At Pickle Robot, we're on a mission to automate global supply chains with Physical AI. Our robots work alongside warehouse teams to unload trucks and containers — one of the toughest, most understaffed jobs in logistics — making the work safer, faster, and more efficient for the people doing it. Loading trucks comes next, followed by the Dill Autonomy Engine: generalized autonomy that will eventually orchestrate robots across entire logistics processes.
We're looking for a Software Engineer to join our Task & Motion Planning team, which decides what our robots pick, how they grasp it, and how they move safely and quickly through a cluttered, changing trailer. We're looking for someone who brings strong software engineering fundamentals, a track record of shipping production code, and a genuine interest in motion planning and grasping.
You'll design and build fast, reliable, well-tested planning systems that run on real robots every day. Your code will directly affect how many boxes come off a truck per hour and how often a robot needs a human's help, and you'll see those results on the warehouse floor.
What You'll Do
Design, build, and maintain production C++ and Python components of our planning stack, including motion planning, grasp selection, collision checking, and task sequencing
Take algorithms, your own and your teammates', from prototype to deployment, owning the architecture, performance, and robustness of the implementation
Profile and optimize performance-critical code so planners meet real-time cycle-time targets on robot hardware
Build the testing, simulation, and benchmarking infrastructure that lets the team change planning code with confidence
Improve the reliability of the planning stack in the field by debugging failures from production logs, building tooling for triage, and fixing root causes
Help raise the bar for code quality through design reviews, code reviews, and good engineering practices
What You'll Bring
2–4 years of experience writing and shipping production software, primarily in modern C++ (C++17 or later), with working proficiency in Python
Strong fundamentals in software design, data structures, algorithms, and performance optimization
Experience owning components end-to-end: design, implementation, testing, deployment, and ongoing support
Solid understanding of concurrency, memory management, and profiling tools
A real interest in motion planning, manipulation, and grasping, and eagerness to go deep on the algorithms alongside domain experts
Comfort working close to hardware and debugging problems that span software and the physical world
Nice to HaveHands-on experience with motion planning or manipulation (e.g., sampling-based or optimization-based planners, trajectory generation, grasp planning)
Experience with CUDA or GPU performance optimization
Familiarity with robotics libraries and frameworks such as OMPL, Drake, FCL, or Pinocchio
Background in 3D geometry, kinematics, or linear algebra (Eigen or similar)
Experience with simulation environments and large-scale regression testing for robotics or other safety-critical systems
Experience deploying software on physical robots in production environments
Pickle Robot Company Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA Office
Cambridge, MA, United States, 02139
Similar Jobs
What you need to know about the Boston Tech Scene
Key Facts About Boston Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 269,000; 9.4% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Toast, Klaviyo, HubSpot, DraftKings
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, robotics, software, aerospace
- Funding Landscape: $15.7 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Summit Partners, Volition Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, MassVentures, Highland Capital Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: MIT, Harvard University, Boston College, Tufts University, Boston University, Northeastern University, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, National Bureau of Economic Research, Broad Institute, Lowell Center for Space Science & Technology, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories
