Robotic Software Engineer - Manipulation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Ghost Robotics Corporation

We are hiring a Senior Robotics Software Engineer to design, build, and deploy manipulation software for arms mounted on dynamic legged robots operating in real-world environments. You will own pieces of the manipulation stack end to end, from task and motion planning through grasping, perception integration, and low-level control, and you will spend real time on hardware, not only in simulation. This role rewards deep technical ownership, fast iteration, and a bias toward getting systems working on the robot.

• Architect manipulation pipelines from high-level task planning down to perception and joint-level control.
• Develop real-time trajectory planning, obstacle avoidance, and motion generation.
• Implement grasping strategies using proprioceptive and visual feedback for rigid and deformable objects.
• Develop and validate policies in physics-based simulation and drive high-fidelity sim-to-real transfer onto hardware.
• Write clean, maintainable C++ and Python, and debug system performance from logs, visualization, hardware runs, and fleet data.
• Collaborate across mechanical, perception, embedded, and systems teams, and mentor junior engineers.

• Master’s or PhD in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience in robotic manipulation, specifically with multi-DOF (Degree of Freedom) arms.
• Strong foundations in motion planning, control theory and optimization, along with experience in dynamical systems.
• Deep understanding of coordinate transformations, forward/inverse kinematics, Jacobians, and robot dynamics.
• Experience with motion planning software tools (e.g., MoveIt, OMPL, or custom optimization-based planners).
• Experience with multi-body dynamics, modeling, and simulation (e.g., MuJoCo, Gazebo, Isaac, Bullet/PyBullet).
• Experience with ROS 2 and real-time middleware.
• Proficiency in modern C++ (C++17/20) and Python for development and tooling.
• Experience with Unix/Linux environments and software engineering best practices (version control, CI/CD).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with legged or humanoid robots.
• Experience applying Reinforcement Learning (RL), Vision Language Models (VLMs) or Vision-Language-Action Models (VLAs) for robotic decision-making and task planning.
• Familiarity with 3D perception, point cloud processing, and integrating vision-based feedback into manipulation loops.
• Background in whole-body control frameworks (operational space control, MPC, etc.).
• Experience with force-feedback control or “hand-eye” calibration techniques.
• Publications or significant open-source contributions in robotics or machine learning.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical efforts and mentor junior engineers.

Location

Philadelphia, PA (no remote candidates considered at this time). Opportunities to work from home with prior approval.

Travel

No travel required.

Compensation

Competitive base, full benefits and highly motivating equity incentive package. Flexible time-off policy. Focus on output and ability to work with a stellar team of interdisciplinary functions.

Background Check

Clear standard background checks, pre-hire, post hire and anytime during employment as required.

Residency Requirements

Permanent Residency Required.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of standing, sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift 10 pounds. Assistive equipment available