Software Engineer

Job Title: Software Engineer – Autonomy & Embedded Systems

Job Description

This role focuses on designing, developing, and integrating autonomy software for active safety, advanced driver assistance systems, and unmanned ground vehicle control within embedded systems. You will work primarily in C++ to build and enhance motion planning, computer vision, sensor processing, graphical user interfaces, and inter-process messaging for real-world equipment such as boom lifts, scissor lifts, and telehandlers. This position offers the opportunity to see your autonomy solutions deployed on actual machines in the field, while contributing to a collaborative, technically strong, and growth-oriented engineering team.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and integrate software architecture for autonomy systems, including motion planning, computer vision, sensor processing algorithms, graphical user interfaces, and inter-process messaging for embedded platforms.
• Perform engineering calculations, investigations, software development, hardware selection, and other assigned tasks in alignment with engineering standards and processes under supervision.
• Develop and integrate autonomy software into existing and new products, including boom lifts, scissor lifts, and telehandlers.
• Build, improve, or integrate autonomy capabilities, including perception and path planning, into production systems.
• Develop software unit tests and regression tests to ensure reliability, maintainability, and performance of autonomy features.
• Support and participate in field tests to validate autonomy functions and embedded software on physical machines.
• Assist engineers in preparing plans, designs, computation methods, and technical reports for autonomy and control systems.
• Take responsibility for specific portions of projects of limited to moderate complexity, ensuring timely and high-quality delivery.
• Collaborate with supervisors, suppliers, engineering specialists, and cross-functional teams to meet specifications, perform calculations, conduct analysis, and complete design activities.
• Write clear and comprehensive requirements, design documentation, and technical specifications for autonomy and embedded software components.
• Provide direct support to engineering programs, including travel to off-site locations as needed to support development, integration, and testing activities.
• Participate in distributed system development, contributing to robust, scalable, and maintainable autonomy software.
• Maintain regular and reliable attendance to support ongoing development, integration, and testing efforts.
• Perform other related engineering and software development duties as assigned.

Essential Skills

• Ability to produce high-quality, maintainable C++ code, with approximately 99% of development work performed in C++.
• Embedded systems experience, including development and integration of software on embedded platforms.
• Practical autonomy experience, with a focus on perception and path planning as core components of prior work.
• Experience building autonomy systems from scratch, improving existing autonomy capabilities, or integrating autonomy solutions into existing products.
• Proficiency in modern software development practices and tools, with a focus on autonomy and embedded applications.
• Familiarity with Ubuntu 22.04+ operating systems for development and deployment.
• Familiarity with distributed systems and their application in autonomy or control environments.
• Accredited bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related field.
• Three (3) or more years of related experience in software engineering, autonomy, robotics, or similar domains.
• Ability to support field tests and on-machine debugging in a hardware-centric environment.
• Capability to work effectively under supervision while handling defined portions of complex projects.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with autonomy in domains such as automotive ADAS, defense, aerospace, robotics, or related fields.
• Experience in integrating autonomy solutions into physical products and production environments.
• Experience working with active safety systems, advanced driver assistance systems, or unmanned ground vehicles.
• Exposure to SQL or data-related tools in support of autonomy development and analysis.
• Experience with ROS or similar autonomy frameworks (implied by proficiency in autonomy-focused software development).
• Strong documentation skills for requirements, design specifications, and test plans.
• Ability to collaborate within a technically capable team and provide real-world autonomy perspective and mentorship.
• Comfort working in a fast-moving environment with less bureaucracy and faster visibility of impact compared to many large automotive or defense programs.

Work Environment

You will join a energetic team where most members are smart, technically capable, and relatively early in their careers. The team values practical autonomy experience and looks for someone who can bring real-world perspective to on-machine autonomy development. The work focuses on putting autonomy into actual products rather than purely simulations or research, allowing you to see the direct impact of your code on boom lifts, scissor lifts, and telehandlers operating in the field. The official hybrid policy targets three days onsite and two days remote each week; in practice, most employees are onsite about four days per week with an average of one work-from-home day. There is substantial flexibility, but hardware and machine interaction is a core part of the role, so being onsite frequently is important for development, integration, and testing. The environment offers meaningful autonomy challenges, reduced bureaucracy, and better work-life balance than many large defense or automotive programs, while providing access to real equipment, embedded systems, and modern software tools.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Frederick, MD.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $130000.00 - $140000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

• Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Frederick,MD.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 2, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.