Lead design and implementation of real-time navigation and state estimation systems for GPS-denied environments. Build robust sensor-fusion pipelines and estimators, define system behaviors across failure modes, drive architecture tradeoffs, integrate with autonomy and flight systems, and validate performance in simulation and flight tests.
Who we are
Theseus is a defense technology company building visual positioning to solve reliability for the next 10 million drones. We’re focused on localization in GPS-denied environments because we believe it is one of the biggest blockers to making autonomous systems reliable in the real world.
Our products are already being used in operational environments today. We’re a small team with high ownership and accountability, and we’re looking for engineers who want to move fast, work against real-world constraints, and see their systems deployed in the field.
The role
We’re seeking a Senior Navigation Software Engineer to lead development of the real-time navigation and state estimation systems at the core of our autonomy stack.
You’ll own the systems that turn onboard sensor data into a continuous, reliable estimate of position and motion without GPS. This role is for someone who can independently drive technical decisions, build robust estimation software, and take systems from concept through deployment on real hardware in demanding environments.
You will:
- Own navigation and state estimation systems end to end, from algorithm design to deployment and field iteration
- Design and improve sensor fusion pipelines that turn onboard sensor data into reliable navigation outputs
- Build estimators that remain robust under real-world failure modes, degraded sensing, and constrained compute
- Define system behavior across initialization, nominal operation, degradation, and recovery, with clear health monitoring
- Drive architecture and technical tradeoffs across the navigation stack, balancing accuracy, robustness, latency, and simplicity
- Partner with autonomy, platform, and flight systems engineers to integrate navigation into the broader product
- Test, debug, and improve system performance in simulation and real flight conditions
You should have the following
- 4+ years of experience working on robotics navigation, localization, state estimation, sensor fusion, or a closely related problem
- Deep understanding of probabilistic estimation methods, such as Kalman filtering, optimization-based estimation, or visual-inertial navigation
- Strong intuition for inertial sensing, coordinate frames, observability, uncertainty, and real-world failure modes in deployed systems
- Experience building estimation systems that work with real sensor data, not just in simulation or offline research settings
- Strong software engineering skills in C++ and Python
- Demonstrated ability to own technically ambiguous problems and make sound architectural tradeoffs
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills
Nice to have
- Experience with drones, UAV autonomy, or flight control software such as ArduPilot or PX4
- Background in visual-inertial odometry, SLAM, or production localization systems
- Experience deploying robotics software on edge or embedded compute platforms
- Familiarity with map matching, factor graphs, or multi-sensor fusion architectures
- Experience building evaluation, benchmarking, or validation infrastructure for estimation systems
- Background in aerospace, GNC, autonomous vehicles, or inertial navigation systems
Salary Range
$150,000 - $220,000
Similar Jobs
Aerospace • Logistics • Security • Software • Cybersecurity
Develop, test, and debug software for navigation systems using MATLAB/Simulink, C, and Python. Perform model-based engineering, system integration on hardware, and collaborate in Agile teams. Contribute to INS/GPS Kalman filter and sensor-fusion designs, translate requirements to designs, and support verification and certification for mission/safety-critical systems. Must be U.S. citizen, work onsite, and obtain Secret clearance.
Top Skills:
Arinc-429CClearcaseClearquestDoorsGitGpsImuIns/Gps Kalman FilterJIRALdraMatlabMil-Std-1553Model Based EngineeringPolyspacePythonRs-422Rtca Do-178B/Do-178CSensor FusionSimulinkVectorcast
Aerospace • Logistics • Security • Software • Cybersecurity
Develop, test, and debug navigation software (INS/GPS) using MATLAB/Simulink, C, and Python. Perform software/system integration on hardware, apply model-based engineering and agile practices, define requirements, and support verification for mission-critical embedded navigation systems.
Top Skills:
Arinc-429CClearcaseClearquestDoorsEmbedded Ins/GpsGitImuIns/Gps Kalman FilterJIRALdraMatlabMil-Std-1553Model-Based Engineering (Mbe)PolyspacePythonRs-422Rtca Do-178B/Do-178CSensor FusionSimulinkVectorcast
Healthtech • Robotics
Design and optimize real-time C++ systems that stream live video, kinematics, and sensor data into computer vision and ML inference for robotic surgical navigation. Implement low-latency data pipelines, registration/calibration algorithms, integrate ML models, collaborate with UI/graphics teams, and own the navigation software lifecycle from requirements through verification and release in a regulated medical-device environment.
Top Skills:
C++11/14/17+Circular BuffersLinuxLock-Free QueuesMulti-ThreadingQt/QmlShared-Memory Ipc
What you need to know about the San Francisco Tech Scene
San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area attracts more startup funding than any other region in the world. Home to Stanford University and UC Berkeley, leading VC firms and several of the world’s most valuable companies, the Bay Area is the place to go for anyone looking to make it big in the tech industry. That said, San Francisco has a lot to offer beyond technology thanks to a thriving art and music scene, excellent food and a short drive to several of the country’s most beautiful recreational areas.
Key Facts About San Francisco Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 365,500; 13.9% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Google, Apple, Salesforce, Meta
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, fintech, consumer technology, software
- Funding Landscape: $50.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Greylock Partners, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins
- Research Centers and Universities: Stanford University; University of California, Berkeley; University of San Francisco; Santa Clara University; Ames Research Center; Center for AI Safety; California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
