Embedded Software Engineer, Safety Perception, Mobile Robotics

Description

Amazon Robotics is seeking an Embedded Software Engineer with Rust programming expertise to join our Safety Perception team and help build the safety-rated sensor processing firmware for one of the world's largest autonomous robot fleets. In this role, you will develop embedded firmware on heterogeneous multi-core ARM platforms - writing real-time safety applications, sensor processing pipelines, and system interfaces that enable robots operating in Amazon facilities worldwide to detect and respond to obstacles safely and reliably.

We are looking for someone who is proficient in Rust (or strong in C/C++ and eager to work in Rust), is comfortable working across the boundary between RTOS and Linux on the same chip, has experience with sensor data acquisition or signal processing, and can collaborate effectively with cross-functional hardware, functional safety, and navigation teams to deliver firmware that meets the rigor of IEC 61508 functional safety certification.

Key job responsibilities

The ideal candidate is passionate about building the right solutions for our customers and willing to work with other teams to ensure that our product meets Amazon-scale while simultaneously raising the bar for our custsomers' safety. They will:

• Develop and maintain safety-rated and non-safety-rated embedded firmware in Rust on heterogeneous multi-core platforms where real-time safety code and Linux-based services coexist on the same chip.

• Work across the full sensor processing pipeline; from driver integration and frame acquisition, through point cloud generation, to real-time collision detection - ensuring data integrity through black-channel diagnostics.

• Design and implement perception features that enable autonomous robots to detect and respond to obstacles under the constraints of IEC 61508 functional safety certification.

• Contribute to system interfaces and tooling (gRPC/protobuf APIs, CLI tools, visualization) that serve navigation, manufacturing, and field provisioning workflows.

• Produce design documents and safety analysis artifacts that meet the rigor required for third-party certification and witness testing.

• Debug issues end-to-end - from raw sensor data through embedded pipelines to safety system responses - on real robots at test facilities and in production.

A day in the life

No two days are the same. You might spend the morning writing a design document with stakeholders, then head to the test floor after lunch to debug an issue alongside electrical and QA engineers and determine if it is firmware, hardware, or a faulty sensor. That afternoon, you pivot to profiling a processing pipeline on the target platform, making sure it meets its latency budget. In between, you are working closely with teammates to bring it all together. Our engineers take complete ownership, from interrupt handlers to CI/CD pipelines to on-site data collection, and frequently enter new areas to meet our customers' needs.

Amazon offers a full range of benefits that support you and eligible family members, including domestic partners and their children. Benefits can vary by location, the number of regularly scheduled hours you work, length of employment, and job status such as seasonal or temporary employment. The benefits that generally apply to regular, full-time employees include:

1. Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage

2. Maternity and Parental Leave Options

3. Paid Time Off (PTO)

4. 401(k) Plan

If you are not sure that every qualification on the list above describes you exactly, we'd still love to hear from you! At Amazon, we value people with unique backgrounds, experiences, and skillsets. If you're passionate about this role and want to make an impact on a global scale, please apply!

About the team

The safety perception team is comprised of passionate embedded software engineers who apply innovative advances in robotics and sensor processing to solve real-world safety challenges. We write embedded Rust on platforms where correctness is not optional, and we own the full stack: from low-level driver integration to system APIs to the test infrastructure that proves our firmware works. We take our responsibility for safety seriously but challenge ourselves to produce the right product that also gives us the performance we need. We pay attention to the details so others do not have to, and strive to make systems that are natural and intuitive to use so that safety does not need a second thought.

Basic Qualifications

• 3+ years of non-internship professional software development experience

• 3+ years of non-internship design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience

• 2+ years of embedded firmware development experience

• Bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field

• Proficiency in embedded development in Rust; alternatively, strong C/C++ embedded experience with demonstrated willingness and ability to work in Rust

• Experience with sensor data acquisition or signal processing (cameras, LiDAR, time-of-flight, or similar)

Preferred Qualifications

• 3+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience

• Experience with hardware/software integration and real-time systems

• Knowledge of ARM CPUs

• Experience with general troubleshooting/debugging of hardware

• Experience writing low level drivers, or experience with interrupt service routines

• Experience with gRPC, Protocol Buffers, or similar RPC/serialization frameworks

• Familiarity developing embedded software in a safety-standards-controlled environment such as IEC 61508 or ISO 26262

• Working knowledge of 3D geometry, coordinate transforms, or point cloud processing

• Experience with robotics middleware (ROS/ROS2) or visualization tools (Foxglove, RViz)

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit for more information. If the country/region you're applying in isn't listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at .

USA, MA, North Reading - 143,700.00 - 194,400.00 USD annually

USA, MA, Westboro - 143,700.00 - 194,400.00 USD annually