Senior Software Engineer - Sensor Systems, Robot Software

Socket.dev; Sunnyvale (CA); Hybrid; USD 177,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Wayve is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to build edge compute software for autonomous vehicles. You will work on a Robot Software team delivering C++ applications on embedded Linux, integrating sensors, and ensuring reliable operation across a fleet of vehicles.

The role emphasizes collaboration with Hardware, Product, and Engineering teams, plus strong focus on testing, documentation, and scalable, maintainable code. Hybrid in Sunnyvale, CA.

Qualifications

• High-performance embedded Linux software in C++ with full SDLC experience.
• Experience with automotive sensors such as camera, LiDAR, radar or localization.
• Familiarity with embedded Linux build systems and user space apps.
• Strong understanding of IPC middleware for high-throughput robotics apps.
• Knowledge of distributed systems for cloud or robotics environments.
• Solid debugging skills for performance issues, traces and dumps.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver embedded Linux software in C++ for edge devices.
• Integrate sensors and enable data capture and streaming at scale.
• Create soft real-time Linux applications for automotive fleets.
• Implement robust diagnostics to sustain fleet operation at capacity.
• Design and use system monitoring tools to improve performance.
• Collaborate with Hardware, Product, Project and Engineering teams.
• Lead by example in testing, documentation, tooling, and mentorship.

Skills

C++ development

Embedded Linux

Automotive sensors

IPC middleware

Distributed systems

Debugging

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering

Tools

ROS

QNX

Job description

About us

Founded in 2017, Wayve is the leading developer of Embodied AI technology. Our advanced AI software and foundation models enable vehicles to perceive, understand, and navigate any complex environment, enhancing the usability and safety of automated driving systems.

Our vision is to create autonomy that propels the world forward. Our intelligent, mapless, and hardware-agnostic AI products are designed for automakers, accelerating the transition from assisted to automated driving. In our fast-paced environment big problems ignite us—we embrace uncertainty, leaning into complex challenges to unlock groundbreaking solutions. We aim high and stay humble in our pursuit of excellence, constantly learning and evolving as we pave the way for a smarter, safer future.

At Wayve, your contributions matter. We value diversity, embrace new perspectives, and foster an inclusive work environment; we back each other to deliver impact.

Make Wayve the experience that defines your career!

The role

In this role, you will have the opportunity to work with Wayve’s next-generation innovative compute and sensor platform, as well as contribute to all phases of the software development lifecycle.

As a member of the Robot Software team, you will collaborate with your team to deliver software for edge devices to provide data and enable autonomy on a large fleet of vehicles. A key responsibility will be to ensure that the software you deliver runs reliably at scale. You will also work closely with our Embodied AI and Science organisations to ensure they have the data and interfaces they need to train models, run experiments and get feedback on driving performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Software Development: Build and deliver software in C++ with high quality and reliability. Create software which is observable and debuggable when running on a device 2000 km away and with limited connectivity.
• Sensor Integration and Data Capture: Build software to enable full sensor integration and data capture and streaming at the scale and quality necessary for a fully autonomous vehicle.
• Real-Time System Management: Deliver and maintain soft-real-time Linux-based applications to a fleet of embedded devices on automobiles, including data collection and storage, as well as machine learning inference on the edge.
• Fault Tolerance and Diagnostics: Create robust, fault-tolerant software solutions with comprehensive system diagnostics to enable us to quickly and efficiently resolve any issues preventing our deployed fleet from operating at maximum capacity.
• Performance Monitoring: Design, implement, and use system monitoring tools to improve performance and resolve both ad hoc and systemic issues.
• Collaborate with technical and business stakeholders: Work with cross-functional global teams including Hardware, Product, Project, and Engineering management to advise and build the right solution
• Drive a strong engineering culture: Lead by example as you demonstrate best practices for: testing, documentation, ease-of-use, technical (and non-technical) tooling, mentorship, and collaboration.

About you

In order to set you up for success as a Senior Software Engineer at Wayve, we’re looking for the following skills and experience.

Essential

• Software Development Skills: Proficiency developing high-performance embedded Linux systems software in C++. Demonstrated ability to manage the complete software development lifecycle from ideation through delivery & optimization
• Automotive Sensor Expertise: Experience working with automotive sensors and technologies like camera, LiDAR, radar, or localization systems (IMU, GNSS)
• Linux Expertise: Familiarity with embedded Linux, build systems, and/or user space applications.
• IPC Middleware Knowledge: Strong understanding of how to optimally use and configure IPC middleware for high data throughput robotics applications on frameworks such as ROS or other automotive middleware
• Distributed Systems Understanding: Knowledge of how distributed systems operate, either in cloud or robotics systems, and how to make these types of systems more scalable and performant.
• Debugging Skills: Ability to delve deep into performance issues, stack traces, core dumps, slow disk writes, high system load, memory bottlenecks, external device bottlenecks, and threading issues.

Desirable

• Autonomous Systems: Experience with robotics, autonomous systems, or other real-world sensing applications
• Embedded Environments: Experience with developing software for embedded Linux systems, real-time operating systems such as QNX, and/or other automotive SoCs
• Networking: Knowledge of networking fundamentals, including UDP/TCP, ethernet-based communications and debugging network bottlenecks in high-data-rate systems
• Background: 5+ years of experience, with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. Advanced degrees are a plus.

This role is a full-time role based in Sunnyvale, CA (hybrid) and the reasonably estimated salary for this role ranges from $176,500 to $260,000, plus a competitive equity package. Actual compensation is based on the candidate's skills, qualifications, and experience.

Wayve is committed to creating an inclusive interview experience. If you require any accommodations or adjustments to participate fully in our interview process, please let us know.

We understand that everyone has a unique set of skills and experiences and that not everyone will meet all of the requirements listed above. If you’re passionate about self-driving cars and think you have what it takes to make a positive impact on the world, we encourage you to apply.At Wayve we're committed to creating a diverse, fair and respectful culture that is inclusive of everyone based on their unique skills and perspectives, and regardless of sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding) or any other basis as protected by applicable law.

For more information visit Careers at Wayve.

To learn more about what drives us, visit Values at Wayve

For US candidates only, please visit E-Verify Notice and Participation and Right to Work

DISCLAIMER: We will not ask about marriage or pregnancy, care responsibilities or disabilities in any of our job adverts or interviews. However, we do look to capture information about care responsibilities, and disabilities among other diversity information as part of an optional DEI Monitoring form to help us identify areas of improvement in our hiring process and ensure that the process is inclusive and non-discriminatory.