Title
Robot Software Engineer
Quick Summary
Kestrel Robotics is hiring a Robot Software Engineer to design, implement, and validate the software that connects perception, localization, planning, and control on field robots and autonomous mobile robots. The successful candidate will write modern C++ and Python, integrate ROS 2 middleware, and deliver deterministic, testable pipelines that perform reliably in warehouses, plants, and outdoor test ranges. We welcome strong graduates and early-career engineers with hands-on robotics projects, while also considering experienced applicants for broader scope.
Project Category or Industry
Robotics and autonomous systems for logistics, manufacturing, and inspection.
Type
Full-time employment.
Experience Level
Entry to mid-level with structured mentorship and clear growth paths; senior candidates are encouraged to apply.
Duration
Permanent role.
Location
Remote-first with optional hybrid hubs in Austin, Texas and Copenhagen, Denmark. Maintain at least four hours of overlap with teams operating between UTC−6 and UTC+1. Occasional travel for field testing and customer pilots.
Salary
USD 104,000–154,000 base depending on location and experience, plus benefits, equity eligibility, and an annual performance bonus.
Payment Mode
Monthly payroll for employees; in select countries a compliant contractor arrangement is available.
Hiring Company Name
Kestrel Robotics
Required Skills or Tools
Candidates should demonstrate fluency in modern C++, practical Python for tooling and data analysis, strong foundations in algorithms for perception and motion, and working knowledge of ROS 2 with data distribution services. Familiarity with deterministic data handling, time synchronization, hardware interfaces, simulation, and continuous integration is important.
Project Description
Kestrel Robotics builds autonomy stacks that move prototypes into dependable products. As a Robot Software Engineer, you will design robust nodes and libraries that transform raw sensor inputs into decisions and smooth motion under real-world constraints. Your code will run in simulation and on physical platforms, where noise, occlusions, and changing environments are the norm. You will collaborate with perception scientists, controls engineers, and test operators to ensure predictable behavior, graceful degradation, and clear diagnostics.
Core Responsibilities and Expected Deliverables
Implement and optimize ROS 2 nodes for perception, sensor fusion, localization, planning, and control with well-defined interfaces and quality-of-service profiles.
Build timing-safe pipelines for cameras, lidar, radar, inertial sensors, and wheel odometry with documented latencies and synchronization strategies.
Develop and tune planners and controllers such as A-star, RRT-star, lattice planners, model predictive control, and proportional–integral–derivative variants, including safety envelopes and fallback behaviors.
Create scenario libraries and hardware-in-the-loop tests; maintain reproducible datasets, metrics, and regression gates.
Integrate with robot hardware via controller area network, Ethernet, and serial interfaces; add safeguards, watchdogs, and health monitoring.
Deliver production-ready code with unit, integration, and scenario tests, plus clear runbooks and calibration procedures.
Required Experience and Preferred Qualifications
Strong command of C++ with attention to memory safety, concurrency, and numerical stability; practical Python for tooling and analysis.
Experience with visual odometry or simultaneous localization and mapping, extended and unscented Kalman filters, and state estimation fundamentals.
Preferred exposure to embedded Linux, real-time kernels, or real-time operating systems; graphics processing unit acceleration with CUDA; and safety processes such as failure mode and effects analysis.
Understanding of collision checking, dynamic constraints, trajectory tracking, and tuning on real platforms.
Evidence of impact through internships, competition teams, open-source contributions, or shipped prototypes.
Tools or Platforms to Be Used
Middleware and robotics: ROS 2, Fast DDS or Cyclone DDS, RViz, rosbag2.
Perception and math: OpenCV, Point Cloud Library, Eigen, Ceres, Sophus; optional TensorRT for accelerated inference.
Simulation and testing: Gazebo or Ignition, Isaac Sim or Carla; scenario generation, bag replay, and hardware-in-the-loop test benches.
Build and CI: CMake, Bazel, GitHub Actions, code formatters and static analyzers, sanitizers; Docker for reproducible environments.
Interfaces: SocketCAN, serial utilities, gRPC, and calibration tools.
Language Requirement
Professional English is required. Danish is a plus for Copenhagen-based operations; additional languages are welcome.
Communication Style
Written-first collaboration through design documents and pull requests; Slack for day-to-day coordination; Zoom for stand-ups, design reviews, and field test debriefs. All modules must include concise documentation and change logs.
Time Commitment or Working Window
Standard forty hours per week with flexible scheduling. Maintain a predictable daily block with at least four hours overlapping the core team between 09:00 and 17:00 in your local time. Field tests may occasionally require early-morning or evening windows, scheduled in advance.
Payment Terms
Salary is paid monthly via payroll. For contractors, invoices are processed on net-thirty terms upon acceptance of deliverables and timesheets.
Evaluation Criteria
Portfolio or code samples demonstrating C++ quality, ROS 2 fluency, and reproducible testing.
Practical exercise to fuse inertial and wheel odometry with time-aligned lidar for pose estimation, accompanied by metrics and tests.
System design interview on perception-to-control data paths, failure modes, and safety fallbacks.
Collaboration and communication interview focused on field readiness and cross-functional work.
References may be requested.
Other Requirements
New hires sign a confidentiality agreement and follow safety, security, and data-handling policies. A valid driver’s license is required for on-road pilot support. Export control compliance may apply based on project assignment.
About Kestrel Robotics
Kestrel Robotics is a privately held robotics company focused on dependable autonomy for logistics and industrial customers. Headquartered in Austin with a distributed team across North America and Europe, Kestrel blends rigorous systems engineering with practical field testing to deliver robots that work day in and day out. Learn more at https://www.kestrelrobotics.io and contact the hiring team at careers@kestrelrobotics.io.