At WingXpand® Locations: Chicago (Schaumburg), IL

‍Type Full-time | Open 1/26/26 | Close 2/9/26

About WingXpand WingXpand is Expanding What’s Possible™ with Autonomous Systems, building long-endurance, backpackable smart plane drones and robotics systems that support defense, public safety, disaster response, and commercial missions. Our platforms operate across air, ground, and maritime domains, integrating autonomy, AI-powered sensing, edge computing, and networked systems to deliver real-world intelligence and threat detection. We design, build, and deploy complete systems — hardware, software, and data — and we move fast. As WingXpand scales, we are seeking high performers to grow with our team.

Position Description As a Software Developer / Engineer, you'll be at the forefront of developing, integrating, and deploying advanced software for our autonomous drone systems. Your work will range from integrating third-party sensors to designing cutting-edge vehicle detection and collaborative autonomy algorithms. This is a hands-on role that involves working directly with hardware and performing real-world testing. You'll have the opportunity to see your ideas take flight, driving rapid and iterative development from concept to production. In our startup environment, your contributions will make a substantial impact, shaping the future of our technology and accelerating your growth. Join us in creating something truly groundbreaking, where every line of code and every algorithm brings us closer to our vision. We’re a rapidly growing, Techstars backed, startup that is creating the future of robotics. We want you to play a key role in our journey!

Key Responsibilities

• Integrate third-party sensors and systems into our autonomous robotics platforms
• Develop and enhance APIs for commanding and controlling autonomous drone systems
• Design and implement front-end and back-end software for WingXpand's Ground Control Software
• Support lab and field testing to validate system reliability and performance across diverse conditions

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Robotics, or a related field
• 7+ years of professional software engineering experience with C++ in a Linux development environment, PX4, and ROS.
• Experience testing, evaluating, and troubleshooting robotic systems.
• Ability to quickly understand and navigate complex systems and established codebases.
• Proven experience designing and implementing modular, scalable software solutions.

Additional Qualifications

• Master’s in a relevant field
• Experience developing software or hardware for flight systems and safety-critical functionality.
• Background in programming for embedded computing systems such as Nvidia Jetson
• Experience with distributed communication networks and messaging standards.
• Experience using containerization technologies like Docker
• Prior experience flying or working on drone systems.

What Else You Need To Know To conform to U.S. Government aerospace technology export regulations, applicant must be a 'U.S. Person' (U.S. Citizen or a Permanent Resident/Green Card Holder).

If you are a self-motivated, results-driven individual with a passion for innovation and technology, we want to hear from you!

Apply with your resume and optional cover letter (CV), including the types of engineering or technical roles you have hired.