Senior Robotics SDE, Safe Autonomy, Compass

Amazon Inc.; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 227,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Maternity and parental leave

Paid time off (PTO)

Job summary

Amazon Inc. in Pasadena, CA is seeking a senior robotics software engineer to design and integrate safety modules with diverse robot platforms. The role focuses on real-time performance, cross-team collaboration, and building reusable abstractions for multi-platform deployment.

You will contribute to production-quality robotics software, mentor engineers, and help scale safety-critical systems across Amazon’s autonomous portfolio.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of non-internship professional software development experience.
• 5+ years of programming with at least one software programming language experience.
• 5+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience.
• Experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team.
• Proficiency in C++, Rust, 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.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain the software integration layer that enables Compass safety modules to interface with diverse robot platforms.
• Build robust abstractions and APIs that decouple safety logic from platform-specific hardware, enabling rapid deployment across new robot form factors.
• Collaborate with motion planning, perception, and controls teams to ensure seamless data flow and real-time performance between safety systems and autonomy stacks.
• Develop and maintain interfaces to safety-rated firmware and hardware, ensuring compliance with functional safety requirements.
• Architect scalable, production-grade software that can operate reliably across millions of deployed robots.
• 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-based 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.
• Mentor junior engineers and raise the bar on software engineering practices within the team.

Skills

Software development

Programming languages

Design leadership

Mentorship/tech lead

C++/Rust/Python

Robotics software

ROS/ROS2

APIs/Abstractions

Software engineering basics

Education

Master's or PhD in Robotics/CS/Controls

Tools

ROS/ROS2

Real-time frameworks

CI/CD

Version control

Job description

Description

Key job responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain the software integration layer that enables Compass safety modules to interface with diverse robot platforms (mobile robots, manipulators, dynamically stable robots)
• Build robust abstractions and APIs that decouple safety logic from platform-specific hardware, enabling rapid deployment across new robot form factors
• Collaborate with motion planning, perception, and controls teams to ensure seamless data flow and real-time performance between safety systems and autonomy stacks
• Develop and maintain interfaces to safety-rated firmware and hardware, ensuring compliance with functional safety requirements
• Architect scalable, production-grade software that can operate reliably across millions of deployed robots
• 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-based 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
• Mentor junior engineers and raise the bar on software engineering practices within the team

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 inventors of control barrier functions on a novel, universal approach to safe autonomy: one that scales across mobile robots, manipulators, mobile manipulators, and future robot platforms with dynamic stability. You'll push the boundary of safe performance by integrating safety with motion planning, RL, and foundation models, ensuring that safety is never a blocker to robot performance. Your work will underpin robots operating alongside people at Amazon's unprecedented scale.

Basic Qualifications

• 5+ years of non-internship professional software development experience

• 5+ years of programming with at least one software programming language experience

• 5+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience

• Experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team

• Proficiency in C++, Rust, 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

• 5+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience

• Master's or PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Controls, or a related field

• Experience integrating software with motion planners, perception pipelines, or control systems on physical robots

• Familiarity with control barrier functions, safety-critical control, or formal safety verification methods

• 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, legged platforms)

• Experience with reinforcement learning or foundation model deployment on robotic systems

• Track record of building software that scales from prototype to fleet-level production

• Familiarity with simulation environments for robotics

• Strong communication skills and experience working in cross-functional, research-adjacent 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 - 168,100.00 - 227,400.00 USD annually

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