Robotics Software Engineer - Motion Planning, State Estimation, & Control
TerraFirma, Inc. · Austin, TX
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Jul 13, 2026
Austin, TX
Jul 21, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
A robotics software role focused on building the autonomy stack for heavy construction machinery. Day-to-day work covers state estimation, sensor fusion, motion and trajectory planning, and real-time control — from simulation and hardware-in-the-loop testing through to field deployment on large robotic platforms. Suited to engineers with hands-on experience taking GNC or robotics software all the way to physical hardware.
Mid level · 2+ years · Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX · Bachelor's required · Full-time
We read this from the posting text with AI. Skim the description below before ruling yourself out.
How this req sits in the market our data
Roughly 1,300 people in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX area plausibly meet what this posting asks for (software developers). range 970–1,700
Applicant volume Moderate — A normal amount of company. The rare requirements below are what will separate a shortlisted application from the rest.
Most people in this occupation already list these. Still required — just not what gets you shortlisted.
What the occupation pays Median $137,069 (middle half $106,287–$172,440).
Estimated from BLS employment for this occupation and area, per-skill prevalence across our listing corpus, and published wage benchmarks — as of Jul 28, 2026. It is a model, not a headcount.
Why we read it this way (5)
The role sits at the intersection of robotics algorithms (state estimation, motion planning, control) and embedded/firmware work (MCU firmware for GNC). 15-1252 Software Developers is the best fit given the primary deliverable is shipping algorithm software to production hardware; 15-1299 (Computer Occupations, All Other) is a plausible runner-up given the specialized robotics/GNC focus.
C++ and Python appear in the Preferred Skills section but are stated with strong, expert-level language ('Strong C++17/C and Python skills') and are clearly central to the role's core deliverables described in Responsibilities; they are treated as hard gates.
Linux, Kalman filters, IMU, RTK-GPS, LiDAR, and sensor-fusion toolchains all appear under 'Preferred Skills & Experience' and are treated as preferred accordingly.
The posting requires relocation to Austin, TX and does not offer remote work.
The 2+ years requirement is stated as 'professional or advanced research experience', which maps to a Mid-level band despite the breadth of responsibilities. The title carries no explicit seniority label.
Read the full posting
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