Robotics Software Engineer - SLAM & ROS2 Specialist

Lucid Bots Inc. is an AI robotics company that extends human reach by building the world's most productive and responsible robots. Our robots allow people to perform dangerous and demanding tasks without putting human life and safety at risk.

Headquartered in Charlotte, we design, engineer, manufacture, and support our products domestically. Our current line of production-ready robots includes the Sherpa, a cleaning drone, and the Lavo Bot, a pressure-washing ground-based robot. Our products elevate safety and efficiency for customers all around the world. Lucid Bots was recently recognized as the fourth fastest-growing manufacturing company in the United States.

We are venture-backed, with multi-round investments from Y Combinator (S19 batch), Cubit Capital, Idea Fund Partners, Danu Ventures, and others. Learn more about our vision.

Meeting the demands of our fast-growing venture-backed startup requires commitment from every team member—a commitment to each other, to the customers, and to the broader community. Our core values guide us in how we fulfill that commitment every day:

• Lead with Compassion: Foster an inclusive and supportive environment where people feel valued and heard.
• Grow with Purpose: Embrace learning, adaptation, and intentional decision-making.
• Win as One Team: Collaborate and share ownership of our vision and outcomes.
• Be Positive Agents of Change: Take ownership and drive impactful actions.
• Pursue Extraordinary Impact: Solve meaningful problems with innovation and effort.

As a Robotics Software Engineer specializing in SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) and ROS2 (Robot Operating System 2), your primary goal is to develop robust, scalable, and high-performance localization and mapping solutions. You will enable autonomous robots to reliably navigate complex environments, ensuring seamless integration of SLAM technology into our robotic platforms and contributing directly to advancing our autonomous capabilities.

Success in this role means more than just technical performance—it means becoming a trusted problem-solver, innovator, and teammate at Lucid Bots.

You will flourish in this role if you:

• Thrive in fast-paced, hands-on environments where ambiguity is embraced and progress is celebrated.
• Balance precision with iteration—you know when to be pragmatic and when to push for excellence.
• Take initiative to identify challenges, propose solutions, and proactively drive improvements.
• Are naturally curious and driven to stay ahead of the curve on robotics, autonomy, and SLAM research.
• Communicate clearly and frequently—whether it’s a design decision, test result, or new idea, you bring others along for the journey.
• Value cross-functional collaboration and enjoy working with diverse teams in hardware, software, and product.
• Find energy in solving real-world problems and building technology that has a direct impact on safety, efficiency, and how people work.

• SLAM Algorithm Development: Develop, implement, and optimize cutting-edge SLAM algorithms (VSLAM, LiDAR SLAM, RGB-D SLAM) tailored for real-world robotic applications.
• ROS2 Software Engineering: Build and maintain reliable ROS2 packages, nodes, services, actions, launch files, and middleware configurations ensuring interoperability within complex robotic systems.
• Sensor Fusion and Integration: Integrate various sensor data streams (LiDAR, IMU, depth cameras, GPS, wheel encoders) to enhance robot localization accuracy and reliability.
• Testing and Validation: Execute rigorous validation tests in simulation and real-world scenarios; analyze logs and data to continuously improve SLAM accuracy and system robustness.
• System Deployment: Deploy, configure, and maintain SLAM solutions on embedded hardware platforms (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson); collaborate closely with hardware and integration teams to ensure smooth transition from simulation to real-world operation.
• Performance Optimization: Profile software performance and optimize algorithms to run efficiently on edge devices, maintaining real-time performance standards.
• Documentation and Communication: Provide clear technical documentation, user manuals, and deployment guides; effectively communicate complex concepts and solutions to team members and stakeholders.

• Strong proficiency in ROS2 ecosystem, middleware (DDS), and development tools.
• Expertise in SLAM algorithms and frameworks (e.g., ORB-SLAM, Cartographer, RTAB-Map, SLAM Toolbox, Isaac ROS VSLAM).
• Experience in sensor fusion (IMU, LiDAR, GPS, odometry, visual sensors).
• Hands-on experience with EKF and UKF algorithms or sensor fusion frameworks such as robot_localization or FUSE in ROS2.
• Experience configuring and tuning Nav2 parameters for navigation across diverse environments and real-world scenarios.
• Fluency in C++ and Python programming.
• Solid experience in Linux environments and embedded system deployments (Jetson series or equivalent).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience with NVIDIA Isaac ROS stack and Nav2 for autonomous navigation.
• Background in robotics, computer vision, or related disciplines.
• Experience optimizing computational performance on resource-constrained platforms.
• Familiarity with Docker, containerized development, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience with robotic simulation platforms such as Isaac Sim, NVIDIA Omniverse, Gazebo, or equivalent tools for rapid testing and prototyping.

• Work with cutting-edge AI and robotics technology in a fast-growing startup.
• Collaborate with a passionate, innovative, and ambitious team redefining safety and efficiency.
• Gain mentorship and leadership insights from the Founder/CEO and senior leadership.
• Enjoy opportunities for continuous learning and professional growth in a values-driven environment.

• Deliver reliable and performant SLAM solutions that significantly enhance robotic autonomy.
• Ensure robust integration and successful deployment of SLAM technology onto our robotic platforms.
• Continuously improve localization accuracy, map quality, and system robustness through rigorous testing, analysis, and optimization.
• Actively contribute to enhancing team knowledge and capabilities through effective documentation, communication, and collaboration.

• You will collaborate closely with multi-disciplinary teams including perception, controls, and hardware engineering.
• Keeping up-to-date with the latest research and innovations in SLAM, ROS2, and robotics is essential for this role.
• Passion for robotics, autonomy, and innovation is highly valued, along with the willingness to experiment and learn continuously.

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Options
• 3% retirement match
• 15 days of paid time off (PTO)
• 11 paid holidays
• Company employee option plan
• Other benefits

At Lucid Bots, we’re not just hiring for a role—we’re bringing on people who believe in what we’re building. Watch this short video from our Robotics Software Engineer, Rajas Chitanvis, to hear why this role is important and why we’re excited to have someone like you join the team.

We encourage you to respond to Rajas’ video with your own short video (under 2 minutes) explaining why you’re excited about this opportunity and why you’d be a great fit for Lucid Bots. This is a chance to introduce yourself in a way that goes beyond your resume!

If you’re not sure where to record, you can use a tool like Loom.