Principal Software Engineer

We are seeking a Principal Software Development Engineer to lead the autonomy stack for Fauna Robotics. You will own the full system that lets a mobile robot build a map of its environment know where it is and move safely through the entire space of diverse unstructured environments that humans operate in.

This role requires both deep technical ability and the judgment to set direction for a team of senior specialists. You will contribute directly to the most complex components define long-term technical vision and partner closely with research scientists on novel SLAM navigation and perception algorithms. The autonomy stack is the backbone of everything the robot does; you will integrate the pieces that make it work.

Key job responsibilities
Lead the integration of the full autonomy software stack: mapping localization odometry path planning obstacle avoidance

Set technical direction for a team of senior specialists working on individual autonomy sub-problems

Integrate novel SLAM navigation and perception algorithms from research into the production stack

Define the long-term autonomy roadmap and decompose the architecture across multiple workstreams

Represent autonomy in cross-functional architectural decisions: sensor selection compute budget hardware constraints

Establish testing and validation methodology: metrics regression benchmarks simulation-based testing and field-readiness criteria

About the team
Fauna Robotics an Amazon company is building capable safe and genuinely delightful robots for everyday life. Our goal is simple: make robots people actually want to live and interact with in everyday human spaces.

We believe that future wont arrive until building for robotics becomes far more accessible. Today too much effort is spent reinventing the fundamentals. Were changing that by developing tightly integrated hardware and software systems that make it faster safer and more intuitive to create real-world robotic products.

Our work spans the full stack: mechanical design control systems dynamic modeling and intelligent software. The focus is not just functionality but experience. Were building robots that feel responsive expressive and genuinely useful.

At Fauna youll work at the frontier of this space helping define how robots move manipulate and interact with people in natural environments. Its an opportunity to solve hard problems across hardware and software with a team focused on making robotics accessible and joyful to build.

If you care about making robotics real for everyone and building systems that are as delightful as they are capable wed like to hear from you.

10 years of non-internship professional software development experience

5 years of building and shipping autonomous navigation systems on physical robots or vehicles (autonomous vehicles drones mobile robots humanoids or similar)

Experience in two or more of: SLAM visual/inertial odometry path planning obstacle avoidance map representation

Experience with ROS/ROS2 in production or near-production settings

Experience programming in C and Python

2 years of experience technically leading a team of engineers (setting direction mentoring hiring)

Experience delivering autonomy systems from prototype to production on physical hardware

Experience with multi-sensor fusion (LiDAR camera IMU wheel encoders) for robust state estimation

Experience deploying learned models (visual odometry semantic segmentation learned planners) within a classical autonomy stack

Familiarity with simulation-based testing and validation for navigation (Gazebo Isaac Sim or equivalent)

Background in consumer or commercial robotics where reliability and user experience matter as much as algorithmic novelty

Experience scaling an autonomy stack from single-robot to fleet

Experience with people management: hiring performance development and career growth for senior engineers





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The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience qualifications and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical dental vision prescription Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans EAP Mental Health Support Medical Advice Line Flexible Spending Accounts Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage) 401(k) matching paid time off and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at NY New York - 220100.00 - 297700.00 USD annually