Embedded Software Engineer - Architecture & CI/CD

About HyLight
We're on a mission to make the world more resilient to climate change.
We build HyLighters, autonomous hydrogen airships that fly silently over the planet's critical infrastructure, spotting methane leaks and preventing power outages and wildfires, all with zero emissions. By 2030, we want to be the global leader in aerial monitoring.
We've proven it flies. Now we're building the company to match the ambition, backed by Y Combinator and top-tier investors, with the resources to move fast and think big.
We don't care about traditional roles or titles. We just want people who are smart, proactive, and bring founder-level ownership. If you can bring a diverse point of view, push it forward: it will be highly appreciated.

Job Summary
You'll own the software architecture of the HyLighter, our next-generation autonomous airship for aerial inspection and environmental monitoring. This is a software-first embedded role: you bring real embedded experience, but your center of gravity is architecture, code quality, and the tooling that lets a team ship reliable flight software fast.
You will work on drone open-source software such as PX4 and QGroundControl (QGC), and you will define how our onboard and ground software is structured, built, tested, and deployed. A key part of the mission is to design a clean abstraction layer over our hardware so that a HyLighter can be driven as a single, coherent machine, and to put in place the CI/CD and continuous-development practices that make that architecture maintainable as we scale.

Mission
Under the guidance of the CTO, you will:

• Own the software architecture: define the global architecture of our embedded systems (onboard and ground), with clean interfaces and modularity that make the system easy to extend and test.

• Build a hardware abstraction layer: design the abstraction that lets us control sensors, actuators and subsystems as one machine, decoupling application logic from the underlying hardware.

• Set up CI/CD and continuous development: put in place the pipelines, automated tests, build/release tooling and workflows (CI, CD, continuous integration of new features) that let the team develop and deploy with confidence.

• Work with PX4: extend and integrate PX4-based flight software and the QGC ground station to fit the HyLighter's needs.

• Enhance robustness and reliability of existing avionics and embedded software.

• Drive technical studies and system architecture for future features (steerable airships, advanced testing facilities, new onboard systems) and payload integration / data-capture automation.

Personal Note from Josef (CTO)
"This role is the backbone of how we build software at HyLight. We have flight code, ground tools, test benches and custom machines, and we need someone who can bring real architecture to all of it and the CI/CD discipline that keeps it reliable as we grow. If you love designing clean systems, working close to the hardware through PX4, and building the pipelines that let a team move fast without breaking things, this is your spot. The team is still small (around 18 people), so your architecture decisions will have immediate, visible impact."
Profile Sought
The following skills are not all mandatory. If you don't match everything but are motivated to grow, we want to meet you. We see this role as a potential future technical leadership position at HyLight.

• Education: Engineering degree or equivalent in Embedded Systems, Software, Electronics, or Computer Engineering.

• Experience: Solid embedded development experience, with a clear shift toward software architecture. You've designed and owned the structure of a non-trivial embedded codebase.

• CI/CD: Hands-on experience setting up continuous integration / continuous deployment and continuous-development workflows (pipelines, automated testing, build & release).

• PX4 / drones: Experience with PX4, MAVLink and QGroundControl, ideally on a drone or aerial robotics product brought to a real operating stage.

Technical Skills

• Architecture: software architecture and system design for embedded platforms; hardware abstraction layers; modular, testable interfaces.

• CI/CD & tooling: Git/GitHub, CI/CD systems (e.g. GitHub Actions, GitLab CI or equivalent), containerization (Docker), automated and hardware-in-the-loop testing.

• Programming: strong C/C++ and Python; good practices (versioning, code review, testing).

• Embedded foundations: microcontrollers (STM32, ESP32, Pixhawk), SBCs (Raspberry Pi or equivalent), RTOS concepts.

• Communication protocols: UART, CAN, I2C, SPI, PWM, RS485.

• Tools: PX4, QGroundControl, hardware debugging tools (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers).

Soft Skills

• Autonomous and hands-on in project execution, with an architect's eye for the whole system.

• Strong interest in UAVs, drones, or aerial robotics.

• Curious, eager to learn, and passionate about building clean, reliable systems.

• Comfortable in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary team.

• Languages: English and French (preferably).

Bonus Qualities

• Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset.

• Proactive in proposing innovative software/hardware architecture solutions.

• Able to estimate progress, meet timelines, and anticipate challenges.

• Prior personal or academic projects in robotics or UAVs (feel free to link them in your CV).

What We Offer

• Real responsibility and direct impact on cutting-edge autonomous flight technology

• Mentorship with the Tech and Regulatory teams

• Become a shareholder in HyLight

• 100% reimbursement of public transport pass (Navigo) or €800/year for sustainable commuting

• Bike provided for commuting

• Free lunch

• Bi-annual offsite trips with the whole team

• Excellent work environment: international team, team events, beautiful offices on a former airbase

Why You Should Join

• Founder mentality: We value extreme ownership and want people who think like founders: fast decision makers, natural problem solvers, and executers.

• Ground floor opportunity: You'll help shape and grow a revolutionary company with the resources to back it.

• Impact & speed: A fast-paced environment where your contributions have immediate, tangible effects on the company's success.

Interview Process

• Introductory phone call (20-30 min)

• Technical case study followed by a debrief with a team member

• On-site meeting with the team (3-4h)

• Reference calls

Location

• Office: Base 217, Brétigny-sur-Orge, accessible via RER C

• Lab and Warehouse access

• You'll work side-by-side with experts in embedded, aerospace, and hydrogen propulsion systems, where your impact matters from day one