Robotics Low-level Software Engineer - Ultra Mobility Vehicle (UMV)
The Ai Institute
Software Engineering
United States · Cambridge, MA, USA
Posted on Nov 7, 2025
Our mission is to solve the most important and fundamental challenges in AI and Robotics to enable future generations of intelligent machines that will help us all live better lives.
As a Robotics Low-level SW Engineer, you will work cross-functionally with a talented team of engineers and researchers to develop cutting-edge robotic systems. Your contributions will directly advance the state of the art in robotics. We operate onsite at our Cambridge, MA office, fostering a collaborative and dynamic environment.
About UMV:
Ultra Mobile Vehicle (UMV) is focused on advancing robot mobility to make machines more useful in everyday life. The team combines wheels, dynamic legged systems, and whole-body behavior to reach higher levels of movement capability. Using fast terrain perception, our robots adapt to their environment by rolling over or jumping on obstacles. This research is central to developing robotic systems that move with speed, agility, and versatility.
What You Will Do:
- Collaborate with research and hardware teams to design, develop, test, and maintain high performance robotic systems
- Write, test, and maintain low-level software solutions for robot deployment; This includes host-side drivers, network interfaces, etc to integrate new sensors and communications on robot
- Implement modern, high-performance algorithms to enhance system efficiency and reliability
- Work closely with electrical engineers to develop and integrate custom hardware into robotic systems
- Conduct regular code reviews to ensure code quality and reliability
- Produce and maintain clear, comprehensive documentation to support ongoing development and future upgrades
What You Will Need:
- 5+ years of experience delivering robust, production-level code
- BS or MS in Computer Science, Robotics, Physics, Electrical/Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
- Proficient in Python and C++17 or later
- Experience with Linux-based platforms and development environments
- Experience with modern software engineering practices (e.g. git, issue tracking, and CI/CD pipelines)
- Experience implementing/debugging host-side, soft real-time software with high-rate, low-latency requirements
- Hands-on experience with robot sensors (IMUs, LiDAR, cameras, etc.)
- Experience implementing and debugging Ethernet or other types of wired communication on robotic platforms
- Excellent troubleshooting and debugging skills
Bonus/Nice To Have:
- Comfortable reading schematics and using common electrical debug tools such as logic analyzers and oscilloscopes for hardware evaluation and debug
- Experience tackling open-ended software challenges (e.g., bringing up sensors/compute from scratch)
- Experience with robotics, control systems, kinematics, machine learning, or physics simulation
- Proficiency in data processing, logging, and visualization tools
- Expertise in developing test and validation plans for system integration
- Experience with complex system failure analysis in cross-functional teams
- Familiarity with developing Linux kernel modules
- Experience with ROS2
We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.