Robotics Autonomy Engineer

• Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• Master's degree in Robotics, Autonomous Systems, Controls, or Computer Vision is a plus
• 3–5 years of professional experience developing autonomy, localization, state estimation, navigation, and/or flight software for robots, UAVs, autonomous vehicles, or similarly complex physical systems or equivalent demonstrated technical depth
• Proven experience deploying autonomy software on real robotic systems in the field, not just simulations or research prototypes
• Strong hands-on experience with visual odometry, VIO, 3D mapping, sensor fusion, and SLAM, including EKF-based estimation, calibration, and time synchronization.
• Practical experience with perception, obstacle detection, motion and path planning, trajectory generation or optimization, and map representations such as occupancy grids, octrees, etc
• Strong software engineering fundamentals with deep proficiency in C++ and C, and a strong proficiency in Python.

with flight control software or embedded systems is highly valuable

• Able to take ideas from cutting-edge robotics research and turn them into robust capabilities on compute-constrained edge hardware, with experience on embedded Linux and SoCs such as Qualcomm Snapdragon or NVIDIA Jetson, including profiling and optimization using GPU, or DSP acceleration to meet real-time performance, latency, memory, power, and compute constraints
• Uses AI tools as a core part of their daily engineering workflow to accelerate development, debugging, testing, data analysis, research, and evaluation of new approaches while maintaining strong technical judgment and ownership
• Strong ownership mentality and ability to work independently, taking ambiguous technical problems from definition through implementation, testing, and deployment with limited supervision
• Experience with ROS2, Linux, Git, Docker, and modern software practices.

with deployed fleets, including telemetry, fleet diagnostics, hardware compatibility, and long-term maintainability, is a strong plus

• Communicates technical concepts, risks, and tradeoffs clearly; collaborates effectively across teams; and gives and receives technical feedback constructively.

• Experience with UAV flight stacks and multirotor control — PX4, ArduPilot, MAVLink, offboard control, attitude and position control loops
• Simulation and SIL/HIL experience with Gazebo, Isaac Sim, AirSim, or comparable, including closing the sim-to-real gap
• Experience mentoring engineers or leading a small technical team

• The opportunity to build autonomy that moves beyond simulation and operates on real robots in challenging, mission-critical environments
• Meaningful ownership of a core product capability, with the ability to influence Cleo’s autonomy architecture, technical direction, and roadmap
• A high-impact role on a small, talented team where your ideas can move rapidly from development to real-world deployment
• The opportunity to expand your technical scope, take on greater ownership, and grow alongside the company
• Competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance
• Equity for every new hire, giving everyone the opportunity to share in Cleo’s growth
• Flexible paid time off and company holidays
• A collaborative, energetic workplace with a fully stocked kitchen and regular team gatherings

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States and must not require Cleo Robotics to sponsor, petition for, transfer, or otherwise support an employment-based immigration status now or in the future.

Cleo Robotics cannot provide employment-based immigration sponsorship for this position.

Full-time, exempt

On-site, five days per week

Reports to the CTO

Cleo Robotics builds unconventional autonomous robotic systems designed to operate in the world’s most challenging and inaccessible environments.

Our mission is to deploy intelligent machines into critical environments to improve operational efficiency, reduce unplanned downtime, and keep people out of harm’s way.

Our technology is used across industries including energy, oil and gas, manufacturing, public safety, and defense.

We’re a growing team of experts in robotics and autonomous systems with diverse backgrounds and skills.

We value making an impact, thinking big, leading with empathy, and having fun along the way.

If you get excited about solving big problems and building robots straight from science fiction, and you thrive in a fast-paced environment, this role might be for you!