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Pragmatic Engineering Jobs (NOW HIRING)

They should be technical enough to occasionally contribute code, unblock engineers, review technical plans, and help make pragmatic engineering decisions. Responsibilities * Manage, coach, and ...

Senior Engineer - Clarity

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$140K - $197K/yr

Pragmatic Engineering: The ability to prioritize stability and performance over speed, while still utilizing AI to accelerate the development lifecycle. * AI-Native Tooling Mastery: Advanced ...

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Pragmatic Engineering information

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$28.5K

$101.6K

$193.5K

How much do pragmatic engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for pragmatic engineering in the United States is $101,595.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $58,500.00 and $133,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a pragmatic engineer?

A pragmatic engineer is a professional who applies practical, efficient solutions to engineering problems, focusing on real-world constraints and outcomes. They prioritize simplicity, reliability, and effectiveness, often balancing technical ideals with project requirements and deadlines.

What is the difference between Pragmatic Engineering vs Software Engineering?

AspectPragmatic EngineeringSoftware Engineering
CredentialsTypically requires engineering degrees, certifications in systems or software developmentRequires computer science or software engineering degrees, coding certifications
Work EnvironmentFocuses on practical application, interdisciplinary teams, real-world problem solvingPrimarily software development, coding, system design in tech environments
Industry UsageUsed across engineering fields including software, systems, and product developmentPrimarily in software development and IT industries
Comparison FocusEmphasizes practical, efficient solutions and interdisciplinary approachesFocuses on designing, coding, and maintaining software systems

Pragmatic Engineering and Software Engineering share overlapping skills and credentials, but Pragmatic Engineering emphasizes practical, interdisciplinary problem solving across engineering fields, while Software Engineering concentrates on software design and development. Both roles are vital in tech and engineering industries, often collaborating on complex projects.

How does a Pragmatic Engineer typically balance technical innovation with practical business needs in their daily work?

As a Pragmatic Engineer, you are often tasked with finding a middle ground between adopting cutting-edge technologies and ensuring solutions are reliable, maintainable, and aligned with business goals. This involves regular collaboration with product managers, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to clearly understand priorities and constraints. Pragmatic Engineers are expected to evaluate the trade-offs of different approaches, advocate for scalable solutions, and sometimes prioritize quick, effective fixes over perfect ones. This balance is crucial for delivering value efficiently while contributing to long-term technical excellence.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior engineers in fields such as software, electrical, or aerospace engineering can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, specialized skills, and leadership roles. High compensation often includes bonuses, stock options, or profit sharing, particularly in technology companies or executive positions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Pragmatic Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Pragmatic Engineer, you need strong software development skills, problem-solving ability, and a solid understanding of system design, typically supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with programming languages, version control systems like Git, and CI/CD tools is usually expected. Excellent communication, adaptability, and a focus on practical solutions set outstanding engineers apart. These skills are crucial for delivering reliable, scalable software that addresses real business needs efficiently.

Will AI replace coders by 2040?

Pragmatic engineers and other coding professionals will likely see AI as a tool to automate repetitive tasks and assist in development, but complete replacement of human coders by 2040 is unlikely. AI can enhance productivity and support complex problem-solving, but human oversight, creativity, and understanding of context remain essential in software development.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior engineers in fields such as software, electrical, or aerospace engineering can earn $300,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, specialized skills, and leadership roles. High compensation often involves working in high-demand industries, holding advanced certifications, or managing large projects and teams.

What is pragmatic engineering?

Pragmatic engineering refers to a practical and results-oriented approach to engineering problems, where solutions are chosen based on effectiveness, efficiency, and real-world constraints rather than strict adherence to theory or ideal models. Pragmatic engineers prioritize solving actual business or user needs, often balancing trade-offs between speed, cost, scalability, and maintainability. This approach emphasizes adaptability, collaboration, and continuous learning to deliver reliable solutions that meet the project's goals within existing limitations.
Infographic showing various Pragmatic Engineering job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 67% Full Time, and 33% Part Time. Highlights an 67% In-person, and 33% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $101,595 per year, or $48.8 per hour.
Robotics Software Engineer, Behaviors

Robotics Software Engineer, Behaviors

Anduril Industries

Costa Mesa, CA

Other

Posted 6 days ago


Anduril rating

9.4

Company rating: 9.4 out of 10

Based on 7 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Maneuver Dominance team at Anduril develops operationally relevant, multi-asset autonomy. We are focused on making large groups of autonomous systems work effectively together. We leverage existing Anduril drone platforms like Ghost or Altius, in addition to bringing 3rd party platforms into Anduril's Lattice ecosystem. 

