Senior Software Engineer - Robotics/ML/Ai - Wilmington, Ma

Kelly Services; Wilmington (MA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Benefits

Vision Benefits

Paid Time Off

401(k) with company contribution

Job summary

Kelly Services is seeking a Senior Software Engineer, Robotics & Physical AI Integration to bridge AI models with real-world hardware in a fast-growing engineering environment.

You will own the software integration layer between machine learning outputs and robotics systems, collaborating with ML engineers, embedded developers, and cross-functional teams to deliver safe, reliable, and deterministic automation solutions.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in robotics, automation, systems software, or a related field.
• Strong programming experience with C and C++.
• Python scripting proficiency for tooling and automation.
• Hands-on experience developing applications with ROS or ROS 2.
• Experience integrating industrial robot controllers and automation equipment.
• Knowledge of robot kinematics, tooling interfaces, and programming environments.
• Experience with EtherCAT, CANopen, Modbus, or Profinet.
• Familiarity with SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, and GPIO.
• Experience in real-time Linux or RTOS environments.
• Understanding of functional safety concepts and safety-critical software.
• Strong troubleshooting and debugging across hardware and software.
• Experience with Git, code reviews, testing frameworks, and CI/CD.

Responsibilities

• Develop software connecting ML models to robotics platforms, actuators, controllers, and hardware.
• Design and maintain ROS 2 nodes, hardware abstraction layers, and device interfaces.
• Implement and support industrial protocols and fieldbus networks.
• Integrate industrial robot controllers using vendor SDKs and automation protocols.
• Collaborate with embedded teams to define software and hardware interfaces.
• Support machine vision integrations, sensor calibration, and perception workflows.
• Define APIs, data contracts, and performance requirements with ML engineers.
• Develop real-time and near real-time control systems on Linux and RTOS.
• Build hardware-in-the-loop testing environments and integration validation.
• Create technical documentation covering architecture, interfaces, timing, and deployment.
• Identify and resolve integration risks before affecting customers.

Skills

Robotics

Automation

C/C++

Python

Real-time software

Embedded systems

Troubleshooting

Systems integration

Problem solving

Git/CI/CD

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, or a related field

Tools

ROS/ROS 2

Git

CI/CD

Vendor SDKs

Job description

$140000 - $170000

Job DescriptionA growing engineering and technology organization is seeking a Senior Software Engineer, Robotics & Physical AI Integration to help bridge the gap between AI-driven intelligence and real-world physical systems.

In this role, you will own the software integration layer between machine learning models and the hardware they control. You will work across robotics, industrial automation, embedded systems, and real-time software to ensure AI outputs are translated into safe, reliable, and deterministic actions. This position requires someone who enjoys solving complex systems challenges and can troubleshoot issues across software, firmware, operating systems, communications, and hardware.

You will collaborate closely with machine learning engineers, embedded developers, and cross-functional engineering teams to develop next-generation intelligent automation solutions. Required Skills & Experience

• 5+ years of experience in robotics, automation, systems software, or a related field.

• Strong programming experience with C and C++.

• Proficiency with Python for scripting, tooling, and automation.

• Hands-on experience developing applications with ROS or ROS 2.

• Experience integrating industrial robot controllers and automation equipment.

• Knowledge of robot kinematics, coordinate systems, tooling interfaces, and robotic programming environments.

• Experience with industrial communication protocols such as EtherCAT, CANopen, Modbus, or Profinet.

• Familiarity with embedded communication interfaces including SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, and GPIO.

• Experience developing software for real-time Linux or RTOS environments.

• Understanding of functional safety concepts and safety-critical software development.

• Strong troubleshooting and debugging capabilities across hardware and software systems.

• Experience with Git, code reviews, testing frameworks, and CI/CD processes.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, or a related field.

Desired Skills & Experience

• Experience integrating machine vision systems and camera technologies.

• Familiarity with OpenCV or comparable computer vision libraries.

• Knowledge of motion control, servo systems, trajectory planning, and force/torque sensing.

• Experience deploying ML inference runtimes such as ONNX, TensorRT, or TensorFlow Lite.

• Exposure to simulation and digital twin platforms such as Gazebo, Isaac Sim, or MoveIt.

• Previous experience working in startup or small engineering team environments.

• Advanced degree in a related technical field.

What You Will Be DoingDaily Responsibilities: 100% Hands On

• Develop software that connects machine learning models to robotics platforms, actuators, controllers, and industrial hardware.

• Design and maintain ROS 2 nodes, hardware abstraction layers, and device interfaces.

• Implement and support industrial communication protocols and fieldbus networks.

• Integrate industrial robot controllers using vendor SDKs and automation protocols.

• Collaborate with embedded engineering teams to define software and hardware interfaces.

• Support machine vision integrations, sensor calibration, and perception-driven workflows.

• Partner with machine learning engineers to define APIs, data contracts, and performance requirements.

• Develop real-time and near real-time control systems on Linux and RTOS platforms.

• Build hardware-in-the-loop testing environments and integration validation frameworks.

• Create technical documentation covering architecture, interfaces, timing requirements, and deployment procedures.

• Proactively identify and resolve integration risks before they impact customers or production systems.

The Offer

• Competitive compensation package

• Hybrid work schedule with 2-3 days onsite per week

• Flexible paid time off

• Paid parental leave

• Collaborative and innovation-focused engineering environment

• Opportunities to work on cutting-edge AI, robotics, and automation technologies

You will receive the following benefits:

• Medical Insurance

• Dental Benefits

• Vision Benefits

• Paid Time Off (PTO)

• 401(k) with company contribution

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the US on a full-time basis now and in the future.

Motion Recruitment Partners (MRP) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants must be currently authorized to work on a full-time basis in the country for which they are applying, and no sponsorship is currently available. Employment is subject to the successful completion of a pre-employment screening. Accommodation will be provided in all parts of the hiring process as required under MRP’s Employment Accommodation policy. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance.