--- title: 'Senior Software Engineer - Robotics at Third Wave Automation' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-robotics-third-wave-automation-union-city-ks0d539dphbe' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-08' --- # Senior Software Engineer - Robotics at Third Wave Automation - **Company:** Third Wave Automation - **Location:** Union City, CA - **Posted:** 2026-05-12 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/thirdwaveautomation/jobs/7732342003 ## Job description TWA is looking for experienced software (robotics) development engineers to join our team and work on the automation stack for our forklifts.  As TWA expands with successful customer deployments, we are adding people that can help drive successful outcomes by improving and enhancing our automation software.  As we are still an early stage company, the ideal candidate will be a strong generalist who can work across motion planning, vehicle command, perception and prediction and help to make the right design trade-offs as we identify new features and scope for our product. You will be part of a core software engineering team working to pioneer new solutions while also driving product maturity to support our rapid growth projections.  We empower our team with an AI-first engineering culture. We believe in leveraging LLMs and generative tools to accelerate problem-solving, automate the mundane, and allow our engineers to focus on the high-level architectural and safety challenges unique to autonomous robotics.  We believe in a strong coaching and mentoring culture to continuously improve our most valuable asset: our people. ## How You Can Make an Impact - Take the Lead on Critical Features: From initial concept to full-scale deployment, you'll own the design and implementation of core automation enhancements. Your work will directly translate into improved efficiency, safety, and reliability for our customers. - Solve Uncharted Problems: Leverage your deep expertise in classical robotics, planning, SLAM, and statistical data fusion to tackle the next generation of challenges in infrastructure-free navigation. You will be a hands-on developer, shaping new features that will set the industry standard - Drive Product Maturity and Scalability: As a core contributor, you will enhance vehicle and fleet performance by creating quantifiable improvements. Your insights will be crucial in ensuring our technology is robust enough to support our rapid growth and ambitious deployment goals - Influence Our Strategic Direction: As a key member of a small, empowered team, you will not just execute on a roadmap; you will help build it. Your deep understanding of real-world robotic systems will be a guiding force for our strategic planning and future product development - Build in an AI first environment: Leverage your experience with AI-assisted tools (e.g. Cursor, Gemini, GitHub Copilot, etc.) to accelerate the SDLC, from rapid prototyping to automated test generation. - Lead from the Front: Beyond your individual contributions, you will provide technical leadership, mentor junior engineers, and contribute original, high-impact ideas that elevate our entire engineering organization. ## Minimum Qualifications - 7+ years of hands-on, industry, robotics experience with end-to-end software development on products that have shipped. Final leveling and compensation will be determined by the depth of your technical expertise, demonstrated ability to lead complex architectural initiatives, and overall alignment with our mission - Bachelors Degree in Robotics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative discipline; Masters degree preferred. - Excellent OOP skills in C++. - Solid software design and development skills, with the ability to write efficient, clean, and reusable code (C++ and Python). - Track record of bringing important features from ideation to deployment. - Fluency with AI-assisted development (e.g., Cursor, Copilot, LLMs) to augment your personal competency in creating, testing and deploying solutions. - A foundation in computational geometry, sensor processing (LiDAR, Vision), and gracefully handling real-world noise and uncertainty. - Experience with motion planning algorithms, vehicle dynamics, and/or control systems and the ability to work features and resolve issues across these disciplines is desirable. - Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to articulate complex technical ideas to engineers and non-technical stakeholders. ## Preferred Qualifications - An advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in Computer Science, Robotics or a related quantitative field. - Experience with perception systems, motion planning, and their integration into planning pipelines. - A strong understanding of product development processes for mission-critical systems. - A proven history of providing technical leadership and mentoring junior engineers. - Experience with supporting shipping products . - Experience in safety systems and satisfying certification requirements (e.g., ISO 3691, ISO 13849, CE Marking, etc.) More About Working Here Our Core Values: - Safety. We consider safety in everything we do. - People. We care about our teammates as people. - Encouragement. We encourage teaching, asking questions, and sharing opinions. - Transparency. We are transparent and sincere in our actions. A robust set of benefits and perks: - Comprehensive benefits. Health, Dental, Vision, and a 401k matching program, to boot! - Flexible working schedule. Be productive when you work best. - Show & Tell. We love to learn from one another, and see the cool stuff everyone is working on! - Meals are covered. Lunch is provided every day, and dinner for those evenings that run long. - Stacks of snacks. Donuts are a main food group, and the snack shelf is always stocked with a wide variety of items. - Great teammates. One of the best parts of working here! We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We value each person's expertise and experiences. