Note: No visa sponsorships

An idea was born.

Out of the box thinking. Not the norm. Changing the way things have always been done. Those are just some ideas that started on the back of a napkin, but they didn’t stay there. Our CEO, Joe Wolfel, a former Navy SEAL, saw an idea of how to disrupt the way the world looks at the ocean and voila, Terradepth was born.

The ocean is our swim lane.

We are increasing human interaction with the ocean by collecting comprehensive, high-resolution ocean data to empower society with information and knowledge crucial to the sustainable advancement of a variety of key industries. Interested? Great! Immerse yourself and see if you have the fins to swim in our pool.

Our Crew.

We are ocean enthusiasts, technologists, problem solvers, and makers dedicated to advancing ocean exploration. We are pioneers and made up of, to name a few…road bikers, chess players, dog lovers, world travelers, military veterans, and an array of individuals with diverse technical backgrounds. We have family people, single people and people who refer people. And if we’re being totally honest…we like each other.

Why “fit” matters.

It’s not going to matter how smart or competent you are if you’re not a good cultural fit. We demand that our people adhere to our values: Speed, Discipline, and Collaboration. We also expect team cohesion while avoiding groupthink – which is a difficult balance to maintain. Before we get into the details of the day-to-day duties, let’s get down to the ocean floor. What you do, How you do it, and Why you want to work here matters. 

What about you? 

Terradepth is at the forefront of developing next-generation autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) systems. Our multidisciplinary team pushes the boundaries of power electronics, advanced sensor integration, and robust marine engineering to create high-performance robotic solutions for extreme ocean environments. 

To keep the momentum going, Terradepth needs a Senior Robotics Software Engineer with deep experience in software development, and at least five of those years working in robotic control systems and real-time computing. This role requires a deep understanding of dynamics, motion planning, estimation, and feedback control, as well as strong software engineering skills for developing robust, scalable robotic platforms.

In addition, teamwork, accountability, partnership, and leadership are key traits we look for. As team-members we strive to be humble enough to learn but confident enough to execute. We love curiosity without distraction. As leaders in our organization and threaded into our day-to-day activities is our commitment to support, invest in and stretch our employees to help them achieve their ultimate career goals. 

Still interested? Let’s wrap this up with what else you need to know.

Summary

The Senior Robotics Software Engineer (SRSE) designs and integrates advanced perception, planning, and control systems for robust subsea autonomy. By combining classical and modern control approaches with real-time computing, the SRSE ensures reliable, high-performance robotic operations in extreme underwater environments. The SRSE will help advance autonomy in energy management and GNC, by collaborating with cross-functional teams, and at times participating in at-sea testing or field deployments to validate and refine systems. 

Essential Functions

• Advance autonomy maturity in energy management, GNC, and mission assurance
• Design and implement real-time control algorithms for robotic systems, ensuring high precision, stability, and responsiveness.
• Develop and optimize motion planning, trajectory generation, and sensor fusion algorithms, SLAM for autonomous vehicles.
• Implement classical and model-based control approaches, including adaptive, nonlinear, and optimal control techniques. Investigate reinforcement learning and other modern control techniques.
• Optimize system performance for low-latency, real-time computing and analytics using ROS, DDS, RTOS, or custom middleware.
• Develop and maintain high-performance C++ and Python software, following best practices in software architecture and design.
• Collaborate with hardware and firmware teams to develop tightly integrated electromechanical systems.
• Develop and conduct hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, simulation, and field validation of robotic systems.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to a culture of technical excellence.
• Anticipating 10% travel for office visits, and up to 20% due to tests conducted from boats at sea when remote access connections are not available.

 Minimum Requirements

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in robotics software development and control systems.
• Experience with subsea robotics, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), or marine autonomy.
• Expertise in classical and modern control techniques (PID, LQR, MPC, adaptive control, nonlinear control).
• Strong programming skills in C++ and Python.
• Experience with real-time software development and middleware frameworks (ROS, ROS 2, DDS, RTOS).
• Proficiency with motion planning, state estimation, and dynamic modeling for robotic systems.
• Proficiency in simulation tools like Gazebo, Mujoco, or custom physics-based simulators.
• Strong knowledge of multithreading, IPC, and distributed system architectures.
• Experience deploying and tuning control algorithms on embedded hardware (ARM, DSP, FPGA) or real-time operating systems.
• Familiarity with Git, CI/CD, containerization (Docker), and software development best practices.
• U.S. Citizenship

Preferred

• Knowledge of acoustic, RF, or optical communication for remote robotic operations.
• Experience with sensor fusion (IMU, LiDAR, sonar, GPS, cameras) and embedded sensing.
• Strong background in optimal estimation (EKF, UKF, particle filters).
• Experience with machine learning for control (reinforcement learning, neural control, adaptive ML).

In closing, if you have a high degree of interest in unique long endurance, low cost, oceangoing systems to revolutionize ocean data collection and dissemination, Terradepth may be the place for you. We are excited to talk to candidates who are driven to work on cutting-edge robotics and autonomy technologies in day and night.

Base salary:  $150K to $190K per year