Software Engineer

Ocean Power Technologies Inc•Monroe Township, NJ

2d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a Software Engineer to join the engineering team in our headquarters office in Monroe Twp., NJ, focused on developing and deploying software for our WAM-V® and PowerBuoy® platforms. This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys working at the intersection of marine ISR, marine vehicle autonomy, and graphical user interface (GUI) design. You will take ownership of key software components supporting sensor processing and fusion, graphical rendering of sensor data, data recording, and vehicle autonomy. While based in our NJ office, this role will require close collaboration with cross-functional engineering teams in both our NJ and CA offices. This role requires someone who is comfortable working across the stack from embedded firmware and Linux-based backend services to desktop GUI applications. While marine ISR and robotics experience is valuable, we prioritize strong fundamentals in C/C++, UI/UX design, networking, and system integration. The ideal candidate is highly collaborative, practical, and motivated to see their software operate on real hardware in challenging ocean environments. This position offers the opportunity to directly impact mission-critical autonomy systems, including sensor integration, vehicle coordination, and resilient communications, helping shape the future of marine robotics and autonomous maritime operations.

Requirements

US citizenship
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field
Minimum 2 years of experience in a software engineering role
Strong proficiency in C++, particularly in embedded Linux applications and Windows-based GUI applications. Experience with video processing protocols and libraries (e.g., H.264, HEVC, MPEG-TS, ffmpeg, gStreamer) is strongly desired
Experience with software build systems and tools (e.g., CMake, make/ninja, gcc/clang, Git)
Experience with network analysis and debugging tools (e.g., Wireshark, tcpdump) and C/C++ application debugging tools (GDB, LLDB, WinDbg, ASan).
Experience with networking and communications systems/protocols, such as UDP, TCP, RTSP/RTP, and SRT.
Solid understanding of software architecture, testing, and debugging practices
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to debug complex, integrated systems
Ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams

Nice To Haves

Experience with UI/UX design, especially with real-time data rendering applications
Expertise with optimizing performance of network pipelines to minimize latency for real-time data presentation.
Experience in computer vision or sensor processing for robotics applications. Familiarity with NVIDIA-based AI/compute tools (e.g., CUDA, TensorRT, DeepStream, Jetson Linux) is strongly desired.
Experience with autonomous navigation and path-planning algorithms, particularly in unstructured environments
Willingness to participate in hands-on testing, including field deployments and sea trials
Ability to travel occasionally for testing, operations, and customer demonstrations
Eligibility to obtain U.S. government security clearance (if required)

Responsibilities

Develop robust, reliable, and maintainable software components to support OPT’s marine ISR platform (Merrows™) and the WAM-V® autonomy and control platform.
Integrate embedded software and firmware with OPT’s GUI applications, working closely with electrical, mechanical, and embedded engineers
Work with diverse sensor inputs (e.g., cameras, radar, sonar, GPS, Starlink, cellular) to: Enable data acquisition, perception, and autonomy behaviors Support development of obstacle detection and avoidance capabilities Implement comprehensive, performant, and accessible data recording mechanisms
Contribute to autonomy capabilities, including vehicle coordination and multi-domain operations (surface, subsea, aerial)
Develop and maintain simulation tools to model sensor inputs and vehicle behavior in dynamic ocean environments and support testing and validation
Debug and troubleshoot complex issues across software, networking, and hardware systems, both in the lab and in field deployments
Maintain clear technical documentation, including software architecture, APIs, and test procedures
Support field testing, sea trials, and system bring-up as needed