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Principal Robotics Engineer Bot Routing Jobs in San Francisco, CA

The Bot Company

3D Vision

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$200K - $350K/yr

The Bot Company We're building a helpful robot for every home. We're a small team of engineers, designers, and operators based in San Francisco. Our team comes from Tesla, Cruise, OpenAI, Google ...

The Bot Company

Mechanical

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$200K - $350K/yr

The Bot Company We're building a helpful robot for every home. We're a small team of engineers, designers, and operators based in San Francisco. Our team comes from Tesla, Cruise, OpenAI, Google ...

Kodiak

Software Engineer, Routing

San Francisco, CA

$145K - $190K/yr

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground ... Kodiak is recruiting a Software Engineer to own Kodiak's routing engine, which traverses our coast ...

The Bot Company

System Software

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$200K - $350K/yr

The Bot Company We're building a helpful robot for every home. We're a small team of engineers, designers, and operators based in San Francisco. Our team comes from Tesla, Cruise, OpenAI, Google ...

The Bot Company

Something Else

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$200K - $350K/yr

The Bot Company We're building a helpful robot for every home. We're a small team of engineers, designers, and operators based in San Francisco. Our team comes from Tesla, Cruise, OpenAI, Google ...

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All JobsPrincipal Robotics Engineer Bot Routing JobsPrincipal Robotics Engineer Bot Routing Jobs in San Francisco, CA

Principal Robotics Engineer Bot Routing information

See San Francisco, CA salary details

$87.2K

$173.5K

$250.4K

How much do principal robotics engineer bot routing jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal robotics engineer bot routing in San Francisco, CA is $173,451.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $139,600.00 and $203,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Principal Robotics Engineer specializing in Bot Routing do?

A Principal Robotics Engineer specializing in Bot Routing is responsible for designing, developing, and optimizing the algorithms and systems that control how robots navigate and move through their environments. This includes creating efficient routing paths, coordinating multiple robots, and ensuring reliable and safe movement in complex settings like warehouses or manufacturing facilities. They often lead teams, set technical direction, and collaborate with software and hardware engineers to integrate routing solutions into robotics platforms. Their work directly impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of automated robotic systems.

How does a Principal Robotics Engineer specializing in bot routing typically collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize autonomous system performance?

As a Principal Robotics Engineer focused on bot routing, you will regularly partner with software developers, hardware engineers, data scientists, and operations teams to design and refine routing algorithms for autonomous robots. Collaboration often involves joint problem-solving sessions to address route efficiency, obstacle avoidance, and real-time system adaptation. You will also contribute technical leadership by mentoring junior engineers and ensuring that routing solutions align with broader project goals. This cross-disciplinary teamwork is essential for successfully deploying and scaling robotic solutions in dynamic environments.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Principal Robotics Engineer in Bot Routing, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal Robotics Engineer in Bot Routing, you need advanced expertise in robotics, algorithm development, and systems engineering, typically supported by a graduate degree in robotics, computer science, or a related field. Proficiency with ROS (Robot Operating System), simulation tools like Gazebo, and experience with C++/Python programming are commonly required, along with relevant certifications. Strong leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills help in guiding multidisciplinary teams and coordinating complex projects. These skills are crucial for designing efficient routing algorithms, ensuring system reliability, and driving innovative robotics solutions in dynamic environments.

What is the difference between Principal Robotics Engineer Bot Routing vs Robotics Engineer?

AspectPrincipal Robotics Engineer Bot RoutingRobotics Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in Robotics, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering; experience with bot routing systemsBachelor's or higher in Robotics, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering; some experience with robotics systems
Work EnvironmentDesigning and overseeing complex bot routing algorithms in R&D or advanced manufacturingDeveloping and testing robotics applications in labs or field environments
Industry UsageUsed in automation, logistics, and manufacturing sectors for advanced routing solutionsApplied across various industries for general robotics development and implementation

The main difference is that Principal Robotics Engineer Bot Routing focuses on leading the design and optimization of bot routing systems, often in senior technical roles, while Robotics Engineers typically develop and implement robotics solutions at a more operational level. Both roles require strong technical skills, but the principal role involves higher-level oversight and strategic planning.

