Senior Robotics Engineer

About the Role This is a hands-on Senior Robotics Engineer role at a small, mission-driven aerospace and defense startup focused on high-speed interceptor platforms. You'll design the physical control systems that enable precise, fast-moving maneuvers — work that directly shapes mission-critical system performance against emerging threats. The team moves quickly, operates onsite, and ships field-ready capability. What You'll Do Design and implement physical control systems — the "body" — for interceptor platforms. Develop high-bandwidth control loops and advanced control algorithms (e.g., PID) to ensure vehicle stability and precise high-speed maneuvers under dynamic load. Write efficient embedded code (primarily Rust, C, or C++) to manage actuators, motor drivers via CAN, and sensors on RTOS. Integrate and fuse camera and IMU data using EKF/UKF on embedded platforms (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson) for real-time state estimation. Translate computer-vision tracking outputs into reliable motor commands that steer the interceptor. Build and maintain Python-based tools for calibration, logging, and CI/CD to support rapid iteration and deployment. What We're Looking For 6+ years of experience in robotics, embedded systems, or controls, with a track record delivering high-bandwidth control for fast-moving platforms. Strong control theory fundamentals — PID, model-predictive, or adaptive control — with hands-on performance tuning experience. Proficiency in Rust, C, or C++ for low-latency, embedded hardware interaction. Deep experience with embedded platforms (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson), camera pipelines, IMUs, and sensor fusion (EKF/UKF). Hands-on knowledge of motor drivers, CAN bus, RTOS, and ROS2/DDS or similar middleware. PCB design familiarity, EMC awareness, and comfort with lab tools such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and CAN analyzers. Experience with safety-critical workflows and prior work at a defense startup or on mission-driven hardware products. U.S. citizenship and the ability to pass a background check; existing security clearance or eligibility to obtain one is required. A genuine passion for building robots or hardware engineering projects. Compensation & Benefits Salary range: $150,000 – $250,000 USD annually. Visa sponsorship is not available; U.S. citizenship is required. Location On-site in Austin, Texas, USA. This role requires full-time, in-person presence.