Senior Software Engineer, Autonomous Systems
Summary
Senior backend engineer building cloud and edge software for command and control of autonomous systems — real-time sensor processing, state estimation, threat detection, and LLM/AI-assisted decision support for robotic platforms. Hybrid in Palo Alto; requires US citizenship and security clearance eligibility.
About the Role
Join a customer-facing product engineering team building cloud and edge software for command and control of autonomous systems. Your work will connect sensors, robotic platforms, and AI-assisted decision-making to support demanding operational missions.
What You'll Do
Design, build, and optimize backend and service-layer software for mission-critical autonomous systems.
Develop real-time data processing for heterogeneous sensors, including state estimation and threat detection.
Build LLM- and AI-enabled systems that assess situations and support timely operational decisions.
Integrate sensors, effectors, and autonomous platforms, including individual vehicles and coordinated groups.
Engineer scalable, reliable, and fail-safe services for high-stakes environments.
Work with robotics, hardware, sensing, and systems engineering teams to deliver integrated solutions.
What We're Looking For
Four to ten years of backend or service-layer software engineering experience, with recent hands-on individual contributor work.
Experience owning core backend services such as microservices, APIs, or middleware, and building real-time messaging between live external services.
Proficiency in Rust, Python, C++, or Java, plus a degree in computer science or a related technical field.
Professional experience in autonomy, such as autonomous vehicles, drones, robotics, or factory automation. Experience should include shipped software beyond algorithms, simulation, or ML research alone.
Experience delivering software in a fast-moving prototype-to-field environment. Familiarity with LLM integrations, AI agents, or toolchains is useful.
US work authorization, US citizenship, and eligibility to obtain a security clearance are required. Visa sponsorship is not available.
Compensation & Benefits
Base salary range: $145,000 to $275,000 USD annually. Visa sponsorship is not available.
Location
Hybrid role based in Palo Alto, California.
Skills
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