Senior Software Engineer, Autonomous Systems

True Talent Solutions Partners; Palo Alto (CA); Hybrid; USD 145,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

True Talent Solutions Partners is hiring a backend engineer to join a customer-facing product team building cloud and edge software for autonomous systems in Palo Alto. You will design and optimize real-time backend services that connect sensors, robotic platforms, and AI-assisted decision making.

The role is hybrid in Palo Alto and involves working with Rust, Python, C++, or Java. US work authorization and eligibility for a security clearance are required; visa sponsorship is not available.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

Backend engineering

Rust

Python

C++/Java

Security clearance eligible

Education

BS in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Microservices

APIs

Job description

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.