ABOUT THE JOB

We are seeking a Robotics Software Engineer, Behaviors to join the Maneuver Dominance team. In this role, you will be responsible for developing and maintaining code that controls high-level robotic behavior-designing behavior trees and state machines that orchestrate teams of robots and ensure Anduril products seamlessly work together to achieve a variety of critical outcomes. You will write software integrations that enable seamless interactions between autonomy and robotic peripherals such as sensors, flight controllers, and radios.
Members of our team contribute to solving a wide variety of problems involving networking, autonomy, systems integration, and robotics, while making pragmatic engineering tradeoffs along the way. If you possess a "Whatever It Takes" mindset - executing in an expedient, scalable, and pragmatic way while keeping the mission top-of-mind and making sound engineering decisions, then this role is for you.

What You'll Do

  • Develop Behavior Software: Design and implement behavior trees and state machines that control high-level behavior for teams of robots.
  • Autonomy Integration: Write software integrations that enable seamless interactions between autonomy and robotic peripherals-sensors, flight controllers, radios, and other onboard systems.
  • Multi-Robot Coordination: Build software that coordinates teams of autonomous platforms to achieve complex mission outcomes across networked robots.
  • Systems Integration: Solve problems spanning networking, autonomy, systems integration, and robotics, making pragmatic engineering tradeoffs along the way.
  • Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Partner with autonomy, hardware, systems, and platform teams to ensure Anduril products seamlessly work together in the field.
  • Real-World Deployment: Travel up to 25% to test, debug, and deploy systems in operational environments.
  • Iterative Development: Contribute across the entire software lifecycle, including prototyping, implementation, testing, and deployment.
  • Troubleshoot and Debug: Analyze and resolve issues in deployed systems, ensuring reliability and operational success.

Required Qualifications

  • Technical Expertise: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mathematics, or Physics.
  • C++ and Rust Proficiency: At least 2+ years of hands-on experience developing production-grade software in C++ and/or Rust.
  • Behavior Trees & State Machines: Experience designing and implementing behavior trees, state machines, or comparable frameworks for orchestrating high-level robotic behavior.
  • Autonomy & Peripherals: Proven ability to write software integrations between autonomy stacks and robotic peripherals such as sensors, flight controllers, and radios.
  • Systems-Level Thinking: Strong systems-level knowledge and the ability to navigate and contribute to complex, established codebases.
  • Pragmatic Engineering: A "Whatever It Takes" mindset-executing in an expedient, scalable, and pragmatic way while keeping the mission top-of-mind.
  • Real-World Impact: Passion for building software that directly influences mission-critical outcomes.
  • Travel Flexibility: Willingness to travel up to 25% to test and deploy systems.
  • Security Clearance: Must be eligible for a US security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Multi-Agent Coordination: Experience with motion planning, perception, localization, and multi-agent coordination across teams of robots.
  • Behavior Frameworks: Familiarity with open-source behavior tree libraries (e.g., BehaviorTree.CPP, py_trees) or comparable autonomy frameworks.
  • Simulation Expertise: Proficiency in designing Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) simulation environments for behavior validation.
  • Hardware Integration: Experience working with embedded systems, flight controllers, and physical devices.
  • Programming Skills: Additional experience with Python, and/or real-time operating systems.
  • Machine Learning: Knowledge of AI/ML applications in robotics and autonomy.

Anduril Industries logo

About Anduril Industries

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Anduril Industries is a trailblazer in the technology industry based in Costa Mesa, CA, US. Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the creator of Oculus VR, the company focuses on developing innovative technology to equip and empower those in the defense sector. Its primary products include cutting-edge autonomous systems and AI software that assist in combating threats to national and global security. The mission of Anduril Industries is to integrate technology and defense by building transformative, scalable solutions that ensure a safer world.

Industry

Guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing

Company size

501 - 1,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Costa Mesa, CA, US

Year founded

2017

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