Senior Software Engineer (Robotics & Intelligence) in Rancho Dominguez, California at Motivo Engineering, LLC

Are you a high-level individual contributor with a mastery of robotics, embedded systems, and edge AI? Do you thrive on solving the "impossible" problems at the intersection of real-time sensing, 5G connectivity, and hardened cybersecurity?

Motivo is a premier product development firm where ambitious concepts become functional realities. We serve as the elite engineering engine for everything from stealth startups to Fortune 100 R&D labs. We are looking for a Senior Software Engineer to serve as a primary technical architect and lead developer for our intelligence controls for autonomous robotic systems.

At Motivo, a Senior Software Engineer isn't just a coder; you are the technical backbone of our most sophisticated robotic initiatives. You will own the software lifecycle of complex autonomous machines, moving from rapid prototyping to field-ready deployment.

In this role, you will:

• Architect Core Systems: Design and implement robust software architectures on NVIDIA Jetson Orin platforms using ROS 2 and DDS middleware.
• Drive AI Innovation: Develop and optimize GPU-accelerated pipelines for AI detection, including thermal imaging for fire watch and audio SDKs for specialized acoustic signature detection.
• Enable Global Connectivity: Own the integration of 5G/LTE stacks to ensure low-latency HD video streaming and reliable telemetry in challenging RF environments.
• Harden the Edge: Implement "security-by-design" following NIST SP 800-53/171 standards, including AES-256 encryption, TLS 1.3, and secure boot protocols.
• Ensure Fleet Reliability: Build and maintain the "safety net" for our robots, including A/B boot partitioning, robust OTA update mechanisms, and Ansible-driven deployments.

We are looking for an engineer who is fluent in the nuances of hardware-software integration and thrives in a Linux-heavy environment:

• Compute: Expert-level knowledge of NVIDIA Jetson/ARM64 architectures and GPU optimization.
• Robotics: Deep experience with ROS 2, middleware tuning, and sensor fusion.
• Streaming/Video: Proficiency with GStreamer, RTSP, and WebRTC for complex video pipelines.
• Security & Ops: Experience with Ansible for automation and security tools like AIDE, Elastic Agent, or OSSEC.
• Languages: Mastery of C++ and Python (Modern C++ standards preferred).

• Experience: 8+ years of professional experience in embedded software, robotics, or autonomous systems.
• Edge Expertise: Proven track record of deploying ML models and high-bandwidth sensing applications to edge devices.
• Connectivity: Practical experience with LTE/5G modem integration and RF coexistence.
• Security Mastery: Familiarity implementing NIST cybersecurity controls and FIPS-validated cryptographic modules.
• Education: BS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field (MS/PhD in Robotics is a major plus).

We’re convinced that the team and the projects are hands-down the best part of working at Motivo. To support that, we offer a solid benefits package including high-quality insurance, a 401(k) match, generous vacation time, and our Monday–Thursday 4/10 work week. We offer profit-sharing bonuses, which are tied to overall company performance, because we believe in winning together; we’re transparent about the company’s numbers, and when our hard work drives financial success, employees may share in the upside.

Base Salary Range: $110,000 - $130,000

Salary is dependent on experience, knowledge, and interview performance.