Principal Robotics Software Engineer is open at Clera in San Francisco. The posting gives a salary of $235K - $305K. Posted on Nov 12, 2026, and still on Clera’s careers page when we last checked, on Nov 14, 2026.
About the role
About the Role
Join the robotics team at a defense technology company developing autonomous systems to detect and counter drone threats. This is a senior, hands-on individual contributor role focused on production C++ running on physical robotic hardware.
What You'll Do
- Write and own critical production C++ across the robotics software stack.
- Manage timing, threading, latency, and safety contracts across perception, tracking, control, and autonomy.
- Move software from prototype to reliable field use through release processes, packaging, deployment, CI/CD, quality assurance, and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
- Mentor and support the growth of the robotics team while continuing to code hands-on.
- Investigate and resolve issues that emerge on real hardware, including during field testing.
What We're Looking For
- 10 or more years of hands-on robotics software engineering experience and a record of shipping robotic systems.
- Recent experience writing production C++ for physical systems, including personally implementing tracking, calibration, and sensor fusion.
- Experience taking robotics software from prototype to repeatable release for field, operator, fleet, or customer use.
- Broad experience across sensors, perception, tracking, control, middleware, and deployment, including ownership of timing and latency architecture across a system.
- Experience with robotics CI/CD, quality assurance, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and formal release and deployment processes.
- Experience mentoring or growing a team while remaining a hands-on individual contributor.
- ROS or ROS 2, cameras, IMUs, encoders, gimbal systems, and defense, aerospace, or safety-critical software experience are useful.
- Must be a U.S. person due to export control requirements.
Compensation & Benefits
Base salary: $235,000 to $305,000 annually. Visa sponsorship is not available.
Location
On-site in San Francisco, California, five days per week, with field test days included.
The employer’s own description, as published on Clera’s careers page.
Hiring at Clera
Clera has 256 open roles right now, 61 of them remote. Most are in Engineering, Sales & Business Development and Marketing & Community. The median advertised salary across its roles with a published range is $178K. See all its roles
