Principal Software Architect

About the role

STARK is a new kind of defence technology company revolutionizing the way autonomous systems are deployed across multiple domains. We design, develop and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost-effective. We're focused on delivering deployable, high-performance systems-not future promises. In a time of rising threats, STARK is bolstering the technological edge of NATO Allies to deter aggression-today. Minerva is STARK's command and control software - the brain that connects operators to autonomous systems across multiple domains in real time. The Minerva team is a small, senior software group based in Berlin and Munich, working directly with our systems and hardware teams to build mission-critical C2 capabilities deployed in active operational environments. We move fast, ship real software, and operate under constraints most engineers never encounter - low-bandwidth networks, air-gapped devices, high-stakes decision loops. There is no room for abstraction for its own sake. Everything we build ends up in the hands of real operators in the field . This is not a standard engineering role; it is a high-impact leadership position at the intersection of hardware, software, and human factors. We have world-class architects leading separate workstreams across C2, Perception, and Autonomy. Your mission is to align them with mission priorities. You will be the Principal Software Architect , responsible for navigating these individual architects and unifying them under a general architectural vision for Stark. You will provide the Systems Engineering rigor necessary to ensure that our unified architecture is actually fit for the complex requirements of our customers. 1 . Architectural Alignment A Guiding Hand: You will be the senior interface between Software Group and Hardware Programme engineering leadership to formulate and breakdown Software requirements, guiding stakeholders towards common cross-platform solutions which can be adopted across the portfolio. Bridge the Silos: You will proactively identify, derisk and resolve the inevitable conflicts between hardware limitations and software ambitions. Navigate Technical Egos: You will work with deeply specialized subject matter experts. You will synthesize sometimes conflicting requirements into a consensus that serves the mission and delivers on customer requirements, managing strong opinions with emotional intelligence and technical authority. Conway's Law Management: You will ensure our system architecture drives our organizational structure, not the other way around. You will spot communication gaps between teams and design interventions that force collaboration. 2. Strategic Technical Governance The "Safety by Design" Culture: You will champion the adoption of Modern C++ Safety Guidelines (MISRA). You will not just enforce rules; you will mentor teams on why safety matters, shifting the culture from "move fast and break things" to "move fast and build reliable systems." Pragmatic Compliance: You will own the strategy for technical compliance. You will guide the implementation of necessary NATO standards (like STANAG 4586) to ensure interoperability, while ruthlessly cutting bureaucratic overhead that slows down development. Architectural Integrity: You are the guardian of our architectural principles. You will define and govern the interfaces that bind our hardware platforms to the ground station, ensuring that a change in the autopilot firmware doesn't break mission operations. 3. Mentorship & Vision Guide, Don't Command: You will lead through influence. You will run Design Reviews that empower leads to make decisions while ensuring they align with the broader system vision. Change Management: As we scale, you will guide the architecture through necessary refactors. You will help teams navigate the pain of technical debt repayment and process maturity without killing their startup spirit. The Tech Landscape You must possess the technical curiosity to earn the respect of experts, even if you aren't writing production code daily. The Stack: Understanding of how data flows from a sensor on a drone over a constrained radio link (MAVLink/Silvus), to a ground station (C++) Language Strategy: A firm commitment to C++ as our core language, with a focus on safety and standardization rather than experimental rewriting. System Constraints: An intuitive grasp of SWaP-C (Size, Weight, Power, and Cost) and how software decisions impact hardware endurance and performance. A Technical Diplomat: You have 10+ years of experience, with significant time spent in "Principal" or "Staff" roles where your primary output was decisions, documents, and diagrams rather than PRs. High EQ Leader: You excel at reading the room. You know when to push a standard and when to compromise for speed. You can deliver critical feedback to a Senior Staff Engineer without shutting them down. Systems Thinker: You take a systems engineering appro

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