# Lead Autonomy Software Engineer

**Company:** [Forterra](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/forterra)
**Location:** Arlington, VA, Clarksburg, MD
**Role:** Embedded Engineering
**Salary:** $150k – $250k/yr
**Experience:** 5+ years
**Skills:** C++, Python, Java, Ros2, Algorithms, Data Structures, Unit Testing, Debugging, Path Planning, Navigation, Mapping Algorithms, Robot Perception, Real-Time Operating Systems, Embedded Programming
**Posted:** 2026-02-08

> Leads development, integration, and field deployment of autonomy software for ground vehicles, optimizing sensing, compute, controls, and mission behaviors. Requires at least 3 years of relevant experience, strong programming and software engineering fundamentals, and preferably robotics, ROS2, safety-critical, or embedded systems experience.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Integrate and deploy the autonomy stack on customer-bound hardware platforms and validate it in real-world conditions.
- Work across the organization and directly with end-users to deliver new behaviors, payload integrations, and emerging mission use cases.
- Optimize autonomous vehicle behavior across sensing, compute, controls, and other subsystems.
- Analyze test results, identify issues and root causes, and collaborate with engineering teams to resolve problems.
- Detect performance shortfalls, shape solution approaches, and implement enhancements to the core autonomy stack.
- Partner across business development and engineering teams to translate customer requirements into delivered autonomy capabilities.
- Travel 10–25% or 25–50%, depending on candidate preference and role placement; commute to Arlington, VA as needed.

## Requirements
- 3 or more years of relevant experience.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, robotics, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience and demonstrated skills.
- Experience integrating software on hardware products.
- Strong programming skills in C++, Python, or Java.
- Strong software engineering fundamentals, including software design, unit testing, and debugging.
- Ability to consistently deliver production-quality software in a continuously integrated environment.
- Strong understanding of algorithms, data structures, and software design principles.
- Clean, maintainable code and documentation practices.
- Teamwork skills and a proactive approach to problem solving.

## Preferred Qualifications
- Software development experience for robotics and autonomous systems.
- Experience with safety-critical systems such as MIL-STD-882, ISO-26262, or DO-178.
- Experience with ROS2.
- Experience with state machines and motion or path planning.
- Knowledge of navigation, mapping algorithms, and robot perception.
- Familiarity with real-time operating systems and embedded programming.
- Leadership experience on cross-functional software teams.

## Compensation and Benefits
- US salary range: **$150,000–$250,000**.
- Equity is included in most full-time, high-demand roles.
- Premium healthcare benefits with three plan options; Forterra covers 80% of plan premiums for employees and dependents.
- Company-paid basic life/AD&D and short- and long-term disability insurance.
- Company holidays, including a winter break in December.
- 20 days of accrued paid time off per year.
- At least 7 weeks of fully paid parental leave.
- $9,000 annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
- 401(k) plan with company matching contributions up to 4%.
- The position may require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.

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