Senior Robotics Software Engineer

Role OverviewWe are seeking a Senior Robotics Software Engineer to own the software that runs on our robotic platforms, including the on-robot services that connect to the cloud, the ROS 2 system that coordinates motion, handling, liquid handling and imaging subsystems, motor and device drivers over CAN and EtherCAT, and the containers, system services and CI pipeline that deploy and maintain it. You will lead the move to a single, production-ready software platform that runs reliably over long-term operation, is easy to maintain, and scales across hardware generations, robots and customer labs.This is a senior individual-contributor role reporting to the CTO. You will work with a robotics software engineer, a web-platform engineer, our mechanical and electrical engineers, and the scientists who use the machine. You will also be on site when a unit is installed.What You Will Work OnBuild one software platform that supports multiple hardware generations through configuration and driver plugins, without separate code branchesEngineer for high reliability: automatic recovery from device, bus and peripheral faults, with safety interlocks and motion boundary checks enforced on the machineMake robot behavior observable and maintainable, with a clear command model and a single source of truth for system configurationBring vision-based verification into production so the robot confirms critical steps on its ownScale the hardware-in-the-loop deployment pipeline and fleet operations across many robots and customer labs, with smooth customer installationsResponsibilitiesRobot SoftwareDesign, implement and maintain ROS 2 nodes, actions and drivers for gantry, flask handling, gripper, pipette and imaging subsystems in C++ and PythonOwn the hardware-profile and driver abstraction so new gantry generations are configuration and a driver plugin, not a forkImplement safety interlocks, E-stop handling and motion boundary checks on the machine, independent of the cloudDeployment & ReliabilityBuild and maintain the robot container image, systemd units, selftest gate and GitHub Actions hardware-in-the-loop deploy pipelineMake device, bus and camera recovery automatic; turn field failures into tests and gatesManage Git across nested repositories: submodule pins, long-lived branch merges, release taggingField & System-Level WorkProvision, install and commission robots at customer sites, including network setup and device authentication, and support them afterwardCollaborate with mechanical and electrical engineers on new hardware bring-up and with the web team on the robot-to-cloud contractWork with scientists to turn lab workflows into robust automated behavior; conduct root cause analysis and keep design docs currentQualificationsBS or MS in CS, ME, EE, Robotics or a related field, or equivalent experience5+ years building software that controls physical machines, at least 2 on systems that shipped to customersStrong modern C++ and Python on Linux; hands-on ROS 2 (nodes, actions, services, launch, colcon)Fieldbus and motor-control experience: CAN or EtherCAT, servo drive configuration, homing, limits, fault recoveryDocker and systemd in production; CI pipelines that deploy to real hardwareGit fluency beyond the basics: submodules, rebases, merging long-lived branches without losing workA safety mindset: you have designed or commissioned an E-stop chain and know why interlocks live on the machineExperience installing or commissioning equipment at a customer siteWilling to travel to customer labs, roughly one week per month at peakNice-to-HavesEtherCAT specifically (SOEM or IgH, CiA 402 drives)GitHub Actions self-hosted runners; Google Cloud (Artifact Registry, Cloud Run) or similarComputer vision in production: OpenCV, fiducials, or learned detectors on embedded GPUsExposure to biotech, lab automation, liquid handling or wet-lab environmentsExperience carrying one product across more than one hardware generationPerks & Growth OpportunitiesCompetitive compensation (based on experience) and early-stage equityOwnership of the robot software, from motor control to the customer-facing systemImmersive experience in startup building, with exposure to product, strategy, fundraising, and operationsWork at the forefront of innovation, combining AI, robotics, and life sciencesEnd-to-end involvement, from concept development to commercial deploymentCross-functional collaboration with engineers, scientists, and industry leadersTap into Boston's robotics and deep-tech ecosystem, with founders, investors and industry experts at MassRobotics and The Engine
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