Android Development Lead

About the role

Forterra is seeking a Android Development Lead to support the development of tactical command-and-control capabilities for our fleet of autonomous wheeled ground vehicles. In this role, you’ll be at the forefront of building and deploying advanced ATAK plugins that connect Forterra’s autonomy capabilities to the tactical edge.

You’ll be responsible for contributing to the architecture, development, and integration of Forterra’s ATAK based Tactical C2 node—delivering robust, user-friendly mission software to operators in the field. This includes designing and documenting extensible APIs in Java/Kotlin, interfacing with native C++ and C components, and enabling secure, performant communications over degraded networks.

You’ll join a tight-knit cross-functional team that spans UI/UX, autonomy, networking, and vehicle software. The work you do will directly shape how soldiers interact with Forterra’s cutting-edge technology—and will have a measurable impact on mission success.

What you'll do

• Contribute to the design, implementation, and maintenance of Forterra’s tactical C2 capability through ATAK plugin development in Java/Kotlin for the Android platform.
• Architect and evolve the remote C2 system connecting Forterra platforms to ATAK and partner interfaces across commercial and DoD use cases.
• Drive API design and data modeling across systems to ensure reliability, flexibility, and performance.
• Collaborate with autonomy and networking engineers to enable robust communication under constrained and adversarial conditions.
• Guide development of intuitive user experiences that support situational awareness, health monitoring, and direct platform control.
• Contribute to and review code across multiple languages (Java, Kotlin, C++, C) as needed for integration and performance.
• Contribute to documentation, field validation, and integration efforts with third-party platforms and government systems.
• Support a culture of engineering excellence through mentorship, design reviews, and quality-first development practices.

Minimum Qualifications

• Deep expertise in Java and Android-based plugin development.
• Experience with SQL databases.
• Experience with Android Jetpack and Material UI libraries.
• Familiarity with C++ and/or C codebases, particularly in embedded or mobile contexts.
• Experience with JNI development and implementation.
• Strong understanding of Linux development environments, networking protocols, and distributed systems.
• Demonstrated ability to operate autonomously and lead efforts from design through deployment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience integrating with TAK Server, tactical radios, or defense-grade networking systems.
• Familiarity with build systems (e.g., CMake), package managers (e.g.,Conan), and Git workflows.
• Background in defense, robotics, or autonomous vehicle domains.
• Strong systems thinking, debugging skills, and the ability to operate effectively in field environments.
• Experience with gRPC and protobuf.
• Bachelor Degree in Computer Science (or similar field), or equivalent work experience.
• 7+ years of software engineering experience, with 2+ years specifically focused on ATAK plugin development.
• Experience with designing APIs and handling data transfer over low-bandwidth, high-latency networks.

US Salary Range
 $150,000 - $220,000

Location

Hybrid in Arlington, VA, Clarksburg, MD, or Palo Alto, CA

Up to 15% travel required

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.  
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
• A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption. 
• A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
• Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires. 
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.

CLEARANCE ELIGIBILITY - This position may require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance. For more information about U.S. Security Clearances: click here.   

Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in all personnel practices. Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain.  

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any factor, including veteran and disability status, and criminal history, in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Forterra is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.

To see Forterra’s candidate data privacy policy, please visit Forterra Legal | Job Applicant Privacy Notice. 

About Forterra

At Forterra, we are unleashing autonomy at scale to transform the battlefield. Our mission is to build the foundational platforms that enable an intelligent ecosystem to coordinate, adapt, and execute with speed and precision even in the uncertainty and disruption of modern conflict. In an era marked by rapid technological change and evolving threats, we design for flexibility, survivability, and operational dominance.

Forterra delivers weapons, sensors, and battlefield effects through integrated autonomous networks reaching operational areas faster, safer, and without placing human lives at risk. Our systems operate with distributed control, dynamic routing, and real-time responsiveness, enabling sustained advantage across complex mission environments.