Robotics Controls Engineer

Robot Controls And Machine Learning SpecialistBacked by leading climate and American dynamism investors, Terranova builds intelligent robotic systems to terraform the Earth itself - lifting land, restoring wetlands, and protecting critical infrastructure from floods and sea-level rise.Our mission is to preserve the built environment, create new habitats, and usher in an era of abundance. Our work supports climate resilience, disaster recovery, and defense across the United States and beyond.We're assembling a world-class team that wants to work on something real, physical, and civilization-scale. If you want your work to reshape the world (literally), this is the place to do it.What To ExpectWe're seeking a robot controls and machine learning specialist to develop algorithms that give our robotic systems adaptive, intelligent behavior. You'll design and tune controllers, build dynamic models, and integrate them with perception and sensor data. This is a chance to bridge classical control with modern machine learning to shape how machines move through the Earth.Key ResponsibilitiesDevelop and tune controllers (PID, MPC, optimal/robust control) for dynamic, nonlinear systems.Build and validate physical models for simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and autonomy.Train and deploy ML models for perception, planning, or adaptive control (supervised or RL).Integrate algorithms with firmware and cloud teams, ensuring real-time safety and stability.Profile, optimize, and verify performance under latency, jitter, and compute constraintsComfortable with the pace and intensity of early-stage startup life, including long days, 6-day workweeks, and extended field hoursBachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science or related fieldU.S. permanent residency requiredPreferred Skills And ExperiencePython/C++ with PyTorch/JAXMPC/OSQP/CasADiEKF/UKF/factor graphsSystem ID, RL (PPO/SAC) with safety shieldsROS2, ONNX/TensorRTLatency and jitter profilingPCB and embedded systems design skills are a huge bonusIdeal ArchetypeHave worked on large complex robotic systems - various sensors, multiple motors/robots, reinforcement learning based on robot dataMaker background - love building stuff, work is fun to youComing from a startup environment - high ownership, fast paced environment