Robotics SDE, Safe Autonomy, SAF Lab

Amazon Inc.; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 144,000 - 194,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

Amazon in Pasadena, CA is hiring a Software Dev Engineer for the SAF Lab to own software infrastructure across robot platforms, interfacing with autonomy stacks, perception, and controls for testing safety filters on dynamic robots.

You will implement cross-platform abstractions, collaborate with planning and learning teams, and contribute to hardware testing and evaluation of next-generation robotic safety systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of robotics software development, including work with real robot systems.
• Proficiency in C++ and/or Python with experience writing production-quality code for real-time systems.
• Experience developing software for robotic systems, embedded platforms, or safety-critical applications.
• Familiarity with robotics middleware (ROS/ROS2) and real-time communication frameworks.
• Experience designing software abstractions, APIs, or hardware abstraction layers for multi-platform deployment.
• Strong understanding of software engineering best practices including version control, CI/CD, code review, and testing.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain the software integration layer that enables SAF Lab to interface with diverse robot platforms.
• Build robust abstractions and APIs that decouple the safety layer from platform-specific hardware for rapid deployment across new robot forms.
• Collaborate with motion planning, learning, perception, and controls teams for real-time data flow between safety systems and autonomy stacks.
• Have knowledge of running and maintaining robotics hardware, debugging hardware testing issues, and evaluating control policies on hardware.
• Write high-quality, well-tested, and maintainable code in C++ and/or Python for real-time robotics applications.
• Define integration testing strategies and build simulation and hardware validation pipelines to verify safety behavior.
• Contribute to system design reviews, documentation, and cross-team alignment on interface contracts.
• Identify and resolve performance bottlenecks in real-time safety-critical software paths.

Skills

Robotics software development

C++

Python

Real-time systems

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

ROS/ROS2

CI/CD

Job description

We are seeking a Software Dev Engineer to join the SAF Lab. In this role, you will own the software infrastructure that enables this next-generation safety layer to work universally across different platforms, including dynamically stable robots. You will interface with autonomy stacks, learning-based locomotion and whole-body controllers, sensing and perception, to create hardware abstractions that enable the testing of next-generation safety filters on highly dynamic robotic systems. As a result, you will be central to the hardware testing and evaluation that will play an essential role in evaluating the research and innovations in the SAF Lab.

Key job responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain the software integration layer that enables SAF Lab to interface with diverse robot platforms (mobile robots, manipulators, dynamically stable robots)
• Build robust abstractions and APIs that decouple the safety layer from platform-specific hardware, enabling rapid deployment across new robot form factors
• Collaborate with motion planning, learning, perception, and controls teams to ensure seamless data flow and real-time interfaces between safety systems and autonomy stacks
• Have knowledge of running and maintaining robotics hardware, debugging and mitigating hardware testing issues, and evaluating control policies on hardware.
• Write high-quality, well-tested, and maintainable code in C++ and/or Python for real-time robotics applications
• Define integration testing strategies and build both simulation and hardware validation pipelines to verify safety behavior across platforms
• Contribute to system design reviews, technical documentation, and cross-team alignment on interface contracts
• Identify and resolve performance bottlenecks in real-time safety-critical software paths

A day in the life

Amazon offers a full range of benefits that support you and eligible family members, including domestic partners and their children. Benefits can vary by location, the number of regularly scheduled hours you work, length of employment, and job status such as seasonal or temporary employment. The benefits that generally apply to regular, full-time employees include:

1. Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
2. Maternity and Parental Leave Options
3. Paid Time Off (PTO)
4. 401(k) Plan

About the team

Work with the inventor of control barrier functions in the Safe Autonomy Frontiers (SAF) Lab. The first industry research lab in safe autonomy, developing a universal safety layer for the next generation of robotic systems: mobile robots, manipulators, mobile manipulators, and future platforms with dynamic stability. You will push the frontiers of performant safety for highly dynamic robots: CBF theory integrated with perception and learning, evaluated on next-generation robots. Your work will underpin robots operating alongside people at Amazon's unprecedented scale.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in robotics software development, including work with real robot systems
• Proficiency in C++ and/or Python with experience writing production-quality code for real-time systems
• Experience developing software for robotic systems, embedded platforms, or safety-critical applications
• Familiarity with robotics middleware (e.g., ROS/ROS2) and real-time communication frameworks
• Experience designing software abstractions, APIs, or hardware abstraction layers for multi-platform deployment
• Strong understanding of software engineering best practices including version control, CI/CD, code review, and testing

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Controls, or a related field
• Familiarity with control barrier functions, safety-critical control, or formal safety verification methods
• Experience integrating software across the full autonomy stack: from motion planners, learning, perception pipelines, and control systems on physical robots
• Experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS) or safety-rated firmware interfaces (e.g., IEC 61508, ISO 13849)
• Hands-on experience with multiple robot morphologies (mobile bases, arms, dynamically stable robots)
• Experience with reinforcement learning or foundation model deployment on robotic systems
• Track record of building software that enables rapid and robust deployment on hardware
• Familiarity with simulation environments for robotics (e.g., Isaac Sim, Gazebo, MuJoCo)
• Strong communication skills and experience working in cross-functional, research-centric teams

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits .

USA, CA, PASADENA - 143,700.00 - 194,400.00 USD annually