Senior Robotics Software Engineer
Clera · On site, San Francisco, US
185,000 - 235,000 USD / Year · Posted Nov 7, 2026
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About the job
ABOUT THE ROLE
Join a defense technology team building autonomous systems that combine robotics, perception, and directed energy. You will develop and validate software on physical hardware, supporting reliable sensing, tracking, control, and autonomy in field environments.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Own production C++ features across sensor data processing, tracking, control, or autonomy.
- Profile and resolve threading, process structure, latency, and timing issues in the software you own.
- Develop tests alongside features and build or maintain CI/CD and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
- Debug issues that occur on physical systems, including failures identified through recorded or replayed sensor data.
- Take part in regular field testing.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
- At least 4 years of hands-on robotics software engineering experience.
- Production C++ experience on a physical robotic system, with software that reached repeated use in the field or by operators, customers, or fleets.
- End-to-end ownership of features involving sensor data, tracking, control, or autonomy.
- Fluency with real-time systems, including threading, latency, and timing analysis.
- Experience with sensor timestamps, time synchronization, coordinate-frame transforms, sensor fusion, Kalman filtering, or target tracking is valuable.
- Familiarity with ROS or ROS2, cameras, IMUs, encoders, gimbal or turret systems, and robotics HIL testing is a plus.
- Defense, aerospace, or safety-critical software experience and an active security clearance are valued. US Person status is required due to export controls.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Base salary is $185,000 to $235,000 annually, plus equity. Visa sponsorship is not available.
LOCATION
On-site five days per week in San Francisco, California, United States. The role includes field test days.
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