Senior Software Engineer, Robotics

About Us

With more than 2 million nautical miles sailed and 50,000 days at sea, Saildrone has earned the trust of governments worldwide. Our unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) deliver continuous, real-time intelligence in the toughest oceans on Earth—giving our partners faster awareness, stronger security, and a decisive edge at sea.

Our USVs are long-range, extreme-endurance platforms powered by advanced sensors and proprietary AI - they have been designed to operate where no crewed vessel can. They collect critical insights above and below the surface to support border security, law enforcement, naval operations, and undersea infrastructure protection.

Headquartered in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington, DC, and global deployment hubs, Saildrone operates missions worldwide. Join a fast-moving, mission-driven team at the intersection of AI, autonomy, and defense technology—where data turns into intelligence, and intelligence drives action.

The Role

We’re seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Robotics Software Engineer to join our core vehicle systems team. In this role, you'll lead efforts to integrate and support new sensors and hardware subsystems for our autonomous marine vehicles. Your expertise in C++, along with a solid foundation in robotics and real-world hardware integration, will be key to evolving our capabilities in data acquisition, navigation, and autonomy. You will be responsible for developing and maintaining critical onboard software components, including telemetry systems (data libraries and satellite communications), actuator control, and power system interfaces. A significant focus of this role is expanding our vehicle's ability to support emerging capabilities, including bringing up new devices, managing sensor data streams, and coordinating across hardware and firmware teams.

As a senior engineer, you'll guide the technical direction of our codebase, architect robust interfaces for new hardware, and mentor junior engineers. You’ll play a crucial role in ensuring our software remains high-quality, efficient, and reliable in extreme, long-duration deployments. Saildrones operate in some of the world’s harshest maritime environments for up to a year at sea. This demands a rigorous approach to hardware-in-the-loop testing, thoughtful design for constrained compute environments, and software that can adapt to the evolving capabilities of our hardware.

This role is required to be onsite in Alameda, CA in the Bay Area 3 days per week - this is our hybrid model. This is not a remote position.

Required skills and experience

• 6+ years of professional software development experience, with expert-level proficiency in C++

• Proven track record integrating sensors and hardware in robotics or autonomous systems

• Strong system architecture and algorithm design skills for resource-constrained environments

• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams across hardware, firmware, and testing

• Demonstrated leadership and mentorship abilities with excellent communication skills

• BA/BS in related field

Desired skills and experience

• Experience with oceanographic, navigation, or environmental sensors, including calibration and validation

• Proficiency in Python for scripting, tooling, and data analysis

• Familiarity with simulation and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing environments

• Knowledge of communication protocols (TCP/IP, CAN, J1939, NMEA-2000) and interfacing with embedded firmware

• Experience with protobuf and interfacing with cloud systems

Physical requirements

● Work is performed on a computer and requires ability to operate a keyboard and other peripheral devices.

Location: This is a hybrid position reporting to our Alameda, CA 3 days per week. Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay in always sunny Alameda.

All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. Please note that the Company does not sponsor employees for work visas or permanent resident cards to work in the U.S. If you need sponsorship for a work visa or green card, you will not be qualified for employment with Saildrone.

Benefits:

• Paid time off, including vacation, bereavement, jury duty, sick time and parental leave

• Comprehensive and competitive medical, dental and vision plans, and HSA with employer matching.

• Company sponsored life insurance

• Stock Options

• Annual stipend for continued learning and development

• Quarterly company BBQs at our Alameda HQ (bring your friends and family!)

• Free Bay Area Public Transportation via AlamedaTMA with the BayPass Clipper Card

The salary range for this role is $176,400-$226,800 annually.

Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, and relevant experience, among other factors.

Saildrone is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

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