Principal Software Engineer

Company Overview

Red 6 is an innovative Augmented Reality (AR) technology startup leading the way in synthetic air combat training. Our primary technology, supporting our ATARS product, enables pilots to simulate the cognitive challenges of flying while accessing realistic, scalable training in dynamic outdoor environments.

The Role

• As a Principal Software Engineer at Red 6 you will take a critical role in designing and delivering next-generation AR pilot training and operating systems. This position is highly hands-on, driving complex software development. You will identify and implement novel solutions to cutting-edge augmented reality challenges, working across rendering systems, game engine infrastructure, simulation frameworks, and hardware-software integration. Your work will integrate state-of-the-art simulation technology with live aircraft and deliver high-impact capabilities to our military customers.

  This is a functional management and developer role with a focus on delivery, technical leadership, and team development. Approximately 25% of your time will be spent performing management duties while the remainder will be focused on active software development.

  Key Management Responsibilities

  • Lead and manage a team of software engineers working on AR/VR training systems

  • Conduct regular 1:1s, performance reviews, career development planning, and technical mentorship

  • Participate in hands-on coding, technical design reviews, and code quality oversight.

  • Drive best practices in software development, including testing, performance optimization, and documentation.

  • Interface with internal stakeholders, military partners, and cross-functional teams to define technical solutions that meet mission-critical requirements.

  • Foster a collaborative, innovative, and disciplined engineering culture aligned with Red 6’s mission

  Key Development Responsibilities

  • Design, develop, and optimize high-performance C++ applications for both general-purpose CPU/GPU computing environments and embedded System-on-Chip (SoC) platforms

  • Implement core features for synthetic reality applications including rendering systems, simulation frameworks, and data pipelines

  • Independently deliver complex designs or subsystems with little oversight

  • Collaborate with hardware, simulation, and design teams to deliver integrated AR solutions for military training environments

  • Develop and integrate safety-critical graphical user interfaces (GUI) for cockpit and mission display systems

  • Implement software in compliance with DO-178C (DAL A/B/C) and related avionics standards

  • Enforce secure software development practices aligned with DoD cybersecurity and RMF requirements

  • Contribute to testing strategies, tooling, and CI/CD infrastructure to ensure rapid and reliable delivery.

  • Support requirements decomposition, traceability, and verification activities

  • Participate in program reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR)

  • Support hardware/software integration in lab environments and ground test rigs

  • Optimize real-time and near-real-time performance across constrained embedded SoC environments

  • Debug and resolve system-level issues across processor, graphics pipeline, and I/O interfaces

  • Collaborate with human factors engineering to ensure compliance with MIL-STD-1472 and usability standards

  Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field

• 10+ years of professional C++ development, a Master's degree may count towards 2 years of experience

• 2+ years of experience in a software engineering management or technical leadership role.

• Certified SCRUM Master or deep understanding of the SCRUM process

• Experience developing and operating within a Linux operating system.

• Experience developing in real-time operating systems (VxWorks, Integrity, DeOS, or similar)

• Strong proficiency in C and C++ in embedded environments

• Ability to create data driven visuals as well as control in game objects with exterior data

• Acquainted with build processes, proficient in compiler toolchains, and experienced in content pipelines

• Understand memory management, multithreading, runtime optimization, and inter-process communication

• Strong 3D math, numerical computing, modeling, and simulation experience

• Experience with Jira, Perforce, and Confluence or similar bug/task tracking and version control software

• Professionalism and strong communication skills for customer interactions

• This position may require security clearance. To obtain clearance, employees must show proof of US Citizenship

Preferred / Additional Skills

• Experience with software integration, verification, and validation activities supporting SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and other SETR milestones

• Experience developing safety-critical software in compliance with DO-178C

• Experience with ARINC 653 partitioned environments

• Familiarity with ARINC 661 Cockpit Display System (CDS) standard

• Experience with embedded graphics frameworks (OpenGL, OpenGL SC, Vulkan, EGL, or similar)

• Willingness to travel to customer sites

Full-Time Employee Benefits

• Healthcare, Dental, and Vision (100% coverage for Employees)

• Paid time off, including vacation, sick, paid holidays, and parental leave

• Short and Long-Term Disability

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

• 401(k) Retirement Plan

• Voluntary Worksite Benefits (Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity)

Note

Red 6 reserves the right to change its current benefits program at any time, in a manner that is consistent with applicable federal and state regulations.

This job description is not a contract and confers no contractual rights, privileges, or benefits on any applicant or potential applicant. Red 6 has the right to change any and all terms of this job description, including, but not limited to, job responsibilities, qualifications, and benefits. Nothing in this job description constitutes an offer or guarantee of employment.

Red Six Aerospace, Inc, is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

California: https://www.caljobs.ca.gov/vosnet/Default.aspx

Colorado: https://www.connectingcolorado.com/

Florida: https://www.employflorida.com/vosnet/Default.aspxUnder the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), Red 6 Aerospace, Inc. operating company you are applying to work for (hereinafter, “we”, “our”, or “us”) may collect personal information and use it for certain business purposes as described below in this Job Applicant and Employee Privacy Notice. We are required to disclose the following information to California “consumers” regarding our collection of their personal information. Under the CCPA, “consumers” means California residents, including job applicants, employees, or contractors of a business.  

Candidate Privacy Notice