Senior Research Engineer, Localization & Mapping

Senior Research Engineer, Localization & Mapping Cobot Santa Clara, CA, USA USD 205k-225k / year + Equity Posted on Apr 16, 2026 Apply now Location Santa Clara Employment Type Full time Location Type On-site Department Software Engineering As a Senior Research Engineer, Localization and Mapping, you will lead the development of the core systems that give our robots spatial awareness and environmental understanding. You'll design and deploy robust localization and mapping solutions that operate reliably in dynamic, real-world settings — from real-time SLAM and state estimation to multi-sensor fusion and calibration. Working cross-functionally across perception, planning, and systems engineering, you will deliver production-ready autonomy capabilities that scale across robots and environments. This is a hands-on, high-impact role where your work will directly influence how Cobot's robots perceive, navigate, and operate in the real world. Join us to reimagine the future of human-robot interaction. Collaborative Robotics is a team of innovators and builders redefining the future of human-robot interaction. We are working to realize a world where robots are a trusted extension of your surroundings. They work, adapt, and react around you. Not the other way around. This role is located onsite at our Santa Clara, CA headquarters. Cobot will offer a relocation stipend if you are relocating to join our Santa Clara office and currently live more than 50 miles outside of the office location.

Key Responsibilities:

Architect and deploy robust localization and mapping systems for production robotic platforms. Develop real-time SLAM, state estimation, and sensor fusion algorithms under strict latency and reliability constraints. Design and implement multi-sensor calibration pipelines (e.g., camera, LiDAR, IMU). Integrate localization and mapping systems with perception, planning, and control to enable end-to-end autonomy. Identify, analyze, and resolve edge cases from real-world deployments; drive continuous system improvements. Build scalable mapping and localization solutions that operate across fleets of robots. Establish validation, testing, and benchmarking frameworks for localization accuracy and system robustness. Contribute to system architecture decisions to support long-term scalability and performance.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related technical field. 5+ years of experience working within engineering teams. Strong proficiency in C++ and Python. Deep expertise in localization, mapping, calibration, and state estimation techniques (e.g., filtering, graph optimization, factor graphs, bundle adjustment). Experience building production-grade, high-reliability software for robotics or autonomous systems. Experience working with real-world sensor data and debugging system performance in the field. Willing to occasionally travel. Must have and maintain US work authorization. Highly motivated teammate with excellent oral and written communication skills. Enjoy working in a fast paced, collaborative and dynamic start-up environment as part of a small team.

Preferred Qualifications:

Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in Computer Science, Robotics, or a related field. Strong background in robotics and autonomy systems. Experience with ROS and/or modern robotics middleware. Experience developing GPU-accelerated or hardware-optimized algorithms. Experience scaling localization and mapping systems across fleets of robots. Experience with multimodal sensor fusion and calibration. Strong experience working with large-scale datasets, evaluation, and visualization. Familiarity with sensor modeling (camera, LiDAR, IMU). Experience with simulation tools for robotics development and testing. The annual base salary range for this position is $205,000-$225,000 plus equity and comprehensive benefits including medical/dental/vision plans, 401(k) plan, unlimited paid vacation time, paid sick leave, and parental leave. Our salary ranges are determined by role and experience level. The range reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position in the noted geographic area. Within the range, individual pay is determined by additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Cobot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected characteristics. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let your recruiter know.

To all recruitment agencies:

Collaborative Robotics does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our employees. Collaborative Robotics is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes. Apply now See more open positions at Cobot