Senior Software Engineer, ROS

FieldAI

’s Irvine team is where embodied AI meets real robots, real sensors, and real field deployments. Based in the heart of Southern California’s robotics ecosystem, we build risk-aware, reliable, field-ready AI systems that solve the hardest problems in robotics and unlock the full potential of embodied intelligence. If you want your work to ship, get tested on hardware, and improve through real deployments, Irvine is the place. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-only architectures, combining rigorous engineering with learning systems proven in globally deployed solutions that deliver results today and get better every time our robots run in the field.

As a ROS Developer, you will play a critical role in developing advanced robotic applications built on our autonomy API for diverse real-world industries, including oil & gas, construction, and mining. You will focus on designing, implementing, and optimizing perception, localization, and control modules using ROS/ROS2 to create production-grade software for autonomous systems operating in some of the world's harshest environments. This role is ideal for engineers passionate about sensor integration, robust system development, and deploying scalable autonomy solutions tailored to high-impact industrial applications.

What You Will Get To Do

• Develop and maintain ROS/ROS2 packages for robotic autonomy, including navigation, mapping, and control.
• Integrate and calibrate multi-modal sensors (LiDAR, thermal, RGB, GPS, IMU) for use in autonomous missions.
• Help in building autonomy APIs that allow modular interfacing with SLAM, path planning, and mission logic.
• Implement and optimize real-time data processing pipelines using C++ and Python.
• Collaborate with perception engineers on integrating AI-driven insights for robotic decision-making.
• Design and test autonomous behavior on physical platforms in real-world field scenarios.
• Troubleshoot robotic systems at the hardware-software interface and develop diagnostics and recovery systems.

What You Have

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or a related technical field.
• Strong software engineering skills, with proven experience building production-quality robotics applications.
• Expertise in C++ and Python, writing clean, efficient, and maintainable code using modern best practices.
• Hands-on experience developing with ROS/ROS2, including designing, building, and deploying custom nodes into complex robotic systems. 
• Solid understanding of localization, SLAM, sensor fusion, and navigation systems. 
• Familiarity with sensor integration (LiDAR, thermal, RGB, depth, GPS, IMU) and multi-modal data handling.
• Practical experience with state estimation frameworks and real-time data processing pipelines. 
• Comfortable working with system-level topics like networking, inter-process communication (IPC), and middleware.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail, able to work independently while managing multiple priorities.
• Highly self-motivated, with excellent written and verbal communication skills and a strong collaborative mindset.

What Will Set You Apart

• Experience deploying robotic software in production environments (construction, mining, oil & gas, or similar industries).
• Familiarity with noisy sensor data and building robust, resilient algorithms.
• Experience integrating robotic systems with web services, APIs, and cloud infrastructure.
• Background in working with computationally constrained platforms and optimizing for real-time performance.

Our salary range is generous and we consider each individual’s background and experience when determining final compensation. Base pay may vary based on role scope, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and the Irvine, California market.

Why Join FieldAI in Irvine?

In Irvine, you will work where the robots are. Our local team builds and tests systems on real hardware with real sensors, then ships them to operate in unstructured, previously unknown environments around the world. We are solving one of robotics’ hardest challenges: reliable deployment outside the lab. Our Field Foundational Models™ raise the bar for perception, planning, localization, and manipulation, with an emphasis on explainability and safety for real-world use.

You will collaborate with a world-class team that thrives on creativity, resilience, and bold thinking. We bring deep experience from organizations such as DeepMind, NASA JPL, Boston Dynamics, NVIDIA, Amazon, Tesla Autopilot, Cruise, Zoox, Toyota Research Institute, and SpaceX, along with a track record of field deployments and strong performance in DARPA challenge segments.

Be Part of the Next Robotics Revolution

We are looking for builders who want their work to leave the whiteboard and show up on robots. If you enjoy tackling tough, uncharted questions and working across disciplines, you will find your people here. Our teams span AI, software, robotics engineering, product, field deployment, and technical communication, all focused on shipping systems that perform in the real world.

Our headquarters is in Irvine, and we partner closely with teams there as well as colleagues across the US and around the world. Join us in Southern California and help define what dependable, field-ready autonomy looks like.

We value diverse perspectives and are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. We evaluate candidates and employees based on merit, qualifications, and performance, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally protected status.

Compensation: USD 180,000 – 250,000 per year salary