Senior Software Engineer (Cleared) - Air Combat
Applied Intuition is hiring a Senior Software Engineer (Cleared) - Air Combat . It pays $140k-$180k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Applied Intuition.
Level's read on this job
- On Level's scale, this software engineer role is Works on AI ●●●○: the daily work is on AI products, without building the model.
- Tools and skills the posting cites include CI/CD, AI agents and simulation.
- Level classifies it as a senior role.
- Level lists 327 other open roles at Applied Intuition.
AI in this role
Design and develop live, virtual, and constructive simulation solutions for testing tactical AI multi-agent autonomy software.
Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co.
We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that full-time employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments. This in-office expectation does not apply to contractor positions
About the role
As a Senior Software Engineer on the Air Combat Autonomy team, you will participate in the design, development, and improvement of integrated live, virtual, and constructive simulation solutions for experimentation, testing, and training of multi-agent autonomy software. You will design and document LVC architectures, create simulation scenarios, write interface code, conduct code reviews, and solve integration roadblocks. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, you will translate requirements into technical solutions while mentoring junior engineers. The role also involves continuous innovation, testing, debugging, documentation, and contributing to CI/CD pipelines and security compliance.
The ideal candidate would consider relocation to Fort Walton Beach, FL for the first 12 months.
At Applied Intuition, you will:
Support the experimentation, testing, and training of Tactical AI agents through the development of live, virtual, and constructive simulation solutions, balancing fidelity, scale, time, and cost
Research and learn new modeling, simulation, and communication tools, including internal and customer-owned prototype software under active development
Work with 3rd party vendors to incorporate proprietary models while respecting intellectual property boundaries
Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership, fostering a culture of learning and using good coding practices, design patterns, and industry standards
Software Development: Write, modify, test, and debug efficient code (C++ 2017+, Python 3.10+, and other languages as needed) for adapters, translators, and more complex interfaces
System Architecture: Design robust LVC integrations that meets performance, scalability, and security requirements
We're looking for someone who has:
Master’s degree or equivalent experience in modeling & simulation, computer science, or software engineering
Experience using simulation interoperability standards such as DIS, HLA, and DSEEP, as well as custom methods and technologies, to build LVC federations
Knowledge of communication protocols and serialization mechanisms such as DDS, ZeroMQ, Kafka, Redis, and protobuf
Experience configuring, integrating, extending, and using defense M&S tools such as AFSIM, NGTS, and flight simulators
3+ years of hands-on experience developing performant modern C++ (2017+)
Experience developing in Docker and containerized development environments, working in Linux-based operating systems (e.g., RHEL, Ubuntu), and using development tools such as git, Visual Studio Code, GitLab, SonarQube, and Artifactory or Azure Container registry
Travel Requirements:
Willing to travel for company business between our offices, as well as to customer sites (~25%)
Security Requirements:
Must be a U.S. Citizen
Must hold or be eligible for a U.S. Secret security clearance
For more information about U.S. security clearances: click here.
Nice to have:
PhD degree in related engineering field
7+ years of experience developing software in multiple programming languages
Experience with flight test readiness and airworthiness processes
Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.
Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.
Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.
FOR US-BASED ROLES: Applied Intuition is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive application and interview experience to applicants who are disabled veterans and other applicants with disabilities or medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations are available, requesting an accommodation will not affect your candidacy in any way, and you are not required to disclose the nature of your disability or medical condition in order to make a request. If you require an accommodation please contact careers@applied.co. We will work with you!
How we rate this
Senior Software Engineer (Cleared) - Air Combat at Applied Intuition rates 65 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Works on AI (AI Level 3 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Works on AI. The daily work is on AI products, without building the model.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ 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.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Also common in software engineer jobs at this level
Pay
- This job starts at
- $140k
- Typical software engineer job
- $168k
This posting starts 17% below the typical software engineer job. See software engineer jobs
Questions you could be asked
- How do you decide when an AI agent can act on its own versus asking for approval first?
- Tell me about a project where simulation was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where multi agent systems was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where autonomy was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where systems integration was part of your work. What did you do?
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: AI agents, Simulation, Multi Agent Systems, Autonomy, and Systems Integration. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
- Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
- Show where AI is part of your daily process, not a one-off project. This role expects it to be a running habit.
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