Roboticist (Robotics Software Engineer)

140k-190k/yr equity benefits | U.S. Persons Only | On-Site San Francisco, CA

Mara is building a horde of small, autonomous robots to defend the free world. Our first product, Spike, is a portable counter-drone swarm that stops deadly drone attacks.

We are looking for non-stop builders with a need to be challenged beyond their capabilities daily. If you can’t wait to contribute to the defense of human liberty, apply.

As a Roboticist at Mara, you will be responsible for the application layer that brings our autonomous systems to life. This role involves working closely with folks involved in simulation, ML, and hardware engineering on a regular basis.

You must be stellar at:

• Open and direct communication, whether it’s writing up issues, codebase documentation, or face-to-face feedback during a 1:1
• Independently learning new technical skills to unblock yourself mid-build
• Architecting and refactoring software systems under real-time constraints

And completely comfortable with:

• ROS2 (or our custom alternative/fork) as your primary middleware
• Building the data plumbing that connects perception → planning → controls
• Low-latency systems design and profiling
• Sim2Real workflows: taking simulation code and running it on hardware
• Writing production-quality C and Python for embedded systems
• Debugging complex interactions between hardware, middleware, and application logic

Bonus Points for:

• Personal projects (particularly involving UAVs, ML, robotics, or game dev)
• Open source contributions in robotics
• Experience with real-time operating systems or safety-critical software
• A general awareness of cybersecurity concepts
• Part 107 license and FPV drone piloting experience

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Proficiency in Python, C, C
• (optional) A degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field

Your day to day responsibilities will include:

• Architecting the application layer for real-time performance
• Building data pipelines that connect perception systems to planning to control outputs
• Running the Sim2Real pipeline: testing code in simulation, deploying to hardware, iterating
• Working closely with perception and controls engineers to integrate their outputs
• Profiling and optimizing for latency under resource constraints
• Spotlessly documenting & organizing the codebase and your architectural decisions
• Periodically assisting with real world testing efforts (may involve travel)

Mara is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will always hire folks from any and every background and lived experience, because we know that’s how the strongest teams in the world are built. Empowerment, equity, and liberation bring strength, resilience, and growth; which is why we believe in the vigorous defense, and continuous improvement, of the free nations of the world.

Folks of all genders and creeds who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, queer, trans, non-binary, disabled, parents, immigrants, and anyone who has experienced systemic oppression are encouraged to apply.