Principal Robotics Software Engineer

Clera Labs, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 235,000 - 305,000; Full time

Job summary

Clera Labs, Inc. is seeking a senior robotics software engineer to own production C++ across the robotics stack and drive field-ready deployments in a San Francisco setting.

You will set timing and latency contracts, move prototype software to reliable field use through CI/CD, QA, and HIL testing, and mentor a hands-on team of engineers focused on sensors, perception, and control.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on robotics software engineering experience including shipped systems.
• Recent production C++ experience for physical robotic systems.
• Experience taking robotics stack from prototype to repeatable field release.
• Broad experience across sensors, perception, tracking, control, middleware and deployment.
• Ownership of system-wide timing, threading, latency and testing for robotics software.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

Production C++

Robotics software engineering

Field deployment

CI/CD

Mentoring

Sensor fusion

Tools

ROS/ROS2

CI/CD tooling

Job description

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.