Principal Robotics Software Engineer

Job overview

The Principal Robotics Software Engineer role is onsite five days per week in San Francisco, CA, with regular field-test days; base salary is $235,000–$305,000 per year. Clera’s defense technology team builds autonomous robotic systems for countering unmanned aircraft. As the robotics team’s most senior individual contributor, the engineer develops production C++ across the robotics stack and advances prototypes toward reliable field deployment. The role also establishes system-wide timing, threading, latency, and safety practices while mentoring teammates and debugging on real hardware.

What you'll do

• Write and own production C++ across the robotics software stack
• define timing, threading, latency, and safety contracts across perception and control
• advance prototype software toward field deployment through release processes, packaging, CI/CD, QA, and hardware-in-the-loop testing
• mentor and grow the robotics team while remaining hands-on
• debug issues on real hardware, including during regular field tests.

What we're looking for

Skills & competencies

principal robotics software engineer

robotics software

c++

autonomous systems

defense technology

perception and control

ci/cd

hardware-in-the-loop testing

san francisco ca

clera

$235k–$305k

onsite

Work arrangement

• Weekend coverage required

Why this role

Requires 10 or more years of hands-on robotics software engineering experience, including shipped systems, and U.S. Person status. Visa sponsorship is not available.

About the employer

Clera is hiring for this role. Industry: Computer Systems Design Services. Sector: 54.