Vice President, Software

Job description

Swarm Aero is redefining air power, building the largest swarming UAV and the most versatile swarming aircraft network in the world. The company is moving quickly to launch the first aircraft designed specifically for swarming, as well as the Command & Control software to mobilize swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets and empower human operators to achieve superhuman results. The team has created and exited multiple startups, negotiated defense deals worth billions of dollars, and designed and built 30+ novel aircraft, with aerospace experience from Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic. THE ROLE We are hiring a VP of Software to own Legion, the world’s leading swarm command & control software, end to end. This is one of the most consequential leadership roles at Swarm Aero. You will report directly to the CEO and lead a team spanning autonomy, mission software, full-stack engineering, forward deployed engineering, product management, and design. You will set technical roadmap and product strategy, make hard architectural calls, and stay close enough to the work to know when something is wrong before it becomes a problem. You will also scale the team, define how Legion operates, and build the culture that ships the software that wins. You will work with the CEO, the mission & aircraft leadership, customers, and investors to define the future of drone swarms and operate the most impactful drone swarms ever built. WHAT YOU WILL DO • Own Legion's roadmap, architecture, and delivery across autonomy, mission software, C2, full-stack engineering, product, design, and forward deployed software • Lead and grow a team of engineers, PMs, and designers; define org structure, hiring priorities, and team operating cadence • Partner directly with the CEO, Aircraft and Mission teams, Customers, and Investors on product strategy, requirements and roadmap, and system integration • Set technical standards for autonomy and swarm software, including real-time systems, multi-agent coordination, and field-deployed tooling • Drive rigorous engineering execution: sprint planning, code quality, system reliability, and release discipline • Recruit and retain exceptional software talent; build the hiring machine for Legion's next phase of growth • Establish engineering-to-field feedback loops with Forward Deployed Engineers to continuously improve system performance in operational environments • Represent Legion in technical reviews, customer briefings, and program engagements • Drive early adoption of leading AI tools across the Legion team, and at team interfaces WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR • 10+ years of software experience with at least 4 years leading teams in complex technical domains • Demonstrated ability to lead across multiple software disciplines: SaaS, product, embedded, and autonomy • Experience shipping software that operates in the real world under real constraints, whether aerospace, robotics, defense, or adjacent domains • Strong engineering and product intuition: you can read code, review designs, challenge architecture decisions, define requirements, and hold a high bar without being a bottleneck • Track record of scaling software organizations: hiring, developing, and retaining top talent in competitive markets • Ability to operate in ambiguity and move fast without sacrificing reliability or safety in systems that matter • Clear communicator with the skills to align cross-functional stakeholders with different priorities • Success adopting frontier AI tools into cross-functional teams BONUS POINTS • Background in autonomous systems, unmanned vehicles, or multi-agent software architectures • Experience with defense programs, government customers, or ITAR-controlled development environments • Familiarity with ROS, PX4, or real-time embedded software ecosystems • Active security clearance or prior experience in a cleared development environment • Entrepreneurial experience, for example as a startup founder ITAR requirement To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Swarm Aero is an equal opportunity employer. We value diverse backgrounds and experiences and make employment decisions without regard to race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or disability. What We Offer - Meaningful equity in a high-growth defense technology company - Competitive base salary commensurate with experience - Medical, dental, vision, and 401k - PTO and paid sick leave - Monthly wellness stipend - Daily catered lunch (office) - Paid parental leave - Direct impact on a critical national security mission - A world-class team of engineers and operators solving genuinely hard problems