Senior Software Engineer - NREC

About this role

At the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC), it is our engineers and technicians who drive the breakthroughs that define our success. The members of our technical staff collaborate closely with leadership and multidisciplinary teams to design, build, and deploy sophisticated robotic solutions that address complex challenges in industrial, commercial and government sectors. Each project benefits from their expertise, creativity, and hands-on problem-solving, fueling progress and innovation across the organization.

As part of our dedicated team, you will work alongside world-class robotics professionals committed to pushing the boundaries of technology and redefining ideas into solutions for real-world applications. We foster a culture of professionalism, respect, and collaboration, offering a flexible and encouraging environment where you can sharpen your skills, lead impactful projects, and take control of your career development.

We are seeking a dynamic Senior Software Engineer to contribute to both existing and upcoming projects. In this role, you will develop software that powers advanced robotic systems while collaborating with internal teams and external sponsors across all stages of the product lifecycle. Our team brings together diverse backgrounds from robotics and adjacent industries to build robust, practical software and firmware, supporting applications that range from industrial operator-assist systems to agricultural productivity tools and autonomous safety platforms.

On a day-to-day basis, you will program and interface with custom sensors and hardware, debug prototype systems, and integrate software modules into complex, end-to-end platforms. Ultimately, you will play a key role in advancing our mission to pioneer high-impact robotics, ensuring our team consistently delivers groundbreaking results.

Your primary responsibilities include:

Design, develop, document, test, troubleshoot, and maintain software applications and integrated systems for both robotic and general-purpose applications. This may include: • Architect & Build Complex Systems: Design, develop, document, test, troubleshoot, and maintain core software applications and integrated systems for both robotic platforms and supporting infrastructure.

• Technical Leadership & Architecture: Drive high-level software architecture, data pipelines, and system requirements, balancing long-term scalability with real-world hardware constraints.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with hardware engineers, UI/UX developers, product leads, and project sponsors to translate complex operational needs into clear technical specifications and robust solutions.

• Mentorship & Team Growth: Actively mentor and support junior and mid-level engineers through constructive code reviews, technical guidance, and championing collaborative development practices.

• Tools, Infrastructure & Communication: Build and maintain development tools, CI/CD pipelines, logging/telemetry tools, and network communication protocols for real-time robotic systems.

• R&D and Continuous Innovation: Survey modern literature, benchmark open-source packages, and prototype state-of-the-art techniques (in C++ and Python) to solve novel, challenging robotics problems.

• F ull-Lifecycle Testing & Field Support: Lead testing across the complete lifecycle, from unit tests and simulation to hands-on testing with physical robot hardware, and support operators by diagnosing and resolving field issues.

Required Qualifications:

• Education & Experience: B.S. in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or equivalent experience, with 5+ years of professional software development experience (including advanced academic research).

• Advanced C++ & System Architecture: Strong mastery of modern C++ in a Linux environment, with a track record of designing clean, maintainable, and efficient system architectures.

• Rapid Prototyping & Scripting: High proficiency in Python (or similar scripting languages) for data analysis, automation, and quick technical validation.

• System & Network Communications: Practical experience with network protocols, IPC (Inter-Process Communication), hardware driver integration, or real-time data streaming.

• Inclusive Leadership & Communication: Exceptional technical communication skills, with a proven ability to explain complex concepts clearly, listen actively, and foster a supportive team environment.

• Robotics & Hardware Systems Context: Strong foundational understanding of software engineering concepts applied to physical or cyber-physical systems (e.g., state machines, sensor integration, or computer vision basics).

• Engineering Rigor: Deep familiarity with Git workflows, code reviews, automated testing frameworks, and bug tracking systems.

We especially want to hear from you if you have experience or qualifications in any of the following areas:

• Experience with robotics middleware or simulation environments (ROS / ROS 2, Gazebo, or custom middleware).

• Domain expertise in computer vision, motion planning, machine learning, kinematics, or graphics.

• Experience in embedded Linux, real-time systems (RTOS), or developing low-level hardware drivers.

• Background in data management, telemetry pipelines, or scientific computing.

• Experience leading technical projects or serving as a scrum master/tech lead in an agile, cross-functional team.

Other Requirements:

• Successful pre-employment background check

This position will require work on a variety of projects, including projects that involve military/defense applications and/or are funded by military/defense sponsors.

Are you interested in joining our versatile team at NREC where you will have a direct impact on operations and meaningful projects?

Join a collaborative environment where your hands-on skills, leadership, and mentorship will directly influence operations and inspire the next generation of innovators.

Why NREC? At NREC, you wil

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