Principal Robotics Software Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 26, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 21, 2026. Clera scores B on the Alion truth index.
About the Role
Join a defense technology team building autonomous robotic systems for countering unmanned aircraft. As the robotics team's most senior individual contributor, you will write critical C++ code and help take the full stack from sensor input through control and autonomy to reliable field use.
What You'll Do
Write and own production C++ across the robotics software stack.
Define timing, threading, latency, and safety contracts across perception and control.
Move prototype software toward reliable field deployment through release processes, packaging, CI/CD, QA, and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
Mentor and grow the robotics team while remaining hands-on in development.
Debug issues on real hardware, including during regular field tests.
What We're Looking For
10 or more years of hands-on robotics software engineering experience, including shipped systems.
Recent experience writing production C++ for physical robotic systems.
Experience taking a robotics stack from prototype to repeatable release for field, operator, fleet, or customer use.
Broad experience across sensors, perception, tracking, control, middleware, and deployment.
Experience owning system-wide timing, threading, and latency, and building CI/CD, QA, or hardware-in-the-loop testing for robotics or hardware-facing software.
Experience with formal software release, packaging, and deployment, and mentoring a team while continuing to code.
U.S. Person status is required. ROS or ROS 2, cameras, IMUs, encoders, gimbal or turret systems, sensor fusion, and safety-critical or defense software experience are beneficial.
Compensation & Benefits
Base salary is $235,000 to $305,000 USD annually. Visa sponsorship is not available.
Location
On-site, five days per week in San Francisco, California, United States. Regular field test days are included.