Senior Robotics Software Lead (ROS2/C++) — Hybrid

Kion Group AG; Grand Rapids (MI); Hybrid; USD 114,000 - 152,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career Development

Competitive Compensation and Benefits

Pay Transparency

Global Opportunities

Job summary

KION Group AG, a leader in robotics and automation, seeks a Mobile Robotics Software Engineer (ROS2/NextGen) in Grand Rapids, MI. You will develop foundational C++ software for mobile robotic systems, contribute to simulation and platform management, and mentor a distributed team across the Americas.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in C++ robotics, ROS/ROS2, strong Linux skills, and a track record in leadership or technical ownership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in CS/Software Engineering/Robotics or related field.
• 5+ years of professional C++ software engineering and robotics experience.
• Expertise in modern C++ (C++17/20), memory management, and performance tuning.
• Strong background in software architecture and large codebases.
• Experience with multi-threaded, distributed, or real-time systems.
• Mentoring, team leadership, or technical ownership proven.
• Proficiency with Linux, debugging, and profiling tools.
• Ability to switch between C++, scripting (Python/Bash), and integration tasks.
• Hands-on ROS/ROS2 experience or other robotics frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Architect and develop core C++ software for embedded onboard software, simulation, and deployment.
• Drive tools and frameworks for robotic platforms and internal teams.
• Set technical direction in code structure, system design, and performance.
• Collaborate with robotics, cloud, and systems teams on cross-functional efforts.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers and oversee code quality.
• Define engineering best practices and contribute to roadmaps.

Skills

C++ programming

Robotics

Leadership

Linux

Real-time systems

Python scripting

ROS/ROS2

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in CS/SE/Robotics

PhD or equivalent (a plus)

Tools

ROS2

DDS

ZeroMQ

gRPC

Docker

Job description

KION Group AG, a leader in robotics and automation, seeks a Mobile Robotics Software Engineer (ROS2/NextGen) in Grand Rapids, MI. You will develop foundational C++ software for mobile robotic systems, contribute to simulation and platform management, and mentor a distributed team across the Americas.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in C++ robotics, ROS/ROS2, strong Linux skills, and a track record in leadership or technical ownership.