Software Group Lead

Job Description: Software Group Lead – Interceptor Systems

Skapion is a stealth defense tech company, founded by an experienced and successful leadership team. We are funded by top tier backers from US, Israel and Europe and are recruiting with full steam. The first challenge we're focusing on, is one of the world's most urging defense concerns.

As the Software Group Lead, you will be the primary architect and execution lead for a cutting-edge missile interceptor system. This is a high-stakes executive role requires a rare blend of low-latency embedded engineering and high-level Command & Control (C2) orchestration. You will be responsible for building a multi-disciplinary software team from the ground up, defining the software lifecycle, and ensuring the seamless integration of missile subassemblies with ground-based mission control.

We are looking for a "builder" mentality — capable of switching between high-level architectural strategy and driving end-to-end delivery from concept to field deployment. The SW Group Lead will report directly to the CTO, and act as a member of the company’s leadership.

Core Responsibilities

Team Leadership: Recruit, mentor, and manage a high-performance team of embedded, full-stack, and GNC (Guidance, Navigation, and Control) engineers.

System Architecture: Design the end-to-end software stack, from real-time operating systems (RTOS) on the interceptor to the distributed microservices of the ground station.

Execution & Integration: Overlook the development of flight software, sensor fusion algorithms, and secure communication protocols between the interceptor and C2.

AI-Driven SDLC: Implement and champion the use of modern AI coding tools (GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Claude Code, etc.) across the entire software lifecycle to accelerate development cycles without compromising safety-critical standards.

Strategic Oversight: Align software milestones with hardware integration, testing phases (HIL/SIL), and field trials.

Key Interfaces: Works closely with the Hardware Engineering leads (mechanical, electrical, GNC), Program Management, and System Engineering teams internally; externally interfaces with defense customers, government program offices, and key technology vendors.

Technical Expertise & Requirements

1. Embedded & Flight Systems

·        Expertise in C/C++ for hard real-time environments.

·        Deep experience with RTOS

·        Understanding of sub components algorithms and implementation in embedded HW.

·        Hands-on experience with communication bus protocols: CAN bus, MIL-STD-1553, SPI, and Ethernet.

2. Ground Station & C2 (Command and Control)

·        Architecture of distributed systems for mission monitoring and threat evaluation.

·        Implementation of low-latency data visualization and geospatial situational awareness.

·        Expertise in secure, jam-resistant RF data links and network protocols.

·        Experience deploying distributed systems on containerized environments (Kubernetes, Docker) for scalable mission-critical workloads.

3. Modern AI & Software Tooling

·        AI Mastery: Proven track record of adopting AI agentic tools to modernize legacy systems, document complex architectures and creating a rapid delivery environment.

·        DevOps for Defense: Implementation of CI/CD pipelines tailored for embedded systems, including automated Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing.

4. System-Level Integration

·        Experience with Sensor Fusion (Radar, EO/IR, IMU) and target tracking.

·        Knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks for defense-grade software (MISRA, C/C++ e.g).

Qualifications

• Experience: 8+ years in software engineering, with at least 3 years in a leadership role within the aerospace, defense, or robotics sectors.
• Project History: Direct experience in the development of UAVs, missiles, or autonomous kinetic systems.
• Education: B.Sc./M.Sc. in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, or Electrical Engineering.