Embedded Software Engineer 3

Cullerton Group has a new opportunity for an Embedded Software Engineer 3 in Irving, TX. The work will be done onsite full time, Monday through Friday, with a first-shift schedule. This is a 12-month position that can lead to permanent employment with our client. Compensation is up to $76/hr full benefits (vision, dental, health insurance, 401k, and holiday pay).

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Embedded Software Engineer with extensive hands-on experience developing, implementing, and tuning positioning and localization algorithms for autonomous or robotic systems. This role will focus on researching, designing, optimizing, and deploying localization and state-estimation solutions using perception, inertial measurement, and GNSS inputs, translating complex algorithms into production-quality C software.

The ideal candidate must demonstrate sustained, specialized experience in positioning, localization, sensor fusion, or state estimation, preferably involving autonomous vehicles, mobile robotics, or navigation systems.

Important: This is a highly specialized localization engineering position, not a general robotics, autonomy, perception, planning, or embedded software development role. Candidates whose experience is primarily in perception, computer vision, motion planning, system architecture, or generalized software engineering, without substantial hands-on localization algorithm development, may not meet the technical requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Research, design, develop, implement, and tune positioning, localization, and state-estimation algorithms for autonomous and semi-autonomous systems.
• Develop production-quality C software supporting positioning, navigation, and localization applications.
• Design and optimize localization solutions integrating GNSS, IMU, inertial navigation, and perception-based sensor inputs.
• Implement and refine sensor fusion, Kalman filtering, Extended Kalman Filtering (EKF), and other state-estimation techniques.
• Analyze localization accuracy, positioning errors, sensor uncertainty, and algorithm performance to improve system reliability.
• Develop, test, and validate localization algorithms using real-world sensor data, logs, simulations, and system-level testing.
• Contribute to requirements development, architecture, and technical design of localization systems.
• Troubleshoot complex positioning and software issues through code analysis, debugging, profiling, and sensor-data evaluation.
• Translate localization research and prototype algorithms into robust, production-ready software.
• Collaborate with engineering teams and mentor other developers on localization technologies and implementation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD from an accredited program in Robotics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related discipline.
• 5 years of relevant experience, or approximately 2 years with a Master's degree. Relevant internship experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated, substantial hands-on experience developing, implementing, and tuning positioning/localization or state-estimation algorithms.
• Direct technical involvement in localization, positioning, mapping, navigation, or closely related estimation solutions, beyond general exposure through broader robotics or autonomy projects.
• Strong C programming skills, including developing reliable, production-quality software.
• Fluency in Python for algorithm development, testing, analysis, or automation.
• Strong understanding of sensor fusion, state estimation, inertial measurement systems, and localization techniques.
• Experience debugging, validating, and optimizing algorithms using sensor measurements, system logs, or experimental data.
• Strong technical troubleshooting, debugging, profiling, and analytical problem-solving skills.
• Understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), software architecture, technical documentation, and engineering best practices.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Must be comfortable working onsite full time in Irving, TX

Preferred Qualifications

• Several years of dedicated professional experience in positioning/localization algorithm development for autonomous vehicles, mobile robots, or navigation systems.
• Hands-on experience implementing and tuning Kalman Filters, Extended Kalman Filters (EKF), Error-State Kalman Filters (ESKF), or similar estimation algorithms.
• Advanced knowledge of GNSS, IMUs, inertial navigation systems, and multi-sensor fusion.
• Experience developing or optimizing SLAM, mapping, localization, graph optimization, or pose-estimation algorithms.
• Experience with robotics frameworks such as ROS/ROS2.
• Strong mathematical foundation in 3D geometry, linear algebra, coordinate transformations, probability, and statistical error modeling.
• Experience analyzing localization accuracy, sensor noise, drift, uncertainty, and positioning performance.
• Experience translating research papers, mathematical models, or prototype algorithms into production-quality C implementations.
• Understanding of physics-based modeling, vehicle dynamics, and autonomous navigation systems.
• Proven experience taking localization algorithms from research or prototype stages through testing, validation, and production deployment.

Experience We Are Prioritizing

The hiring team is specifically seeking candidates who have personally developed, implemented, optimized, or tuned localization and positioning algorithms over a sustained period.

Strong candidates should be able to provide concrete examples of:

• Localization Algorithm Development: Designing, implementing, or modifying algorithms that estimate vehicle or robot position, orientation, or movement.
• Sensor Fusion and State Estimation: Combining GNSS, IMU, odometry, or other sensor inputs to improve positioning accuracy and reliability.
• Algorithm Tuning and Validation: Evaluating localization performance, correcting drift or estimation errors, tuning filters, and analyzing real-world sensor data.
• Production Implementation: Converting mathematical models, research, or prototype localization solutions into deployable C software.

General exposure to autonomy, robotics, perception, planning, or computer vision alone is not sufficient. Experience limited to short-term research projects, internships, or peripheral involvement in positioning-related work may not provide the depth required unless the candidate can demonstrate substantial, directly relevant algorithm development.

Why This Role?

This position offers the opportunity to work deeply in localization, positioning, state estimation, sensor fusion, and autonomous-system technology.

Rather than focusing on generalized robotics or embedded software development, this role is dedicated to creating and improving the algorithms that enable autonomous systems to accurately determine their position, orientation, and movement.

You will solve technically challenging problems involving C , GNSS, IMUs, Kalman filtering, sensor fusion, SLAM, mapping, and autonomous navigation, helping transform advanced localization research into reliable, real-world production applications.