Senior / Staff Robotics Security Software Engineer
Saronic is hiring a Senior / Staff Robotics Security Software Engineer in Austin, United States. Level rates it ; you can apply on Level.
AI in this role
Saronic Technologies is a leader in revolutionizing autonomy at sea, dedicated to developing state-of-the-art solutions that enhance maritime operations through autonomous and intelligent platforms.
Job Overview:We are seeking a Security Software Engineer to design, implement, and harden the security controls across Saronic's autonomous surface vessel fleet. This role spans three layers: edge compute on the vessels themselves, the networks that enable vessels to communicate with each other and with the cloud, and the cloud orchestration layer that manages the fleet at scale. You will work hands-on in a Rust-first ecosystem, on NixOS-based embedded Linux platforms, building security features that ship into production and operate reliably in real-world maritime environments.
Responsibilities:Edge: Design and implement secure boot, hardware roots of trust, trusted execution environments, rollback protection, and secure update and over-the-air delivery pipelines for vessel compute
Middleware and Mesh: Implement per-vessel identity and mutual authentication for vessel-to-vessel and vessel-to-cloud links, implement certificates, key rotation, and revocation workflows, and protect message integrity against replay and spoofing across intermittent, bandwidth-constrained, and contested links (satellite, cellular, and mesh radio)
Cloud Orchestration: Build and maintain cryptographic services bridging vessel and cloud infrastructure, and harden identity and access controls, secrets and key management, and containerized workloads
Platform and Lifecycle: Secure NixOS configurations using Nix's declarative and reproducible model, drive vulnerability management across third-party crates and dependencies, and embed security into CI/CD pipelines from build through deployment
Collaboration: Partner with autonomy, platform security, manufacturing, and field teams to embed security requirements from the ground up, and collaborate with the enterprise and application security teams on threat modeling, risk assessment, and incident response to ensure implemented controls align with overarching policy and standards
Contribute to architecture and interface design documents and participate in code and design reviews to maintain high security and coding standards
Build reusable security tools, libraries, and instrumentation across the codebase to solve hard security problems using automation and AI-assisted approaches
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
3+ years of experience in security software engineering, preferably in autonomy, robotics, or embedded systems.
Staff Engineers: 8+ years of experience in security software engineering, including architecture, cross-functional leadership, or platform ownership in autonomy, robotics, or embedded systems.
Proficiency in programming languages such as C/C++ or Rust and hands-on experience securing embedded Linux systems
Solid understanding of cryptographic primitives and protocols (keys, certificates, signatures, TLS, and mutual TLS) and experience integrating them into real systems
Experience with hardware security modules, secure boot, and system-level software spanning kernel and bootloader
Familiarity with networking protocols and IPC/message-passing frameworks
Knowledge of DoD standards and regulations related to security software development is advantageous
Prior work on autonomous systems is a plus
Experience with real-time systems is a plus
Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work in a fast-paced startup environment
Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams
Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance plans covering a range of services
Saronic pays 100% of the premium for employees and 80% for dependents
Dental and Vision Insurance: Coverage for routine dental check-ups, orthodontics, and vision care
Saronic pays 99% of the premium for employees and 80% for dependents
Time Off: Generous PTO and holidays
Parental Leave: Paid maternity and paternity leave to support new parents
Competitive Salary: Industry-standard salaries with opportunities for performance-based bonuses
Retirement Plan: 401(k) plan
Stock Options: Equity options to give employees a stake in the company’s success
Life and Disability Insurance: Basic life insurance and short- and long-term disability coverage
Additional Perks: Free lunch benefit and unlimited free drinks and snacks in the office
If this role is based in the United States, it requires access to export-controlled information or items that require “U.S. Person” status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a “U.S. Person”: (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).
Saronic does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.
How we rate this
Senior / Staff Robotics Security Software Engineer at Saronic rates 36 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.
Little AI. AI is not part of the work.
- ●●●● 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. Open the description and count.
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