Senior/Staff Software Engineer - Embedded Linux Operating Systems

Zoox; Foster City (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Zoox's Robot Software Infrastructure team is seeking a software engineer to develop and advance the common operating system powering several devices on our vehicle, including Autonomy systems. The team builds platform-level software and services, enabling complex workloads on automotive-grade hardware.

We collaborate with cross-functional teams to support vehicle development and deployment at scale. If you are excited by broad problem spaces and how components fit within a larger system, you may

Qualifications

• 8+ years delivering production systems and software applications.
• 2+ years delivering custom Embedded Linux operating systems.
• Deep understanding of Linux, Yocto, and U-Boot.
• Device drivers and kernel-space code experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication; bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain the OS platform powering on-bot devices and apps.
• Architect platform-level software to support robotics infrastructure.
• Configure embedded Linux build systems (Yocto) and bootloaders (U-Boot).
• Develop and optimize device drivers in C/C++/Rust.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to integrate OS across hardware bring-up and manufacturing.
• Triage issues and support new hardware bring-up.

Skills

C/C++

Rust

Embedded Linux

Linux kernel-space

Scripting (bash, Python)

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience

Graduate degree focus on networking, OS, or firmware

Tools

Yocto

U-Boot

systemd

Job description

Zoox's Robot Software Infrastructure team is seeking a passionate software engineer to help develop and advance the common performant operating system that powers several devices on our vehicle including Autonomy systems. This team develops platform-level software and services, including operating systems that enable complex, hardware-accelerated workloads critical for autonomous driving on automotive-grade hardware.

We work closely with cross-functional teams—including developers, release management, hardware engineering, manufacturing and operations—to support vehicle development and deployment at scale. If you are excited to explore a broad problem space and are mindful of how components fit within a larger system, you may be a great fit!

• Design, develop, and maintain the operating system platform that powers various on-bot devices and applications
• Architect and implement platform-level software to support robust and scalable robotics infrastructure
• Configure and manage embedded Linux build systems (e.g., Yocto) and bootloader processes (e.g., U-Boot) to ensure reliable system startup and maintenance
• Develop and optimize device drivers and kernel-space components using C, C++, or Rust to meet performance and reliability requirements
• Collaborate cross-functionally to support seamless integration and delivery of the OS platform, triage issues, support new hardware bring-up and manufacturing functions
• 8+ years delivering production systems and software applications, 2+ years of delivering custom Embedded Linux operating systems
• Have a deep understanding of Linux, build systems like Yocto, and bootloaders like U-Boot
• Be familiar with Linux init systems (e.g., systemd), containerization concepts (e.g., chroot, cgroups, Linux namespaces), and filesystems
• Understand device drivers and kernel-space code and proficiency in a language without automatic memory management (e.g., C or C++), and in multiple scripting languages like bash and Python
• Strong written and verbal communication skills along with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience
• Experience with embedded Linux in a robotics application
• Familiarity with security software: PKI, secure boot, OTA software update, hardware key storage, etc.
• Familiarity with Nvidia GPUs, Nvidia Thor/Orin, Cuda, TRT, etc.
• Graduate degree with a focus on networking, operating systems, or firmware

About Zoox

Zoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. We’re looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team.

Accommodations

If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to [e-mail] or your assigned recruiter.

Final Note:

You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position.

Here at Zoox, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.