equity

  • Premium medical, dental, and vision plans with $0 paycheck contribution

  • Competitive PTO and company holiday calendar

  • Catered lunch daily and fully stocked kitchen

  • EV charging

  • Relocation assistance (depending on role eligibility)

How we rate this

Senior Embedded Software Engineer at Scout AI rates 9 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Little AI. AI is not part of the work.

  1. ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
  2. ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
  3. ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
  4. ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

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Pay

This job starts at
$210k
Typical software engineer job
$168k

This posting starts 25% above the typical software engineer job. See software engineer jobs

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