Job Description

Overview

Menapia designs and operates autonomous drone networks for atmospheric measurement -- delivering resilient, self-sustaining systems that gather climate-critical data in the harshest environments. From renewably powered drone-docks in Greenland to intelligent data pipelines for weather forecasting partners, we are building the tools that make continuous, network-scale atmospheric science possible.

We're looking for a Software Engineering Lead to join us at a pivotal moment as we expand our engineering team. This role opens in October 2025, with onboarding planned for September to ensure a smooth handover from our current lead.

The Role

As Software Lead, you'll be both architect and builder: designing distributed systems for real-time drone control, while also guiding a small, high-talent team. You'll spend ~70% of your time hands-on in code and ~30% leading -- making key architectural decisions, mentoring, and setting technical direction.

What You'll Do

Own the architecture of Menapia's software systems, from drone control to cloud data pipelines Build backend control systems in Go, with critical components in C++ Design scalable cloud orchestration strategies (Railway, AWS, Kubernetes) Deliver advanced features including multi-drone (M:N) coordination, wind estimation, and real-time API integrations Lead and mentor a growing team of developers across multiple disciplines Drive technical standards, code quality, and test-driven development

What We're Looking For

Expert-level Go developer with a strong computer science foundation Deep backend architecture experience, including distributed systems and concurrency Skilled in C++ and multithreading/parallelism Proven track record with cloud orchestration (AWS, Railway, Kubernetes) Test-driven development advocate Experience in technical leadership and mentoring

Bonus Points For

Experience with DJI CloudAPI, PSDK, and MSDKs Familiarity with MQTT, Kafka, and message-oriented architectures Data analytics / reporting pipeline expertise Web development experience (React, Next.js) Knowledge of databases (PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Influx, Redis, Clickhouse) Background in autonomous systems, robotics, or control theory

Our Tech Stack

Backend:

Go, C++ (PSDK core)

Frontend:

React + Next.js

Databases:

PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, Clickhouse

Cloud:

AWS (S3), Railway

Messaging:

MQTT, Kafka

Upcoming Projects You'll Lead

Multi-drone coordination and control systems Next-gen data pipeline and product architecture Distributed and cloud-native scaling of core systems Advanced weather-intelligence and autonomy features

Why Join Menapia?

This is a chance to work on technically demanding, high-impact problems. You'll be shaping systems where performance, resilience, and innovation directly matter. At Menapia, we give exceptional engineers the space to lead, to experiment, and to deliver solutions that change the landscape of aerial systems.

Compensation & Benefits

Market-competitive salary 25 days holiday + bank holidays + company-wide Christmas break Pension scheme Small, high-calibre team environment with real ownership
Job Type: Full-time

Pay: 60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Company pension Flexitime Work from home
Ability to commute/relocate:

Leeds, LS12 2EJ: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Work authorisation:

United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Leeds, LS12 2EJ

Application deadline: 01/09/2025
Reference ID: Menapia/SWEngLd
Expected start date: 15/09/2025