Senior Robotics Engineer

Firestorm•San Diego, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Firestorm is seeking a skilled Robotics Engineer to join our innovative engineering team in building autonomy and mission systems for next-generation defense platforms. As a Junior Robotics Engineer, you will support software development, testing, and integration for autonomous systems operating in real environments. You’ll help bring autonomy from simulation to field readiness by working across perception, controls, and system integration. This role is hands-on, fast-paced, and offers significant growth and ownership while working alongside experienced engineers.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
Minimum 4+ years of professional experience in a robotics engineering role
Thorough knowledge of robotics fundamentals including perception, controls, or autonomy concepts
Demonstrated hands-on experience in robotics, controls, or dynamics
Proficiency in C++, Python, and Matlab/Octave
Strong communication and documentation skills, capable of conveying complex technical details to diverse audiences
Exposure to ROS/ROS2, simulation frameworks (e.g., Gazebo, Isaac, PX4), or real-time systems
Ability to work hands-on with hardware, sensors, and embedded platforms
Must be a U.S. Person (citizen or permanent resident) and able to work on-site in San Diego.
Willingness to travel approximately 1 week per month to support flight testing and demonstrations (travel expenses covered)

Nice To Haves

Ph.D in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
Experience with flying platforms using PX4 or Arduplane codebases integrated with ROS
Familiarity with Agile development processes
High proficiency in C, C++, Python, and Matlab/Octave
Experience flying RC fixed-wing aircraft
Demonstrated experience developing multi-robot communication systems and control algorithms
Experience with drones, autonomous vehicles, embedded systems, or aerospace platforms
Hands-on lab, flight-test, or field robotics experience (RC aircraft, UAS, fixed-wing preferred)
Exposure to Git-based workflows, CI/CD, and automated testing
Adept in architecting and implementing modular decision trees and behavior nodes to support advanced autonomous behaviors in ariel vehicles

Responsibilities

Support development of autonomy and mission-system software components
Develop, implement, and optimize algorithms for real-time perception, localization, and path planning
Implement vision-based target-tracking strategies
Design and integrate interfaces for terminal guidance systems
Build and execute simulation and hardware-in-the-loop testing workflows
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful deployment and integration of robotics solutions
Develop data collection pipelines to aid our perception stack, monitoring system performance of onboard autonomy, and provide insights for continuous improvement
Build and maintain autonomy simulation environments
Research and prototype multi-aircraft control algorithms, focusing on communication and coordination across platforms
Integrate sensors, compute hardware, and communication systems into development and test environments
Collect, process, and analyze sensor and flight-test data to drive system improvements
Create tools, automation, and test scripts to accelerate development and validation
Participate actively in design reviews, providing and receiving constructive feedback to improve solutions
Work hands-on with real-time embedded systems and autonomy stacks
Debug and troubleshoot performance issues across software and hardware
Support flight tests and field events, including test planning, execution, and data review

Benefits

We offer comprehensive medical, dental, and visions plans
401(k) Retirement Savings Plan to invest in your long-term retirement goals
Equity grants for new hires
Unlimited PTO
Extremely generous company holiday calendar, including a holiday hiatus in November, & December.
Generous Parental Leave
Lifestyle Spending Account
FSA
DCFSA
HSA
Hospital Indemnity insurance
Critical Illness insurance
Accident insurance
Basic Life/AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance, 100% covered by Firestorm. Plus, the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your family.
Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, are available to you as well.