Job Application for Robotics Software Engineer

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About Lucid Bots

Lucid Bots Inc. is an AI robotics company that extends human reach by building the world's most productive and responsible robots. Our robots allow people to perform dangerous and demanding tasks without putting human life and safety at risk.

Headquartered in Charlotte, we design, engineer, manufacture, and support our products domestically. Our current line of production-ready robots includes the Sherpa, a cleaning drone, and the Lavo Bot, a pressure-washing ground-based robot. Our products elevate safety and efficiency for customers all around the world. Lucid Bots was recently recognized as the fourth fastest-growing manufacturing company in the United States.

We are venture-backed, with multi-round investments from Y Combinator (S19 batch), Cubit Capital, Idea Fund Partners, Danu Ventures, and others. Learn more about our vision.

Role: Robotics Software Engineer – PX4

Goal of This Role

We are hiring a Robotics Software Engineer with deep expertise in PX4 to help us build the next generation of high-performance, autonomous aerial systems. You will develop and scale drone software at the intersection of embedded firmware, sensor integration, and flight control. Your work will enable reliable performance and agile tuning of our growing fleet of robotic platforms.

How You Will Flourish in This Role

You will thrive in this role if you are passionate about low-level control, fluent in the details of real-time embedded systems, and enjoy working cross-functionally to bring complex machines to life. This is a hands-on role where you will contribute across the stack—from writing device drivers to debugging sensors and tuning controllers in the field. You'll work closely with mechanical, electrical, and autonomy engineers to iterate quickly and safely on flight performance.

What You'll Do:

Develop and maintain embedded software for PX4-based robotic aerial systems.
Customize PX4 flight stacks and extend their functionality for novel robotic applications.
Integrate and debug a wide array of sensors and devices, including GPS, IMUs, lidars, barometers, and motor controllers.
Develop and maintain device drivers using UAVCAN, I2C, UART, and SPI.
Tune EKF2-based estimators and control loops to meet dynamic and environmental performance requirements.
Perform HITL/SITL testing and analyze flight performance logs for iterative improvement.
Support field deployment, troubleshoot flight issues, and ensure software robustness under real-world conditions.
Collaborate across disciplines to bring up and validate new aerial platforms, from initial prototype to production.
Contribute to documentation, safety protocols, and post-flight analysis workflows.

Skills & Qualifications

Must-Haves:

B.S./M.S. in Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
3+ years of hands-on experience with PX4 flight stacks; ArduPilot experience is a strong plus.
Proficient in C/C++ for real-time embedded development.
Expertise in device driver development and interfacing via UAVCAN, I2C, UART, and SPI.
Familiarity with PX4’s estimation pipeline (EKF2), flight control modes, and PID loop tuning.
Hands-on experience with tools such as QGroundControl, MAVLink, MAVROS, and log analysis tools (e.g., PyMAVLink, Flight Review).
Comfortable with scripting tools like Python or Bash for automation and debugging.

Nice-to-Haves:

Experience with STM32 board bring-up, NuttX, and PX4/NuttX build systems (e.g., CMake).
Prior involvement with drone autonomy, mission planning, or ROS 2 integration.
Background in safety-critical systems, fault detection, and recovery strategy design.
Familiarity with regulatory standards and UAV compliance frameworks.

Why Join Lucid Bots?

Work with cutting-edge AI and robotics technology in a fast-growing startup.
Collaborate with a passionate, innovative, and ambitious team redefining safety and efficiency.
Gain mentorship and leadership insights from the Founder/CEO and senior leadership.
Enjoy opportunities for continuous learning and professional growth in a values-driven environment.

What We Expect You to Achieve in This Role

Within the first 3–6 months:

Customize and validate PX4 configurations for new Sherpa drone variants.
Deliver stable, tuned flight control performance using EKF2 and onboard sensor integrations.
Support field tests and analyze logs to drive iterative improvements in control and estimation.

Long-term:

Lead architectural decisions in PX4-based development and interface integration.
Contribute to a unified flight stack strategy across the Lucid drone fleet.
Mentor junior engineers and help establish rigorous practices for embedded flight software.

Additional Notes

Location: This is a hybrid role. Onsite work in Charlotte, NC is expected for platform bring-up, integration, and flight testing.
Travel: Periodic travel to test sites or customer deployments as needed.
Growth: Opportunity to expand into broader autonomy or systems leadership roles as platform complexity scales.

Benefits:

Health, dental, and vision insurance
3% retirement match
15 days of paid time off (PTO)
11 paid holidays
Company equity plan
Additional perks and a high-impact startup culture

A Message from our Robotics Software Developer

At Lucid Bots, we’re not just hiring for a role—we’re bringing on people who believe in what we’re building. Watch this short video from our Robotics Software Engineer, Rajas Chitanvis, to hear why this role is important and why we’re excited to have someone like you join the team.

We’d Love to Hear from You!

We encourage you to respond to Rajas’ video with your own short video (under 2 minutes) explaining why you’re excited about this opportunity and why you’d be a great fit for Lucid Bots. This is a chance to introduce yourself in a way that goes beyond your resume!

If you’re not sure where to record, you can use a tool like Loom.

Robotics Software Engineer - PX4