Senior Robotics Software Engineer

About AssetCool

AssetCool is addressing one of the most pressing challenges in the global energy transition - grid congestion. By combining cutting-edge grid robotics with breakthrough materials science, our technology transforms the physical performance of the grid in situ, increasing current-carrying capacity by up to 30%, at just 5% of the cost and in a tenth of the time compared to conventional approaches.

In addition to enhancing capacity, our solutions tackle other grid constraints including corrosion, electrical noise, and enable the collection of high-value data to build accurate, predictive digital twins. This technology is proving transformative and is being adopted at an accelerating pace, with deployments across Canada, Slovenia, the UK, and the USA, and a strong global deployment pipeline.

AssetCool is a fast-growing company with plans to more than double in size over the next six months. Backed by international investors from the US, mainland Europe, and the UK, we are proud to be one of the most innovation-focused companies in the UK energy sector.

We're looking for ambitious, mission-driven individuals who are excited to work hard alongside their colleagues to build and deploy world-leading technology that tackles some of the planet's most urgent infrastructure challenges.

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior / Principal (depending on experience) Robotics Software Engineer to join our engineering team. The successful candidate will take ownership of the embedded and onboard software powering our robotic platforms. The role is central for defining the future architecture of the wider software system of AssetCool. You will define the next generation of our robotic software stack, working closely with a multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists to establish the standards of scalable software tools and directly supervise system engineers and production code.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, implementation, and optimisation of C++17/20 software for robotic platforms.
• Architect and maintain the robotic platform system on NVIDIA Jetson Orin for scalable and reliable multi-module communication.
• Develop and optimise GPU-accelerated pipelines (CUDA, TensorRT, Nvenc) for real-time vision, telemetry, and control.
• Integrate and manage multi-camera systems (USB, IP, GMSL2).
• Build robust gRPC- and MQTT-based communication frameworks between robots and operator interfaces.
• Implement device drivers and low-level control software for actuators, pumps, sensors, and ESCs over CAN, SPI, I²C, and UART.
• Ensure smooth integration with iOS-based operator GUI (real-time telemetry, video, and control).
• Develop fault-tolerant, multi-threaded, and asynchronous systems for field deployment.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers, ensuring best practices in software design and code quality.
• Deploy and validate software on physical robotic platforms in lab and field trials.
• Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams (mechanical, electrical, AI, and control engineers) to deliver fully integrated robotic systems.

Key Skills and Experience

Required

• BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• Expert C++ developer with strong experience C++ (C++17/20), including templates, concurrency, and performance-critical programming.
• Hands-on experience with CUDA programming and GPU-accelerated computing (TensorRT, Nvenc).
• Proven experience architecting and developing software for embedded and real-time systems.
• Strong knowledge of NVIDIA Jetson platforms (Orin NX/Xavier)
• Solid experience with Python for scripting, data handling, and quick prototyping.
• Proven ability to write and debug hardware drivers and interfaces for actuators, ESCs, and sensors.
• Deep understanding of real-time and embedded systems, with familiarity in Linux and cross-compilation workflows.
• Understanding of control theory, kinematics, and sensor integration for mobile or aerial robotics.
• Experience with multi-threaded architectures and distributed communication systems (gRPC, MQTT).
• Track record of developing camera-based systems (optical, stereoscopic vision, or similar)
• Strong debugging, profiling, and optimization skills with attention to timing, reliability, and fault recovery.

Desirable Skills

• Experience with robotic control systems (autonomous UAVs/UGVs, inspection robots, or industrial automation).
• Familiarity with protobufs, real-time streaming, and edge/cloud telemetry architectures.
• Experience developing iOS companion apps for robotics or IoT systems (Swift / SwiftUI), including real-time telemetry visualization and remote operation interfaces.
• Knowledge of computer vision, LiDAR, and AI inference using CUDA, TensorRT, or similar.
• Background in safety-critical or industrial automation systems (utilities, renewables, or energy).
• Exposure to simulation environments (Gazebo, Isaac, Unreal Engine, Unity) and digital twins.
• Contributions to open-source robotics / embedded software projects.

Why Join AssetCool?

• Work on groundbreaking technology revolutionizing the power grid.
• Fast-growing startup with significant industry traction and large-scale projects.
• Collaborative, innovation-driven team with exciting career growth opportunities.
• Competitive salary, and flexible work options

We know that women and other underrepresented groups can sometimes feel they need to meet every single requirement listed in a job description. If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification, we still encourage you to apply. You might be exactly who we're looking for, either for this role or another opportunity within our team.

We're proud to be an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We're committed to building an inclusive, supportive workplace where everyone can thrive, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

If you have a disability or any specific requirements and need adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, just let us know and we'll do our best to accommodate your needs.

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

We are not looking for agency support currently.