Sr. Software Engineer - Wheeled Controls
Company: Apptronik
Location: Austin, TX 78758
Type: Full-time
Posted: 2026-04-21
About this role
Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Our flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is built to collaborate thoughtfully with people, starting with critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond.
We operate at the cutting edge of embodied AI, applying our expertise across the full robotics stack to solve some of society's most important problems. You will join a team dedicated to bringing Apollo to market at scale, tackling the complex challenges like safety, commercialization, and mass production to change the world for the better.
JOB SUMMARY
The Senior Software Engineer – Wheeled Controls is responsible for developing and deploying the high-performance motion control systems that power our robotic mobility. This role focuses on the critical software layer that coordinates wheeled mobility with upper-body manipulation, ensuring our platforms move and interact with precision, stability, and reliability in complex environments.
You will lead the development of estimation and control algorithms that unify wheel mobility and manipulation into a cohesive whole-body framework. As a senior member of the team, you are an expert at taking robotic platforms through the full lifecycle—from initial algorithm design to commercial-grade deployment. You thrive on the challenge of coordinating base motion with arm/torso dynamics, managing coupled reaction forces, and ensuring our products are robust enough for mission-critical applications.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- **Algorithm Development:** Design, implement, and tune whole-body controllers that coordinate wheeled base motion with upper-body manipulation. This includes state-estimation (EKF, UKF), base controllers (MPC, PID), and arm/torso trajectory tracking with dynamic coupling compensation.
- **Hardware-to-Software Interfacing:** Develop the low-l...