Sr. Software Engineer - Wheeled Controls

Apptronik • Austin, TX

18h

About The Position

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Their flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is designed to collaborate with people in critical industries like manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare and the home. The company operates at the cutting edge of embodied AI, applying expertise across the full robotics stack to solve important societal problems. The Senior Software Engineer – Wheeled Controls will join a team focused on bringing Apollo to market at scale, addressing challenges such as safety, commercialization, and mass production. This role is responsible for developing and deploying high-performance motion control systems for robotic mobility, focusing on the critical software layer that coordinates wheeled mobility with upper-body manipulation. The engineer will ensure platforms move and interact with precision, stability, and reliability in complex environments, leading the development of estimation and control algorithms that unify wheel mobility and manipulation into a cohesive whole-body framework. As a senior team member, the individual will be an expert in taking robotic platforms through the full lifecycle, from initial algorithm design to commercial-grade deployment, and will manage the coordination of base motion with arm/torso dynamics, coupled reaction forces, and product robustness for mission-critical applications.

Requirements

• Deep understanding of classical and modern control theory applied to whole-body loco-manipulation systems, including coupled mobile base and multi-DOF manipulator dynamics.
• Strong experience with Kalman Filtering and sensor fusion (IMU, encoders, LiDAR, F/T sensors) for whole-body state estimation.
• High proficiency in modern C++ (14/17/20) for real-time systems, with a focus on memory management and performance optimization.
• Extensive experience with Custom middleware and its real-time capabilities.
• A proven track record of taking complex wheeled-base platforms to market or deploying robotic fleets in commercial/industrial settings.
• MS or PhD in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 5+ years of relevant industry experience (or 3+ years with a PhD) specifically focused on mobile robotics and wheeled motion control.
• Direct experience taking a wheeled-base platform through the full product lifecycle, from initial control design to factory exit and customer deployment.

Nice To Haves

• Deep familiarity with the stack, including custom plugin development (Controller, Planner, or Recovery behaviors).
• Experience navigating safety certification processes and implementing safety-critical software architectures.
• Expertise in modeling and identifying the dynamics of complex electromechanical drive systems.
• Experience using MuJoCo or Isaac Sim to validate control stability before deploying to physical hardware.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and tune whole-body controllers that coordinate wheeled base motion with upper-body manipulation. This includes state-estimation (EKF, UKF), base controllers (MPC, PID), and arm/torso trajectory tracking with dynamic coupling compensation.
• Develop the low-level software interface between high-level planning stacks and both wheel drive and upper-body actuators (joints, grippers), ensuring deterministic performance, low-latency communication, and coordinated multi-DOF control.
• Drive the transition of wheeled platforms to market-ready status. This includes implementing safety-rated speed monitoring, emergency stop logic, and ensuring compliance with industry safety certifications ((e.g., ISO 13849, ISO 10218, ANSI/RIA R15.08).
• Work closely with perception and autonomy teams to integrate mobile manipulation planners—coordinating base repositioning with grasp/task planning for seamless loco-manipulation behaviors.
• Refine sensor fusion techniques (IMU, Wheel Encoders, LiDAR) to provide highly accurate and resilient odometry in diverse, real-world environments.
• Lead field testing and rigorous validation of motion control performance across various floor types, inclines, and payload configurations.
• Maintain high standards for the codebase by writing production-grade, real-time C++ . Lead peer reviews and maintain comprehensive documentation for the controls architecture.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees