Principal Robotics Engineer

ARA • San Antonio, TX

4h • Onsite

About The Position

ARA's Engineering Science Division is seeking a highly skilled robotics engineer for a full-stack role developing frontend and backend software for virtual simulation. The position is on-site in San Antonio, Texas, and requires U.S. citizenship. Candidates selected may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

The engineer will develop and maintain backend systems and user interfaces, build APIs and data exchange layers, contribute to high-fidelity simulation environments, and integrate autonomy capabilities with engineering teams. The role also includes improving software delivery and performance, reviewing code, and mentoring junior developers.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 12 or more years of experience; an advanced degree may partially fulfill the experience requirement.
• Expert-level proficiency in C++, Python, and JavaScript for backend and frontend systems development.
• Demonstrated experience with robotics software stacks, including ROS/ROS2, simulation environments, and sensor or autonomy integration.
• Demonstrated experience designing and maintaining APIs, CI/CD pipelines, and distributed system architectures.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills across complex software and hardware environments.
• U.S. citizenship.
• Must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information if selected and subject to a government security investigation.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Azure cloud services and cloud-native application development.
• Experience with Jira and Confluence for project tracking, documentation, and Agile workflow management.
• Experience building software for scalability, modularity, and long-term maintainability.
• Knowledge of physics-based modeling, environmental simulation, or digital twin concepts.

Responsibilities

• Architect, develop, and maintain backend systems using C++, Python, ROS/ROS2, and containerized deployment environments such as Docker.
• Implement scalable, maintainable build and CI/CD workflows using Git and automated pipelines.
• Develop frontend user interfaces and tools using JavaScript, Java-based GUI frameworks, REST APIs, and cloud-based technologies.
• Design and implement APIs and data exchange layers supporting simulation systems, autonomy behaviors, and sensor modeling.
• Contribute to high-fidelity simulation environments representing UUV dynamics, environmental conditions, sensor modalities, and mission workflows.
• Collaborate with autonomy and systems engineers to integrate perception, navigation, and control capabilities.
• Perform code reviews, mentor junior developers, and contribute to software engineering best practices.
• Troubleshoot and optimize software performance across distributed systems and heterogeneous hardware environments.
• Build and deploy containerized applications using Docker in development and production environments.

Benefits

• Employees are eligible for contributions through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
• ARA provides employees with tools, training, and opportunities to take active roles as owners.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal