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.