PDS Defense
Embedded Software Engineer
San Diego, Texas, US
Role snapshot
PDS Defense is hiring a Embedded Software Engineer on a full-time basis. This is a role based in San Diego, Texas, US.
- Company
- PDS Defense
- Location
- San Diego, Texas, US
- Job type
- Full-time
- Experience
- 5+ years
- Posted
- Nov 5, 2026
Who this role suits
Practitioners with a few years behind them who can work independently, make trade-offs and help newer teammates.
How to prepare your application
- Prepare examples of decisions you drove, how you measured the result, and how you worked with other teams.
- Be ready to discuss trade-offs and scope, not only the tools you have used.
- Read what PDS Defense publishes about its product or team, so you can say clearly why this role and this company.
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About the role
Principal Engineer Embedded Cryptographic Software to support our Software and Digital Technologies department. As a member of the Software and Digital Technologies department, you’ll get to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come.
Responsibilities
In this role you will design, develop, integrate and test software for our end-user customers and businesses, primarily focused on cryptographic software code bases. Specifically, you will be responsible for the design, architecture, development, and administration of embedded and real time systems. You will work with multi-disciplinary teams, such as with Systems Engineering, Digital Engineering, Hardware, and Integration & Test, in an Agile software development environment. You will analyze system capabilities to resolve problems on program intent, output requirements, input data acquisition, programming techniques and controls.
Principal Engineer Embedded Software Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering or another STEM discipline with 5 years of related experience, or Master's degree with 3 years or a PhD with 1 year of experience
- Current active US Government Secret Clearance
- Proficient in C/C++
- Familiarity with HAIPE, OTNK, and/or IKE
- Experience implementing cryptographic mechanisms using dedicated software libraries
- Experience with Yocto/Petalinux or WindRiver Linux
- Experience with Xilinx platforms (Zynq, Ultrascale+ and VERSAL)
- Experience with TCP/IP and common network configurations
- Proficient in all areas of the formal software lifecycle process from requirements to testing
- Experience integrating low-level firmware and software in complex real-time multi-threaded embedded applications
- Experience with developing and debugging embedded real-time systems.
- Experience using Jira/Bitbucket/Git and the Agile software development process
Preferred Qualifications:
- Foundational Knowledge with Rust
- Experience with low level driver development
- Familiarity with Linux kernel driver development/modifications
- Proficiency working with Linux containers (Docker, Kubernetes or similar container orchestration platforms)
- Experience with TCP/IP and common network configurations
- Experience with RESTful Services
- Experience with Software Defined Radios
- Experience with the Avionics Operating System
- Experience with Communication Protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, PCIe, Ethernet)
- Familiarity with Xilinx tools (Vitis, Vivado)
- Familiarity with latest NSA Security Standards
- Familiarity with assembly language
- Familiarity with bare metal embedded device drivers
- Familiarity with PowerPC architectures and peripherals
- Familiarity with IBM tools (Rhapsody, DOORS, Clearcase)
- Familiarity with Green Hills AdaMulti
- Current active US Government Top Secret Clearance
- Current active SAP clearance