---
title: 'Principal Robotics Software Engineer at Blue River Technology'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/principal-robotics-software-engineer-blue-river-technology-united-states-fr0pjvcfzara'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-05'
---

# Principal Robotics Software Engineer at Blue River Technology

- **Company:** Blue River Technology
- **Location:** United States
- **Work type:** remote
- **Posted:** 2026-08-26
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-05
- **Apply:** https://www.bluerivertechnology.com/job/?gh_jid=8158060

## 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 deliver technical breakthroughs across industries such as agriculture and construction.

Our people are at the heart of what we do. Through cross-disciplinary collaboration, this mission-driven team is eager to define the new frontier of robotics. We are always asking hard questions, rapidly iterating, and getting our boots in the field to figure it out. We won’t give up until we’ve made a tangible and positive impact on the planet!

Blue River Technology is based in Santa Clara, CA.

Summary

We are seeking a Principal Robotics Software Engineer to provide technical leadership and architectural vision on Blue River Technology's Robotics Team. In this role, you will lead the design, development, and execution of complex software systems for our autonomous platforms. Serving as a key technical authority, you will work across multiple Blue River and John Deere engineering groups to change vehicle safety behavior, control the vehicle, and access valuable data signals. You will guide architectural decisions, mentor engineers, and partner with hardware, perception, and product leaders to turn ambitious autonomy into robust, safety-critical production software.

- Employment Type: Full-Time
- Work Location: Remote in the United States.
- Visa sponsorship: Open to visa sponsorship.

Job Responsibilities

A combination, not necessarily all-inclusive, of the following:

- Vehicle Control & Cross-Group Collaboration: Work across multiple Deere engineering groups to change vehicle safety behavior, control the vehicle, and unlock valuable data signals that improve machine intelligence, autonomy, and customer outcomes.
- Technical Leadership & Vision: Drive the technical vision and software architecture across multi-quarter robotics initiatives, establishing design patterns and engineering best practices for the team.
- System Architecture & Strategy: Architect, design, and maintain high-performance, fault-tolerant software systems for robotics (e.g., motion planning, controls, state estimation, spatial awareness, or fleet management).
- Cross-Functional Alignment: Partner closely with Robotics, Perception, Machine Learning, Hardware, Systems Engineering, and Product teams to define software requirements, hardware-software interfaces, and system-level validation plans.
- Code & System Quality: Champion software quality through rigorous coding standards, automated testing, continuous integration, and real-world software deployment protocols to ensure high reliability in production environments.
- Mentorship & Growth: Guide, coach, and elevate senior, mid-level, and junior engineers through technical design reviews, clean code practices, and system-level troubleshooting.
- Innovation & Technical Direction: Stay ahead of industry trends in robotics, AI/ML, dynamic controls, and real-time computing to continually evolve the robotics platform.

Required Experience and Skills

- 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, with at least 4+ years in a Principal or Staff-level capacity within robotics, autonomous vehicles, aerospace, or heavy machinery automation.
- Expert-level proficiency in modern C++ and Python within Linux-based development environments.
- Deep hands-on experience with core robotics frameworks (e.g., ROS / ROS 2, CyberRT) and key domains such as motion planning, kinematics, trajectory generation, localization, perception, or control theory.
- Demonstrated experience with multi-threaded C++ applications, basic IPC, and writing software that interfaces with physical hardware or sensors (e.g., LIDAR, cameras, IMUs, GPS).
- Exceptional ability to zoom out to high-level system architecture and zoom in to debug complex hardware-software integration edge cases.
- Strong capability to balance long-term architectural beauty with short-term shipping velocity.
- Ability to build alignment across multi-disciplinary engineering, product, and leadership teams through technical excellence and clear communication.
- Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Robotics, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.

## Preferred Experience and Skills

- Experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS), low-latency system optimization, memory management, and real-time networking stacks (e.g., CAN, Ethernet).
- Experience with physics simulation environments (e.g., Isaac Sim, Gazebo, Webots).
- Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) setups and complex multi-sensor fusion pipelines.
- Familiarity with safety-critical system design or functional safety standards (e.g., ISO 26262, IEC 61508).

-

Only individual applicants will be considered. We do not work with unsolicited third-party agencies or proxy interview services.

At Blue River, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. For this position, the reasonably expected pay range is between $174,000 – $305,000/year for the level at which this job has been scoped. Your base pay will depend on several factors, including your experience, qualifications, education, location, and skills. This position is also eligible for an annual performance bonus and a competitive benefit package. 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.

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.

## #LI-AN1

## About Blue River Technology

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Blue River Technology builds intelligent machinery that uses computer vision and machine learning to enable precision agriculture, helping farmers reduce herbicide use and increase sustainability.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Subsidiary of John Deere)
- **Headquarters**: Santa Clara, California, USA
- **Founded**: Not publicly available from provided sources
- **Founders**: Not publicly available from provided sources

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Agricultural robotics, precision agriculture, computer vision, machine learning
- **Target customers**: Farmers, agricultural businesses, and large-scale crop producers (B2B)
- **Mission or purpose**: “We believe intelligent machines make the world’s hardest jobs safer, smarter, and more sustainable.” [bluerivertechnology.com](https://www.bluerivertechnology.com/)

