Job description
We’re Blue River, a team of innovators driven to create intelligent machinery that solves monumental problems for our customers. We empower our customers – farmers, construction crews, and foresters - to implement safer and more sustainable solutions, driving increased profitability with less reliance on scarce labor. We believe that focusing on the small stuff – pixel-by-pixel and task-by-task - leads to big gains.
Blue River Technology aligns with John Deere’s vision to “innovate on behalf of humanity” by quickly identifying and solving high-value, high-uncertainty challenges in AI, machine learning, computer vision, and robotics. BRT acts as a research and development flywheel, building not only new products but also new platforms that reliably create value for both Deere and its customers. From fully autonomous machines to highly precise farming equipment, BRT and Deere are partnering to create technical breakthroughs in industries like agriculture and construction.
Summary
See and Spray is an automated technology that reduces the amount of herbicide used in major growing operations, it reduces chemical run-off into waterways, and improves our global climate situation. John Deere’s agricultural sprayers (think big tractor) leverage AI and software built by the Blue River team you’ll be joining. Working hand in hand with John Deere, the world’s largest farming equipment manufacturer, means you’ll impact the process of farmers across the globe. Come help us turn rivers blue!
As a Robotics Software Engineer, you will contribute to this exciting program that sits at the intersection of agriculture, machine learning, and robotics. You’ll build, test, and harden features that make our automated farming devices more accurate, efficient, faster, and reliable. You’ll work on a team that has a healthy mix of production development and R&D, often transitioning between these types of projects. We work alongside agronomists, as well as engineers specializing in systems, embedded software, mechatronics, computer vision, and machine learning.
- Employment Type: Full-Time
- Work Location: Remote in the United States
- Visa sponsorship will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Job Responsibilities
A combination, not necessarily all-inclusive, of the following:
- Design, develop, and optimize C++ software running on distributed, real-time robotics systems.
- Work across the entire software lifecycle, encompassing requirements, design, development, testing, code review, documentation, and deployment.
- Investigate and implement algorithms to enhance performance, efficiency, and reliability, including those utilizing GPU-accelerated processing.
- Collaborate with systems, perception, and controls engineers to integrate software with sensors, compute modules, and actuators.
- Debug complex interactions between hardware and software in real-world conditions.
- Participate in on-machine testing, including occasional travel to the field (e.g., Gilroy, CA), to experience the product in its intended use.
- Contribute to technical discussions, design reviews, and mentoring of junior engineers as your role grows.
Required Experience and Skills
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Mechatronics, or related field.
- 5+ years of experience developing and deploying modern C++ software for robotics or embedded systems.
- Proven experience working on physical robots or complex electromechanical systems in real-world environments.
- Solid understanding of robotics fundamentals, including kinematics, control systems, perception, and localization.
- GPU programming (CUDA) and performance optimization for high-throughput systems.
- Strong Linux development skills, including debugging and performance profiling.
- Excellent problem-solving ability, with both scrappiness and precision when tackling challenges.
- Strong collaboration and communication skills, with a willingness to “get your hands dirty” during field testing.
Preferred Experience and Skills
- Python for robotics tooling, data analysis, and visualization.
- Experience with publisher/subscriber architectures (ROS or similar).
- Experience with simulation environments for robotics testing.
- Knowledge of control systems, CAN bus, and serialization libraries (e.g., Protobuf, Flatbuffers).
- Familiarity with large agricultural or industrial machinery.
Only individual applicants will be considered. We do not work with unsolicited third-party agencies or proxy interview services.
At Blue River, we’re passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. While we have more work to do to advance diversity and inclusion, we’re investing in our programs, including recruiting, mentorship, career development, and learning & development to ensure they support our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals. We support each employee in living a full life, enabling a thriving career, and accomplishing a meaningful, challenging mission while collaborating with incredible people. We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align completely with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.
We are an equal-opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation.
The US annual base salary range for this position is $142,000 - $250,000, along with eligibility for Blue River’s bonus and benefit programs. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location.
Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process. During the recruitment process, we may identify an alternative role or level to which you are more suited. If your ideal role at Blue River differs from the advertised position, we will provide an updated pay range as soon as possible during the hiring process.
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