Android Developer, ATAK

Java and Kotlin Android developer building ATAK plugins that put a medical common operating picture in the hands of military medical teams at the tactical edge. Open at Journeyman or Senior level.

About NGS

NGS builds modern geospatial and C5ISR software for the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal customers. We've been at this since 2009, supporting programs across the U.S. military and the intelligence community. We're headquartered in the Charleston, SC area and we hold a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract.

We leverage open-source technology and deep mission expertise to deliver secure, scalable systems that solve real problems for warfighters and government agencies. Our flagship platform, CoreSpatial, is built on GeoServer, PostGIS, GDAL, MapStore2, and CesiumJS. We're serious about open source and stay engaged with the projects we build on.

We are a small, focused team with a strong track record of delivering complex solutions under real constraints. Our customers rely on us to cut through the noise, move fast, and deliver results that work. More on who we are, the team, and what we do for government customers.

The Role

We're hiring an Android Developer to build and extend ATAK plugins for a medical common operating picture. The users are military medical teams, and the job is getting them the right picture of patients, resources, and the operating environment on the device they already carry.

The work is Java and Kotlin on Android, inside the ATAK plugin framework. You'll build plugin UI, handle Cursor on Target messaging, work with map overlays and geospatial data, and make sure it all holds up when the network doesn't. Disconnected and degraded comms are the normal case here, not the edge case.

You'll be part of a distributed team working alongside a large prime contractor, in their tracker and on their release schedule. Being effective across company boundaries matters as much as the code does.

We're open on level. If you have a few solid years of Android work and the right instincts, we'll bring you in as a Journeyman and pair you with a senior engineer. If you've shipped ATAK plugins before and can own the plugin end to end, come in as a Senior and run it.

Responsibilities

Design, build, and maintain ATAK plugins in Java and Kotlin

Build operator-facing Android UI that works for users under stress, with gloves on, in bad light

Implement CoT message handling and integration with TAK Server and other backend services

Work with map layers, overlays, and geospatial data inside ATAK

Handle offline, disconnected, and low-bandwidth operation gracefully

Work day to day with a distributed partner engineering team: sprint planning, code reviews, joint debugging, release coordination

Support integration events, demos, and test activity, including occasional troubleshooting under time pressure

Follow secure coding practices and support DoD security and configuration requirements

Required

Professional Android development experience shipping production apps. Journeyman: 3+ years. Senior: 8+ years.

Strong Java and Kotlin

ATAK plugin development experience with the ATAK SDK (CIV or MIL). This is the part we can't teach fast.

Familiarity with Cursor on Target (CoT) and TAK Server

Android Studio, Gradle, Git, and modern CI/CD workflows

U.S. citizenship. Active Secret or Top Secret clearance preferred, otherwise ability to obtain and maintain one.

Preferred

Experience with medical, casualty tracking, or MEDEVAC workflows in a military setting

Experience building for disconnected, intermittent, and limited (DIL) environments

Familiarity with geospatial data and GIS concepts (coordinate systems, map services, MIL-STD-2525 symbology)

Experience with Android security hardening and STIG requirements

Experience working remotely on a distributed or multi-company development team

Prior DoD or IC program experience

Military service, especially as a medic, corpsman, or in a C4I role

What You Get

Real systems, real users. What you build gets fielded and used by people taking care of wounded service members. You will know when it works. See our case studies and capabilities.

A rare problem set. Medical data and tactical mobile software mostly live in separate worlds. This job sits in the seam.

Growth and mentorship. You'll pair with our senior engineering staff and get exposure to system design, geospatial technology, and DoD mission environments. As a small business, you're involved from day one instead of waiting your turn.

Flexibility. We support remote work and flexible schedules. We care about results and reliability more than hours.

Benefits

Flexible health insurance. Choose from a range of options that fit your situation.

Life and short-term disability coverage.

401(k) retirement plan with competitive options.

Four weeks of paid time off, moving to five weeks with tenure.

More about working here on our careers page.