## Products & Services
- **[See & Spray™](https://www.bluerivertechnology.com/)**: A precision spraying system that uses computer vision and machine learning to distinguish crops from weeds in real time. It applies herbicide only where needed, reducing chemical usage and improving field health. (Hardware + Software + AI)
- **Autonomy Platform**: End-to-end autonomy software stack for agricultural, construction, mining, and forestry machinery, combining real-time perception, control, and scalable architecture. (SaaS/embedded software)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (subsidiary of John Deere, a public company with ~$100B market cap)
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue – Not publicly available; Total Funding – Not applicable (acquired by John Deere in 2017)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: John Deere (parent company)
- **Growth Signals**: Actively hiring across multiple roles (Remote-US and Santa Clara, CA); expanding See & Spray technology to new crops and geographies; applying core competencies to construction, mining, and forestry sectors. [greenhouse.io](https://boards.greenhouse.io/bluerivertech)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proprietary computer vision and ML models** that operate reliably on moving machinery in messy, outdoor field conditions.
- **Deep integration with John Deere’s distribution, manufacturing, and customer network**, providing scale and market access that competitors lack.
- **Real-time plant-level identification** enables precise, variable-rate herbicide application, reducing chemical use by up to 90% in some cases.
- **Cross-industry applicability**: The same autonomy platform is being adapted for construction, mining, and forestry, broadening the addressable market.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scale See & Spray™ adoption** across more crops, regions, and farming practices.
- **Extend autonomy capabilities** to John Deere’s broader equipment lineup (construction, mining, forestry) to create a unified intelligent machinery platform.
- **Continue investing in ML, robotics, and field testing** to improve reliability and reduce cost per acre.
- **Maintain a hybrid-first, agile engineering culture** while leveraging the resources of a Fortune 500 parent.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: “Mission-first, people-centric” with real ownership and impact. Teams are cross-disciplinary and move fast, with a strong emphasis on field testing and customer feedback. [bluerivertechnology.com/culture](https://www.bluerivertechnology.com/culture/)
- **Work Model**: Hybrid-first – most roles are Remote-US, with several in-person “Culture & Collaboration Weeks” per year at the Santa Clara office. Some roles require on-site presence (e.g., Field Test Engineer in North Carolina). [greenhouse.io](https://boards.greenhouse.io/bluerivertech)
- **Benefits**: Medical, Dental & Vision (multiple plans), 401(k) with company match, Health Savings Account with contributions, Mental Health Support (EAP), flexible PTO and paid holidays (including volunteer time off), Disability & Life Insurance. [bluerivertechnology.com/careers](https://www.bluerivertechnology.com/careers/)
- **Engineering Rigor**: “Startup autonomy and engineering rigor” – teams own end-to-end systems, work on ML, robotics, and large-scale real-world deployments, and are expected to step in wherever the system needs improvement. [greenhouse.io](https://boards.greenhouse.io/bluerivertech)
- **Hiring Process**: Transparent and inclusive – initial interview, exploratory conversations, coding test (if applicable), virtual onsite video interviews, office meet & greet, offer. Accessibility accommodations available. [greenhouse.io](https://boards.greenhouse.io/bluerivertech)

## Sources
1. [bluerivertechnology.com – Homepage](https://www.bluerivertechnology.com/)
2. [bluerivertechnology.com – Careers](https://www.bluerivertechnology.com/careers/)
3. [bluerivertechnology.com – Culture](https://www.bluerivertechnology.com/culture/)
4. [greenhouse.io – Blue River Technology Job Board](https://boards.greenhouse.io/bluerivertech)
5. [LinkedIn – Blue River Technology](https://www.linkedin.com/company/bluerivertech)

## Other roles at Blue River Technology

- [Systems and Network Administrator](https://feeny.ai/job/systems-and-network-administrator-blue-river-technology-santa-clara-274vync47wgt) — Santa Clara, CA
- [Director of Engineering, See & Scout](https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-engineering-see-scout-blue-river-technology-united-states-g6vxatn8zg41) — United States
- [Principal Site Reliability Engineer, Platform](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-site-reliability-engineer-platform-blue-river-technology-united-states-8egqe9d6vhcj) — United States
- [Principal Robotics Engineer, Autonomous Systems](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-robotics-engineer-autonomous-systems-blue-river-technology-united-17kcw07df6rq) — United States
- [Machine Learning Engineer, Autonomy](https://feeny.ai/job/machine-learning-engineer-autonomy-blue-river-technology-united-states-91w1vxay4end) — United States
- [Systems Engineer, Autonomous Systems](https://feeny.ai/job/systems-engineer-autonomous-systems-blue-river-technology-united-states-9mg74by7ww6e) — United States
- [Principal Autonomous Systems Safety Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-autonomous-systems-safety-engineer-blue-river-technology-united-states-f1erkex7hdnt) — United States
- [Sr Camera Systems Engineer, Platform](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-camera-systems-engineer-platform-blue-river-technology-santa-clara-x9ry7q3xx9cr) — Santa Clara, CA
- [Software Data Engineer, See & Spray](https://feeny.ai/job/software-data-engineer-see-spray-blue-river-technology-united-states-teanh3rjqm93) — United States
- [Sr Technical Program Manager, ML & Robotics Platform](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-technical-program-manager-ml-robotics-platform-blue-river-technology-united-zbj4g9y54j2w) — United States