Staff Robotics Software Engineer, Perception & AI

What we need

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.

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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. The compensation package includes medical, dental, vision, disability, 401K, PTO and/or other benefits.