Staff Robotics Software Engineer, Perception & AI

Symbotic; Wilmington (MA); On-site; USD 149,000 - 223,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Disability

401K

PTO

Job summary

Symbotic seeks a Staff Robotics Software Engineer in Wilmington, MA to own real-time 3D perception for industrial mobile robots. You will build robust perception, flight-safe autonomy and data workflows, collaborating across teams to deploy production-grade software for challenging environments.

The role emphasizes leadership, architecture, and hands-on development in C++ and Python, with experience in ROS/ROS2, LiDAR data, and computer vision tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s/Master’s/Ph.D. in Robotics, CS, EE or related field.
• Strong software engineering in C++ and Python.
• Experience with Linux and real-time/low-latency systems.
• Hands-on perception or autonomy software for robotic systems.
• Experience with ROS/ROS2 and robotics middleware.
• Ability to document decisions and mentor engineers.

Responsibilities

• Architect, implement and optimize real-time 3D LiDAR and perception pipelines.
• Own end-to-end perception functionality from design through deployment.
• Develop data labeling pipelines and automated validation workflows.
• Research autonomous recovery and adaptive decision-making for perception-driven tasks.
• Collaborate with Controls, System Software, and Test teams to integrate perception into vehicle software.
• Lead reviews, testing, and technical documentation; mentor peers.

Skills

Modern C++

Python

Linux

Real-time / low-latency

Multithreaded programming

Technical communication

Education

Robotics/CS/EE degree

Tools

ROS/ROS2

PCL

OpenCV

Docker

Job description

USA Wilmington, MA - HQ

Staff Robotics Software Engineer, Perception & AI

Time type: full time

Symbotic is seeking for a Staff Robotics Software Engineer, Perception & AI to join our Perception team within our Mobile Robotics organization. Your job will be to develop robust, production-grade 3D perception systems for mobile robots while building intelligent agents and automated workflows that improve how perception data is labeled, validated, and used to drive future autonomous behaviors.

This is a senior, hands-on engineering role with ownership spanning sensor processing, algorithm development, validation, and fleet deployment. You will help scale reliable collision avoidance across a growing robot fleet while advancing AI-driven automation that reduces manual engineering effort.

What we do

The Collision group within the Perception team develops and deploys real-time vision, LiDAR perception, collision avoidance, and intelligent autonomy capabilities for industrial mobile robots operating in live distribution environments.

The team turns multi-sensor data into reliable perception and collision-prevention decisions, with a focus on maintaining safe robot movement while reducing false stops and improving fleet throughput. The team is also expanding these capabilities across new robot platforms and more demanding environments, including chilled and freezer structures.

What you'll do

• Architect, implement, optimize, and maintain real-time 3D LiDAR and point-cloud perception, filtering, calibration, and sensor-noise handling algorithms using Modern C++ and Python.
• Own perception functionality end to end, from sensor characterization and technical design reviews through testing, validation, and fleet deployment.
• Develop intelligent agents and automated pipelines for data labeling, dataset curation, edge-case triage, and large-scale offline regression validation.
• Research and build approaches for autonomous recovery, robot learning, adaptive decision-making, and behavior generation across perception-driven robotic applications.
• Partner closely with Controls, System Software, and System Test teams to integrate perception and autonomy decisions into core vehicle software.
• Drive high engineering standards through architectural leadership, comprehensive unit and regression testing, code reviews, technical documentation, and mentoring.
• Expand perception capabilities across multiple robot platforms and operating conditions, including environments where sensor noise and physical conditions introduce new perception challenges.

What you'll need

• Minimum of 8 years of related experience or equivalent work experience.
• Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Strong software engineering proficiency in Modern C++ and Python, including experience with Linux, real-time or low-latency systems, and multithreaded programming.
• Hands-on experience developing perception or autonomy software for physical robotic systems or autonomous vehicles, with strong knowledge of 3D point clouds, filtering, clustering, spatial calibration, and coordinate geometry.
• Experience integrating, debugging, validating, and deploying production perception systems using ROS/ROS2 or comparable robotics middleware, with familiarity with PCL, OpenCV, Docker, and edge-compute environments.
• Experience building automated data or machine learning pipelines, intelligent agents, robot learning systems, automated labeling workflows, or related autonomy capabilities.
• Strong technical communication and architectural leadership skills, including the ability to independently drive design reviews, document technical decisions, collaborate across engineering disciplines, and mentor other engineers.

Our Environment

• Up to 5%-10% of travel may be required. Employees must have a valid driver's license and the ability to drive and/or fly to client locations and company HQ.
• Employees may be required to use a personal credit card for business travel expenses, which are reimbursed based on the program guidelines. Eligible employees may receive a corporate credit card based on role and travel requirements, but a personal credit card may be needed during onboarding until the corporate card is issued.

The base range for this position in the posted location is $149,000.00 - $223,000.00 however, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

• medical
• dental
• vision
• disability
• 401K
• PTO and/or other benefits