Senior Quality Software Engineer

About the role

NODA is a veteran-owned, venture-backed technology company transforming how unmanned systems collaborate in complex, mission-critical environments. The Senior Quality Software Engineer will build quality engineering into the Core Engineering process from the ground up, owning the test automation framework, metrics, and dashboards that drive release decisions. This role embeds security and compliance validation as first-class citizens alongside functional quality, aligned with NODA's five-phase Security & Compliance Maturity Roadmap. You will own the quality function for Core Engineering, issuing go/no-go recommendations backed by evidence and enabling leadership to make confident release decisions. This is a foundational, build-and-own role with a clear path to leading QE as the team scales. You will work closely with program and mission stakeholders to translate quality state into actions that de-risk releases and protect restricted data.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Own the end-to-end test automation framework for Core Engineering, covering unit, integration, regression, and scenario-level testing in Rust and Python.
• Integrate test suites into CI/CD with enforced gates at every stage, including security checks such as SAST, dependency scanning, and vulnerability assessment.
• Enforce NODA's compliance boundary so CUI and export-controlled data never reach clean-zone or vendor-accessible test paths.
• Drive build quality metrics including coverage, flake rate, false positive rate, and mean time to detect and triage failures.
• Maintain a component-level quality dashboard that feeds into the program-level go/no-go view for engineering and program leadership.
• Own go/no-go checklists and issue release recommendations backed by functional, security, and compliance evidence.
• Triage failures before routing them, providing engineers with a diagnosis rather than only a symptom to accelerate resolution.
• Keep the test suite healthy through review cadence, deprecation of stale tests, and identification of coverage gaps.
• Translate complex quality state into clear, actionable language that drives release decisions at the leadership level.
• Grow and mentor the QE function under Core Engineering as headcount and platform complexity increase.

Requirements

• 7+ years in software quality engineering, with a track record of building test infrastructure rather than inheriting it.
• Engineering fundamentals where test code is treated as production quality and test harnesses are maintained like products.
• Strong proficiency in Python and a clear plan to become productive in Rust for test infrastructure development.
• Hands-on experience integrating CI/CD pipelines, building gates, debugging flaky tests, and enforcing blockages to protect release integrity.
• Demonstrated ownership of quality dashboards and metrics that directly influence go/no-go decisions for major releases.
• Deep understanding of distributed and concurrent systems and how failures manifest in those environments.
• Experience integrating security testing into CI/CD, including SAST, dependency scanning, and compliance validation aligned to frameworks such as NIST 800-171 or equivalent.
• Proven ability to design test infrastructure that respects security boundaries and vendor guardrails while enabling rigorous testing of restricted core components.
• Background in defense, robotics, aerospace, or autonomous systems, with an understanding of the quality challenges in these domains.
• U.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain a security clearance, ensuring compliance with defense and export-control requirements.

Nice to have

• Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) or software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing experience to validate real-time behaviors and interfaces.
• Experience building simulation-based test pipelines that exercise complex scenarios and edge cases safely.
• Experience testing in edge or resource-constrained environments, reflecting the deployment realities of unmanned systems.
• Possession of an active security clearance, demonstrating familiarity with defense-sector compliance and workflow.

Practical notes

• Location is Austin, Texas, requiring on-site presence with less than 10% travel.
• This engagement is full-time and aligned with the expectations of a senior role within a defense-focused technology company.
• U.S. Citizenship and the ability to obtain a security clearance are mandatory, reflecting the nature of the work and regulatory obligations.

Skills & attributes

Builds with rigor: Test infrastructure is a product you design and maintain - not accumulate.

Makes quality visible: Dashboards and metrics that let engineering and leadership see exactly where the platform stands before every release.

Owns the call: Go/no-go recommendations backed by evidence and checklists. No hedging when the data is clear.

Communicates up: Comfortable translating quality state into language that drives decisions at the program and leadership level.

Collaborative by design: Works effectively across engineering sub-teams and engages program and mission stakeholders on quality outcomes.

Benefits & perks

Our culture fosters collaboration, respect, and trust, empowering people to do their best work. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth. In addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovative, collaborative and fast-growing business with a highly motivated and skilled team, we also take pride in taking care of our employees. Here are just a few ways that we show our appreciation:

• We offer comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage to support you and your family.
• We provide a 401(k) plan with company match to help you build long-term financial security.
• We support continuous learning with education stipends and opportunities for professional development.
• We offer paid time off and flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance.
• We recognize and reward high performance through bonuses and career advancement opportunities.
• We maintain a veteran-friendly workplace that honors service and supports transition success.
• We foster community engagement through volunteer opportunities and partnerships with veteran organizations.
• We ensure a safe, inclusive work environment where diverse perspectives are welcomed and respected.

If you are ready to own quality at the highest level, build enduring test infrastructure, and partner with mission-focused teams on critical autonomous systems, we invite you to apply for this Senior Quality Software Engineer role at NODA.