Principal Robotics Software Engineer

About the Role

Join the robotics team at a defense technology company developing autonomous systems to detect and counter drone threats. This is a senior, hands-on individual contributor role focused on production C++ running on physical robotic hardware.

What You'll Do

• Write and own critical production C++ across the robotics software stack.
• Manage timing, threading, latency, and safety contracts across perception, tracking, control, and autonomy.
• Move software from prototype to reliable field use through release processes, packaging, deployment, CI/CD, quality assurance, and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Mentor and support the growth of the robotics team while continuing to code hands-on.
• Investigate and resolve issues that emerge on real hardware, including during field testing.

What We're Looking For

• 10 or more years of hands-on robotics software engineering experience and a record of shipping robotic systems.
• Recent experience writing production C++ for physical systems, including personally implementing tracking, calibration, and sensor fusion.
• Experience taking robotics software from prototype to repeatable release for field, operator, fleet, or customer use.
• Broad experience across sensors, perception, tracking, control, middleware, and deployment, including ownership of timing and latency architecture across a system.
• Experience with robotics CI/CD, quality assurance, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and formal release and deployment processes.
• Experience mentoring or growing a team while remaining a hands-on individual contributor.
• ROS or ROS 2, cameras, IMUs, encoders, gimbal systems, and defense, aerospace, or safety-critical software experience are useful.
• Must be a U.S. person due to export control requirements.

Compensation & Benefits

Base salary: $235,000 to $305,000 annually. Visa sponsorship is not available.

Location

On-site in San Francisco, California, five days per week, with field test days included.

Compensation

Range: $235K - $305K