The Personal Robotics Group is pioneering intelligent robotic products that deliver meaningful customer experiences. We're building the next generation of robotic systems that will redefine how customers interact with technology. Our work spans the full spectrum from advanced hardware design to sophisticated software and control systems, combining mechanical innovation, software engineering, dynamic systems modeling, and intelligent algorithms to create robots that are not just functional, but delightful. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of personal robotics working with world-class teams pushing the boundaries of what's possible in robotic manipulation, locomotion, and human-robot interaction.

We're seeking a Senior Roboticist SDE to join our platform software team to design software for our advanced robotic platform with a focus on functional safety integration. You'll be responsible for developing real-time robotics software that bridges high-level planning with low-level control, ensuring safe and reliable operation in home environments. This role combines deep robotics expertise with safety-critical system design, requiring someone who can architect software for manipulation and locomotion while understanding the constraints and requirements of functional safety systems.

You'll work closely with the Principal Platform Software Architect and Principal Safety Software Architect to ensure your robotics software integrates seamlessly with the platform and meets safety requirements. You'll collaborate with other platform software engineers, controls engineers on algorithm deployment, lead technical discussions on real-time system integration, and mentor junior engineers on robotics software best practices. This role is critical for establishing the robotics software foundation that enables safe, autonomous operation in production.

Join us if you're passionate about creating the future of personal robotics, solving complex challenges at the intersection of robotics and safety-critical systems, and seeing your innovations deliver transformative customer experiences.

Key job responsibilities
As a Senior Roboticist SDE, you'll lead the technical design and architecture of robotics software systems that enable manipulation, locomotion, and safe interaction with the environment. You'll work as both a technical leader and hands-on developer to architect software frameworks for real-time control system integration, design interfaces between high-level planning and low-level actuation, and ensure robotics software meets functional safety requirements.

- Lead robotics software architecture design for manipulation and locomotion control systems, defining real-time control integration patterns and safety-aware execution frameworks
- Design and implement software frameworks for deploying control algorithms on real-time systems, ensuring deterministic behavior and meeting hard real-time constraints (ie. 1kHz+ control loops)
- Architect interfaces between perception, planning, and control subsystems using ROS 2, establishing communication patterns that support real-time performance
- Integrate with industrial communication protocols (EtherCAT) for motor controller and actuator communication across the distributed robotic system
- Develop sensor integration software for robotics applications including IMUs, force/torque sensors, tactile sensors, and cameras, with appropriate data pipelines and processing
- Collaborate with controls engineers to deploy and validate control algorithms, ensuring they meet performance requirements and safety constraints
- Work with the Principal Platform Software Architect on robotics middleware architecture and API contracts between robotics applications and platform services
- Mentor engineers on robotics software development, real-time systems design, and safety-critical software practices

A day in the life
You'll start your day reviewing a software architecture proposal on real-time control loop integration, providing feedback on scheduling strategies and deterministic execution. You'll join a technical discussion with the Principal Safety Software Architect and controls team to define software architecture for safety-critical manipulation functions, contributing insights on redundancy patterns and fail-safe behaviors.

In the afternoon, you'll work with a controls engineer to integrate a newly developed locomotion control algorithm, validating the software framework supports 1kHz execution frequency and optimizing deployment to eliminate timing jitter. You'll lead a design session architecting the sensor fusion framework that combines IMU data, force/torque measurements, and tactile feedback for safe physical interaction.

You'll debug a communication issue between the ROS 2 planning subsystem and real-time control layer, then work with a junior engineer to implement a more robust communication pattern. You'll wrap up presenting your robotics software architecture to cross-functional stakeholders, incorporating feedback into the evolving design while collaborating across robotics software, platform software, controls engineering, and safety teams.

About the team
The Personal Robotics Group is pioneering intelligent robotic products that deliver meaningful customer experiences. We're the team behind Amazon Astro, and we're building the next generation of robotic systems that will redefine how customers interact with technology. Our work spans the full spectrum from advanced hardware design to sophisticated software and control systems, combining mechanical innovation, software engineering, dynamic systems modeling, and intelligent algorithms to create robots that are not just functional, but delightful. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of personal robotics working with world-class teams pushing the boundaries of what's possible in robotic manipulation, locomotion, and human-robot interaction.

Join us if you're passionate about creating the future of personal robotics, solving complex challenges at the intersection of hardware and software, and seeing your innovations deliver transformative customer experiences.

Basic Qualifications

- 8+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 8+ years of programming with at least one software programming language experience
- 5+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team
- 5+ years experience with robotics systems including manipulation, locomotion, or mobile robotics platforms
- 5+ years experience with real-time control systems, sensor integration, and understanding of control systems concepts
- Proficiency in C/C++ for real-time robotics applications and experience with ROS/ROS 2 for robotics middleware

Preferred Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent
- Experience with industrial communication protocols (EtherCAT, CAN, CANopen) for robotics applications
- Understanding of functional safety concepts (ISO 13849, IEC 61508, ISO 13482) and experience designing redundant or fail-safe systems
- Experience with safety-critical robotics systems or working with functional safety teams
- Knowledge of real-time operating systems (RTOS) including QNX, FreeRTOS, or similar platforms
- Experience with heterogeneous compute platforms featuring application processors and real-time microcontrollers
- Background in robotics, locomotion, or advanced manipulation systems
- Strong technical communication skills with experience presenting architecture to stakeholders
- Track record of establishing technical standards and software development practices for robotics systems

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

Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

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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 https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, CA, Sunnyvale - 193,300.00 - 261,500.00 USD annually