Principal Software Engineer, ML & Robotics Platform

We’re Blue River, a team of innovators driven to create intelligent machinery that solves monumental problems for our customers. We empower our customers – farmers, construction crews, and foresters - to implement safer and more sustainable solutions, driving increased profitability with less reliance on scarce labor. We believe that focusing on the small stuff – pixel-by-pixel and task-by-task - leads to big gains. 

Blue River Technology aligns with John Deere’s vision to “innovate on behalf of humanity” by quickly identifying and solving high-value, high-uncertainty challenges in AI, machine learning, computer vision, and robotics. BRT acts as a research and development flywheel, building not only new products but also new platforms that reliably create value for both Deere and its customers. From fully autonomous machines to highly precise farming equipment, BRT and Deere are partnering to create technical breakthroughs in industries like agriculture and construction. 

Summary

We are seeking a Principal Software Engineer (Backend / Full Stack) to provide senior technical leadership in building the backend systems, APIs, and developer-facing applications that power our robotics and machine learning platform. This role is focused on application-layer engineering and backend architecture, enabling Machine Learning Engineers, Data Scientists, and Robotics Engineers to build, test, and deploy intelligent systems efficiently at scale.

You will lead the design and development of scalable services and internal tools, working across backend and frontend systems to deliver high-impact solutions. This is a hands-on technical leadership role, where you will set technical direction, mentor senior engineers, and drive complex, cross-functional initiatives. People management is optional and not a core requirement.

• Employment Type: Full-Time
• Work Location: Remote in the United States
• Visa sponsorship will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Job Responsibilities

A combination, not necessarily all-inclusive, of the following:

• Backend Systems & Application Development (Primary Focus)
  • Design, build, and maintain scalable backend services and APIs that power robotics and ML workflows.
  • Develop developer-facing applications and tools (UI + backend) for model training, evaluation, debugging, and data exploration.
  • Own service architecture, performance, scalability, and maintainability across critical systems.
  • Translate complex workflows into intuitive, reliable, and high-performing software systems.
• Technical Leadership
  • Own and drive technical vision and architecture for backend systems and applications.
  • Serve as technical lead for large, cross-functional initiatives.
  • Mentor and guide Senior and Staff Engineers through design reviews, code reviews, and architectural decisions.
  • Establish engineering best practices for backend development, system design, and code quality.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Partner closely with ML Engineers, Data Scientists, Robotics Engineers, and Product teams.
  • Enable faster experimentation and iteration by building robust, user-centric developer tools.
  • Clearly communicate technical decisions, tradeoffs, and architecture to stakeholders.
• Platform & Reliability (Supporting, not primary)
  • Ensure services are production-ready, observable, and reliable.
  • Collaborate with platform and infrastructure teams on deployment, monitoring, and scaling strategies.
  • Contribute to data workflows and pipelines where needed to support application use cases.
• Execution & Ownership
  • Get hands-on to unblock teams and solve complex technical challenges.
  • Lead delivery of high-impact initiatives from design through production.
  • Apply a customer-first mindset to ensure solutions drive meaningful impact.

Required Experience and Skills

• 12+ years of professional software engineering experience, with demonstrated impact at the Staff or Principal level.
• Strong expertise in backend engineering and distributed systems design.
• Proven experience building scalable APIs and backend services in production environments.
• Experience developing full-stack applications (backend + frontend).
• Technical Skills:
  • Strong programming experience in Python (or similar backend languages).
  • Experience with modern frontend frameworks (e.g., React).
  • Solid understanding of system design, scalability, and performance optimization.
  • Experience with databases (e.g., Postgres, MongoDB, or similar).
  • Familiarity with cloud environments (AWS or similar).
  • Experience working with data-intensive systems or workflows.
• General Skills:
  • Strong architectural judgment and problem-solving skills. 
  • Excellent communication and collaboration abilities.

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Experience building systems that support machine learning, computer vision, or robotics workflows.
• Familiarity with ML lifecycle tooling and experimentation workflows.
• Experience designing internal tools or developer platforms.
• Exposure to data processing frameworks (e.g., Spark, Airflow, or similar).
• Experience with C++ in performance-critical or robotics-adjacent systems.
• Strong focus on developer experience (DX).
• Experience influencing technical direction across teams. 

Only individual applicants will be considered. We do not work with unsolicited third-party agencies or proxy interview services. 

At Blue River, we’re passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity.  While we have more work to do to advance diversity and inclusion, we’re investing in our programs, including recruiting, mentorship, career development, and learning & development to ensure they support our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals. We support each employee in living a full life, enabling a thriving career, and accomplishing a meaningful, challenging mission while collaborating with incredible people. We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align completely with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation. 

The US annual base salary range for this position is $174,000 - $305,000, along with eligibility for Blue River’s bonus and benefit programs.

Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process. During the recruitment process, we may identify an alternative role or level to which you are more suited. If your ideal role at Blue River differs from the advertised position, we will provide an updated pay range as soon as possible during the hiring process.

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