Senior Software Engineer - Navigation

Apptronik is building robots for the real world to improve human quality of life and to help solve the ever-increasing labor shortage problem. Our team has been building some of the most advanced robots on the planet for years, dating back to the DARPA Robotics Challenge. We apply our expertise across the full robotics stack to some of the most important and impactful problems our society faces, and expect our products and technology to change the world for the better. We value passion, creativity, and collaboration to help us overcome existing technological barriers in the industry to create truly innovative products.

You will join a team developing state-of-the-art general-purpose robots designed to operate in human spaces and with human tools. It is designed to work alongside humans, mobilize to human spaces, and manipulate the world around it.

JOB SUMMARY:

As a Senior Software Engineer - Navigation at Apptronik, you will lead the development of advanced navigation systems that empower our general-purpose robots to seamlessly operate in human environments. These robots are designed to move, work, and interact alongside people — in spaces built for humans — performing meaningful tasks that improve efficiency and quality of life.

You will be responsible for designing and deploying high-performance, robust, and scalable navigation software that allows our robots to traverse dynamic, semi-structured environments safely and intelligently. This role sits at the intersection of autonomy, perception, and controls, requiring both deep technical expertise and strong systems-level thinking.

Essential Duties and Key Responsibilities

• Architect, implement, and deploy state-of-the-art navigation systems for humanoid robots operating in human-centric environments.

• Design global and local path planning methods, incorporating obstacle avoidance, recovery behaviors, and failure-mode handling.

• Encode human-aware navigation behaviors for safe, predictable motion in shared spaces.

• Work closely with Autonomy, Perception, and Controls teams to deliver cohesive, real-world-capable navigation systems.

• Validate algorithms in both high-fidelity simulation and physical robot environments.

• Create automated and continuous integration test frameworks for robust software delivery.

• Maintain well-documented, modular codebases with rigorous code reviews and CI pipelines.

• Author technical design documents and system diagrams.

• Guide junior engineers, foster a culture of collaboration, and uphold Apptronik’s core values: Curiosity, Humility, Integrity, Passion, and Creativity.

Skills and Required Qualifications

• Strong proficiency in C++ (modern standards) in a Linux environment.

• Deep understanding of robot navigation fundamentals, including:

• Path planning, motion control, collision avoidance, and estimation.

• Mapping and localization (e.g., SLAM).

• Multi-agent planning or human-aware navigation is a plus.

• Familiarity with reinforcement learning or learning-based planning methods.

• Experience integrating navigation stacks with perception and control systems.

• Proven track record of delivering production-grade navigation software for autonomous robots.

• Experience with real-world robot testing, debugging, and tuning.

• Experience with ROS/ROS2, CI/CD, and modern software development best practices.

• Strong debugging and profiling skills for performance optimization.

• Strong cross-functional collaboration and communication skills.

• Thrives in a fast-paced, hands-on environment delivering real-world results.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• MS or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical/Mechanical Engineering, or a related field (or BS with equivalent industry experience).

• 5+ years developing and deploying navigation or autonomy systems for mobile robots.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• [Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer

• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times

• Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen

• Hearing and speech to communicate]

*This is a direct hire. Please, no outside Agency solicitations.

Apptronik provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.