Senior Robotics Engineer

KION•Grand Rapids, MI

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

KION Group is hiring a Senior Robotics Engineer for its Robotic Systems Development team within the Central Technology Organization. The position contributes to development of mobile robotic systems and software products for the Americas region, working with a globally distributed team. The role is based near Grand Rapids, Michigan, and follows a hybrid schedule: three days in the office and two days optionally working from home. Travel of up to 30%, including domestic and international trips to the Americas, EMEA, and APAC, is expected. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship. The engineer will architect and develop core C++ software for embedded onboard systems, simulation, and deployment, while building tools and frameworks for internal teams and robotic platforms. The position contributes technical direction in software structure, system design, and performance optimization, and collaborates with robotics, cloud, and systems teams. It also involves mentoring engineers, reviewing work, establishing engineering practices, and contributing to the technical roadmap. The role requires a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or equivalent experience, in a relevant technical discipline, and at least five years of professional C++ software engineering and robotics experience. Candidates should have expertise in modern C++, software architecture, real-time or distributed systems, Linux, debugging, and profiling, as well as hands-on experience with ROS/ROS2 or another robotics framework. The estimated base pay range is $113,625–$151,500; final compensation depends on factors including work location, education, experience, knowledge, and skills.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or master’s degree, or equivalent experience, in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Robotics, or a related technical field.
At least 5 years of professional experience in C++ software engineering and robotics.
Deep expertise in modern C++ (C++17/20), the STL, memory management, and performance tuning.
Strong background in software architecture and large codebases.
Experience with multithreaded, distributed, or real-time systems.
A track record in mentoring, team leadership, or technical ownership.
Excellent understanding of Linux, debugging, and profiling tools.
Ability to work across C++, scripting with Python or Bash, and integration tasks.
Hands-on experience with ROS/ROS2 or other robotics frameworks.
Authorization to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. or equivalent experience in research or innovation.
Prior work in autonomous systems, robotics, or embedded environments.
Familiarity with middleware such as DDS, ZeroMQ, or gRPC, and with containerization and orchestration tools.
Experience in system integration, hardware/software interfacing, or deployment pipelines.
Experience working in fast-paced research and development environments.
Strong mathematical knowledge, such as optimization and polynomials.

Responsibilities

Develop foundational software for mobile robotic systems for the Americas region as part of a globally distributed team.
Architect and develop core C++ software systems for embedded onboard software, simulation, and deployment.
Develop tools and frameworks for internal teams and robotic platforms.
Drive technical direction in code structure, system design, and performance optimization.
Collaborate with robotics, cloud, and systems teams on cross-functional efforts.
Mentor and review the work of junior and mid-level engineers.
Define engineering best practices and contribute to the technical roadmap.
Contribute to the strategic direction of robotics software initiatives.
Use simulation, tooling, and platform management to support software scalability and use-case handling through perception and configuration.
Collaborate with fellow engineers and encourage a culture of technical innovation.