Senior Software Engineer

About SteerAI

SteerAI is an autonomous mobility technology company powered by VentureOne, the commercialization arm of the Advanced Technology Research Council. SteerAI's advanced AI-powered autonomy stack, developed by the Technology Innovation Institute, empowers the logistics and defense industries by turning industrial vehicles into autonomous powerhouses that can handle complex off-road missions, transforming operations and protecting organizations' most important assets: their workforce.

Role Overview

We are seeking a
Senior Software Engineer (Fullstack)
who prioritizes system reliability and product impact over specific framework loyalty. We value engineers who operate with a high degree of autonomy, technical pragmatism, and a commitment to operational excellence.

We hire for core engineering principles rather than a checklist of libraries. We are specifically looking for candidates who demonstrate:

• Taking Ownership:
  You take full responsibility for the lifecycle of your code. In the event of a production incident, your first instinct is to stabilize the system, followed by a rigorous root-cause analysis and the implementation of long-term preventative measures.
• Showing Pragmatism:
  You possess the judgment to balance architectural purity with commercial objectives. You can effectively navigate technical debt, knowing when to ship an MVP to meet a mission deadline and how to plan for subsequent refactoring.
• Navigating Ambiguity:
  You are comfortable translating high-level product goals into technical requirements. You do not require exhaustive documentation to begin; instead, you proactively collaborate with stakeholders to define scope and build iterative prototypes.

Key Responsibilities

• Architectural Decisions:
  Lead the application design and evolution of robust, scalable services. You ensure that the architecture supports real-time fleet synchronization while remaining flexible enough for future mission requirements.
• System Optimization:
  Drive the technical roadmap for real-time data engineering, identifying bottlenecks in high-frequency data ingestion (MQTT/WebSockets) and implementing sophisticated solutions to ensure sub-second latency.
• Technical Stewardship:
  Define and enforce standards for platform security, performance, and observability. You serve as the final line of defense for operational integrity, ensuring the system meets the mission-critical needs of defense partners.
• Engineering Culture & Mentorship:
  Actively shape a high-performance culture by mentoring mid-level and junior engineers, leading complex code reviews, and introducing process improvements that accelerate team velocity without sacrificing quality.
• Cross-Functional Leadership:
  Partner closely with product and stakeholders to navigate ambiguity, translating high-level business objectives into executable technical strategies and managing the trade-offs of technical debt.

Qualifications

• Experience:
  6+ years of professional experience in software engineering, with a proven track record of leading the delivery of complex, large-scale systems in a SaaS startup environment.
• Education
  : Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field.
• Technical Mastery:
  Deep proficiency in at least one modern language (TypeScript, Java, or Python) and a sophisticated understanding of distributed systems, concurrency, and scalable API design.
• Architectural Leadership:
  Proven ability to design system architectures that balance immediate performance needs with long-term maintainability and security.
• Data & Infrastructure:
  Expert-level command of SQL and professional experience architecting low-latency communication systems (WebSockets, MQTT).
• Autonomy & Mentorship:
  Capable of translating vague product goals into technical roadmaps with minimal oversight. You actively raise the team's technical bar through mentorship, rigorous code reviews, and establishing engineering best practices.
• Operational Excellence:
  Expert at diagnosing systemic issues and implementing preventative measures that improve platform observability and security across the entire stack.
• Direct experience in logistics, robotics, or fleet management systems.
• Background in developing mission-control dashboards or high-density data visualizations.
• Experience with streaming solutions (WebRTC), a map framework (e.g. Mapbox) and geospatial data (GIS)

What We Offer

We provide a competitive, tax-free salary and a comprehensive benefits package in a collaborative, innovative, and inclusive work environment.

Our benefits include an education allowance, free on-site meals, annual flight allowance, health coverage, relocation support (if applicable), and access to well-being activities such as sports and recreational events.

Join us to drive innovation and shape the future of technology