# Senior Manager, Middleware

**Company:** [Skydio](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/skydio)
**Location:** San Mateo, CA
**Role:** Engineering Management
**Salary:** $230k – $303k/yr
**Experience:** 8+ years
**Skills:** Python, C++, Linux, Operating Systems, Robotics, Embedded Systems, Distributed Systems, Analytics Tools, Automated Testing, Computer Vision
**Posted:** 2026-09-03

> Leads and develops a software engineering team building middleware and on-device services for autonomous drone platforms. The role combines people management with hands-on Python or C++ development, systems architecture, reliability improvements, and cross-functional technical leadership.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Lead, grow, and retain a team of software engineers through 1:1s, expectation-setting, feedback, and career development.
- Own the team roadmap and delivery, set technical direction, decompose ambiguous problems, and make delivery tradeoffs.
- Design and implement software systems running on drone hardware and developer workstations.
- Build analytics tools to monitor services and improve reliability and customer experience.
- Lead cross-team software projects and own internal services from concept through deployment and monitoring.
- Partner with Computer Vision, State Estimation, Fleet Management, Embedded, and Product teams.
- Recruit and hire engineers, build interview processes, and attract candidates.

## Requirements
- 8+ years of professional software engineering experience.
- 3+ years of direct people management experience, including ownership of headcount, performance, and career growth.
- Hands-on coding experience and the ability to lead technical design and architecture discussions.
- Experience navigating and delivering within complex codebases.
- High proficiency in Python and/or C++ in a Linux environment.
- Experience designing operating-system features for resource-constrained environments.
- Experience coordinating improvements to systems with significant organizational usage and impact.
- Experience building software for complex hardware-in-the-loop systems such as robots, unmanned vehicles, drones, medical devices, or IoT devices.
- Strong stakeholder-management, prioritization, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Ability to operate effectively in a fast-moving, process-light environment.

## Nice to Have
- Experience working with modern robotic systems.
- Experience building tools used by other engineers.

## Compensation and Benefits
- Annual base salary: **$230,000–$303,000 USD**.
- Equity through stock options.
- Comprehensive health insurance plans.
- Paid vacation, sick leave, and holiday pay.
- 401(k) savings plan.
- Relocation assistance may be available for eligible roles.

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