What are popular job titles related to Principal Robotics Engineer Bot Routing jobs in San Francisco, CA? For Principal Robotics Engineer Bot Routing jobs in San Francisco, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Robotics Engineer Bot Routing jobs in San Francisco, CA look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Robotics Engineer Bot Routing jobs in San Francisco, CA are:
Principal Robotics Engineer Bot Routing jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Robotics Engineer Bot Routing job openings in San Francisco, CA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 10% Internship, 81% Full Time, 6% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 79% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 19% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $173,451 per year, or $83.4 per hour.

Principal, Robotics Software Engineer

Aurelius Systems

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$235K - $300K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO

Posted 23 days ago

Job description

Who We Are:
Aurelius Systems is a VC backed defense tech startup building autonomous, edge deployed directed energy systems for counter-UAS. We build laser weapons to shoot down drones.
We're a small team of engineers, former US military operators, and subject matter experts scaling America's directed energy dominance. The first cost effective, reliable and robust laser weapon system.
Our namesake isn't an accident. Marcus Aurelius wrote about doing the work in front of you, every day, without excuses. Henry Ford didn't wait for permission to reinvent manufacturing. That's how we operate - small team, unreasonable output, no hiding behind the unachievable.
In addition to our San Francisco lab, we've opened a Detroit manufacturing hub and we field test weekly on our own 400-acre private range.
The Role and Your Impact:
We need a Principal, Robotics Software Engineer to lead architecture across the robotics stack on Archimedes - perception, control, autonomy, and the infrastructure that lets us ship. You'll partner directly with our CTO and own the path from prototype code to deployed software. You're the senior IC who's done this at scale and knows how to take a research-y stack into a deployable product without breaking it.
What You'll Own:
  • Architecture and technical direction for the robotics software stack
  • Formal release process, packaging, and deployment hygiene for fielded systems
  • CI/CD infrastructure and software org scaling alongside QA
  • Mentorship of robotics SWE team and setting the bar for code quality
  • Cross-functional alignment across perception, controls, embedded, and EE
  • Owning the path from prototype code to fielded software in customer hands

What We're Looking For:
  • 10+ years of robotics software engineering with real shipped systems behind you
  • Senior IC track record at robotics companies that actually shipped to customers or operators
  • Deep ROS2 experience and the judgment to know when not to use it
  • Track record building and operating CI/CD for robotics or hardware-in-the-loop
  • Experience taking software through formal release, packaging, and deployment to end users

Where you probably come from: Senior IC at robotics companies that shipped, defense robotics groups, autonomy at automotive, or aerospace robotics programs that put software in front of operators.
We want to talk if: You've taken software from "works on the dev's machine" to "works in the field for a customer." You know the difference between a prototype that demos and a release that survives.
Not a fit if: You're a researcher who hasn't shipped, you're a people-manager without recent IC chops, or your robotics experience is benchmark-only.
Nice to Haves:
  • Real-time systems experience
  • Sensor fusion or perception background
  • Defense or safety-critical software release experience
  • Built CI/CD for robotics or hardware-in-the-loop systems before

Education:
BS, MS, or PhD in CS, Robotics, EE, or equivalent. Track record matters more than degree.
How You Operate:
  • Extreme bias for action. You ship working code on real hardware, not slideware
  • You debug from first principles, not intuition alone
  • Comfortable with ambiguity and fast iteration in a startup environment
  • Clear communicator across software, hardware, and operator-facing surfaces
  • Self directed. You identify what needs to happen next and do it without being told

Why Join Aurelius Systems:
  • Build more in 1 month than most engineers build in 1 year. We field test weekly. Your work goes downrange, not into a filing cabinet.
  • Career velocity is real. At ~10 engineers, there are no layers between you and impact.
  • Work on a problem that actually matters. Small cheap drones are changing warfare. Our laser systems are the asymmetric answer - infinite magazine, near zero cost per shot, scalable to every base, border, facility, and truck.
  • Join the densest defense startup ecosystem in the country. California is where the next generation of defense companies are being built.

How We Work:
Core hours are Monday through Friday, 9 to 6. When we're sprinting toward a demo or field test, the team ramps up - nights, weekends, whatever it takes to ship. When the sprint lands, we ramp down. We don't manufacture intensity for show.
Benefits:
  • Competitive salary and equity
  • United Health Care medical, dental, and vision coverage
  • Flexible 18 days PTO plus 5 sick days
  • Travel to field test events and range days
  • Covered daily lunches and office snacks and drinks
  • E-bike and scooter stipend up to $500
  • Direct access to leadership and real ownership over your work

Export Control Notice:
This role requires access to export-controlled information or items that require U.S. Person status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a U.S. Person: (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

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