Senior Software Engineer (C++)

About Overland AI Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Overland AI is transforming land operations for modern defense. The company leverages over a decade of advanced research in robotics and machine learning, as well as a field-test forward ethos, to deliver combined capabilities for unit commanders. Our OverDrive autonomy stack enables ground vehicles to navigate and operate off-road in any terrain without GPS or direct operator control. Our intuitive OverWatch C2 interface provides commanders with precise coordination capabilities essential for mission success. Overland AI has secured funding from prominent defense tech investors including 8VC and Point 72, and built trusted partnerships with DARPA, the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and Special Operations Command. Backed by eight-figure contracts across the Department of Defense, we are strengthening national security by iterating closely with end users engaged in tactical operations.

The Role We are seeking an exceptional Software Engineer to strengthen the behavior and planning backbone of our autonomy stack. In this role, you will bridge the gap between algorithmic research and physical reality. You will be responsible for the end-to-end reliability, performance, and architecture of the robotic software system. You are a true generalist and a relentless problem solver. You are just as comfortable zooming out to design a fault-tolerant, multi-node distributed system as you are zooming in to profile cache misses and optimize the memory footprint of a specific C++ trajectory generation algorithm. You will work across perception, planning, and controls to ensure that our complex, interconnected subsystems operate reliably, performantly, and safely. What You’ll Do

• System Architecture: Design and implement robust, fault-tolerant software architectures for autonomous operations. Define inter-process communication (IPC) patterns, data flows, and state management across (primarily) the behaviors and planning stack.

• Low-Level Optimization: Deep-dive into specific algorithmic bottlenecks. Profile, benchmark, and optimize critical-path C++ code to reduce latency, ensure contracts, and maximize compute efficiency on edge hardware.

• Cross-Domain Integration: Collaborate tightly with domain experts (Perception, Motion Planning, Controls) to integrate cutting-edge algorithms and models into a cohesive, production-grade software system.

• Observability & Resilience: Build the infrastructure required to prove the system works. Implement rigorous logging, debugging, and offline evaluation hooks as first-class design members, not afterthoughts.

• Root-Cause Triage: Act as the ultimate line of defense for system-level debugging, troubleshooting race conditions, memory leaks, and complex timing issues across subsystem boundaries.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor or Masters in Computer Science or related field.

• 5+ Years Experience developing and deploying production-level code.

• Expert-Level C++: Deep expertise in modern C++ (C++17/20) in large distributed systems.

• Proficiency in Python: Ability to site-read and understand Python.

• Computer Science Fundamentals: Rigorous understanding of data structures, algorithm complexity, concurrent programming (multithreading, atomics, lock-free design), and memory management.

• Debugging & Profiling: Working knowledge and proven experience using advanced profiling and debugging tools (e.g., GDB, perf).

• Systems Design: Demonstrated experience developing in and modifying complex, data-heavy, or distributed software systems.

• Comfortable operating under Uncertainty: Our platforms must navigate complex terrain and make split second decisions with limited information - sometimes those same conditions apply to our developers. You're comfortable with rapid requirement changes and ambiguity and know how to break down complex tasks to continue making progress.

• Bar Raiser: You care about code quality and cleanliness and abhor anti-patterns and unnecessary complexity. Code smell makes you itch, and submitting PRs to improve code quality energizes you.

Desired Experience & Qualifications

• Domain Context: Previous experience deploying software on physical robotic systems, autonomous vehicles, or aerospace platforms.

• Unstructured Environments: Familiarity with the unique challenges of off-road navigation, unstructured terrain, and adversarial comms / GPS environments.

• Robotics Familiarity: A working understanding of 3D geometry, linear algebra, or kinematics to effectively interface with algorithmic domain experts.

Location: The Location for this role is Seattle, WA

Compensation And Benefits Pay Range: $150,000 - $230,000 annually Actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. Overland AI believes in creating a work environment that you look forward to embracing every day. Benefits Include:

• Equity compensation
• Best-in-class healthcare, dental and vision plans.
• Flexible PTO
• 401k with company match
• Parental leave

Overland AI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, marital status, disability, genetic information, protected veteran or military status, or any other status protected by applicable law.

This position may involve access to export-controlled technology. Employment is contingent on the ability to comply with U.S. export control laws.

Overland AI provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans during the application process. Please contact [[email protected]] to request an accommodation.