Software Engineer, Onboard

Cssmerge

San Francisco (CA)

On-site

USD 176,000 - 242,000

Full time

5 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) with company match

Equity

Paid Holidays

Parental Leave

Pre-Tax Commuter Benefit

Job summary

Atoms is building real-world robots for food, mining, and transport. We are hiring a software engineer to develop low-latency C++ solutions running on edge compute in our vehicles, with a focus on deterministic performance and robust safety monitors.

You will architect and maintain the messaging stack, driver interfaces, and core infrastructure, enabling secure builds and updates across the fleet. This role is onsite in San Francisco with competitive compensation and equity.

Qualifications

Proficient in Python, C++, bash, git, and Linux kernel concepts.
Experience with inter-process communication and bus protocols.
Familiarity with LiDAR, radar, cameras, and IMU sensors.

Responsibilities

Develop low-latency, deterministic C++ software for edge compute on vehicles.
Design and maintain high-performance messaging stack between modules.
Write driver interfaces and safety monitors for vehicle hardware.
Build core system infrastructure: onboard data logging, time sync, memory mgmt, lifecycle management.
Implement real-time diagnostics, watchdogs, and fault recovery mid-drive.
Maintain tooling for building, deploying, and updating vehicle software images.

Skills

Python

C++

bash

git

linux kernels

docker

dmesg/systemd logs

IPC

bus protocols

sensor interfaces

profiling

memory management

networking tools

communication skills

Tools

Docker

Git

Linux

Job description

Who we are

Atoms is building the machines that power the next era of progress.

Over the last decade, software has transformed the digital world. But the physical world, where food is made, minerals are mined, goods are moved, and industries are run, remains far less intelligent, far less efficient, and far more constrained. We’re changing that.

Atoms builds Physical AI— real-world robots for the industries that move civilization forward, starting with food, mining, and transport. Our systems are designed to understand, predict, and control the real world with precision, turning complex physical operations into something more reliable, more scalable, and more productive.

This work requires more than robotics. It requires deep integration across hardware, software, AI, operations, manufacturing, and real estate. We don’t just build machines in a lab. We deploy them into real environments, operate them, learn from them, and improve them until they work at scale.

We are roboticists, engineers, operators, and builders. We believe the next great technology companies will not only transform information, but the physical systems that shape everyday life.

If you want to work on hard problems with real-world impact, join us.

What you’ll do

Develop low-latency, deterministic C++ software that executes on the vehicle's edge compute to process data and control the vehicle
Design and maintain the high-performance messaging stack that routes data between modules
Write driver interfaces and safety monitors that interact directly with vehicle hardware
Build core system infrastructure, including onboard data logging, time synchronization (PTP), memory management, process lifecycle management, etc
Implement real-time diagnostics, watchdog timers, and redundancy logic to detect and recover from software or hardware faults mid-drive
Maintain the tooling for securely building, deploying, and updating OS and vehicle software images across the fleet

What we’re looking for

Proficient with Python, C++, bash, git, linux kernels, docker
Comfortable diagnosing issues via dmesg, kernel logs, and systemd (journalctl, unit/service management)
Experience with inter-process communication
Familiarity with bus protocols
Experience with various sensor interfaces (LiDAR, radar, cameras, IMU)
Profiling, benchmarking, and memory management experience
Familiarity with common networking utilities
Strong communication and collaboration skills, capable of working effectively in a multidisciplinary team and communicating technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders

Why join us

At Atoms, you’ll work on one of the defining challenges of our time—bringing automation into the physical world to drive real, lasting impact. We exist to uncover valuable unknown truths and turn them into progress, which means constantly pushing beyond what’s known and building what doesn’t yet exist. The work is ambitious and often challenging, but it’s grounded in a shared sense of purpose and a team committed to seeing it through together. Our work only matters if it serves others, and we know that meaningful progress depends on the trust of the people we serve and the strength of our team—so we invest in both, creating an environment where you can do your best work and grow.

What else you need to know

This role is based in our San Franciscooffice. Atoms is a company driven by invention and continuous change - we are constantly reimagining our industries, building new products, and refining how we operate. We do our best work together. That’s why all of our office-based teams work onsite, five days a week.

The base salary range for this role is $176,000 - $242,000 per year.

Actual compensation will be determined on an individual basis and may vary depending on experience, skills, and qualifications.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package. You may also be eligible for equity awards and an annual performance-based bonus.

Benefits Summary (USA Full-Time Exempt Employees)