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. All qualified applicants able to work in the United States are encouraged to apply. We are unable to sponsor H-1 visas subject to fees required by the ‘Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers’ Presidential Proclamation dated September 21, 2025. This job is based in Union City at least three days a week and offers no relocation assistance. The pay range for this position is $135,000 - $235,000/yr+ benefits+equity; however, base pay offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. 140 ## About Third Wave Automation ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Third Wave Automation provides an intelligent, autonomous warehouse automation platform combining a hybrid fleet of autonomous forklifts with a fleet management system and remote operation capabilities. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series C) - **Headquarters**: Union City, California, USA - **Founded**: 2018 - **Founders**: Arshan Poursohi (CEO) and Julian Mason ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Warehouse Automation, Robotics, Physical AI - **Target customers**: B2B, focusing on warehouse, distribution, and manufacturing operations of all sizes (SMB to Enterprise), particularly those with existing forklift fleets. - **Mission or purpose statement**: To alleviate increasing supply chain stress using intelligent physical AI products and services that bring people and automated systems together to improve throughput, efficiency, and safety. ## Products & Services - **Shared Autonomy Platform**: The core technology—a software-defined system that combines autonomous forklifts, intelligent fleet management, and remote operation/assistance. It is designed to improve over time through continuous learning. - **ArmadaFMS (Fleet Management System)**: The software platform for operators to manage the entire forklift fleet, execute and monitor workflows, respond to system requests, and configure warehouse zones dynamically. - **TWA Reach**: A fully autonomous reach truck that can be deployed on-site within weeks without requiring additional infrastructure changes. - **Remote Exception Handling & Remote Operation**: Allows a single operator to manage up to 10 forklifts, intervening only when the autonomous system encounters an issue, which it learns from over time. - **Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS)**: A pay-as-you-go subscription model with a fixed monthly fee, requiring no large capital outlay and offering flexible terms. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed. - **Key Metric**: Total funding of **$97M** across 4 rounds (Seed, Series A, B, C). - Series C (Oct 2024): $27M led by Woven Capital (Toyota's growth fund). - Series B (Aug 2021): $40M led by Norwest Venture Partners. - Series A (Jun 2020): $15M led by Innovation Endeavors. - Seed (Jun 2018): Led by Eclipse. - Venture Round (Feb 2023): $15M led by Zebra Technologies and Qualcomm Ventures. - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Woven Capital (Toyota), Norwest Venture Partners, Innovation Endeavors, Eclipse, Zebra Technologies, Qualcomm Ventures, and The Raymond Corporation (technology partnership). - **Growth Signals**: - Annual revenue estimated at **$3.5M** (LinkedIn data). - Headcount of **33 employees**, with a -10.6% yearly growth but a +2.4% monthly growth, and **5 active job postings** (monthly posting growth of +66.7%). - Claims a **2-week go-live time** and full deployment in 1-4 months. - Reports **100% inventory accuracy**, **zero safety incidents**, and **zero racking damage** across thousands of operating hours. - Presence in Japan. ## Competitive Advantages - **Shared Autonomy**: The unique hybrid model where a single remote operator manages a fleet of autonomous forklifts, intervening only for exceptions. The system continuously learns from these interventions, improving its autonomy over time. - **No Infrastructure Upgrades**: The system is software-defined and requires no changes to existing warehouse racks, floors, or infrastructure, enabling rapid deployment. - **RaaS Model**: Lowers the barrier to entry for automation by avoiding large capital expenditures (CapEx) with a predictable monthly subscription fee. - **Safety-First Design**: Designed to comply with ANSI/ITSDF B56.5 and ISO 3691-4 standards, with a proven track record of zero injuries. - **Single Source Provider**: Provides the entire stack—hardware, software, and support—as one integrated solution. ## Strategic Focus - **Scaling Deployment**: Moving from pilot programs to rapid, large-scale deployments with a focus on a payback period of under 12 months for customers. - **Continuous Improvement**: The core differentiator is a system that gets smarter with every shift, improving efficiency, safety, and accuracy over time. - **Partnerships**: Deepening ties with key partners like The Raymond Corporation and Toyota (via Woven Capital) to expand market reach and integrate with existing material handling ecosystems. - **Global Expansion**: Establishing a presence in Japan, a key market for automotive and logistics automation. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Rated **4.1/5.0 on LinkedIn** (11 reviews) with a Culture score of **4.7/5.0**. Employees describe the culture as inclusive, supportive, and driven by innovation, with cross-functional collaboration and weekly demos. - **Work Model**: Flexible work hours and partial remote work options. The HQ is in Union City, CA. - **Benefits**: - Comprehensive health, dental, vision, life insurance, FSA/HSA, telemedicine, and mental health support (Spring Health, EAP). - 401(k) with up to a 4% company match. - **$4,000 annual professional development budget** for training, courses, and certifications. - Daily lunches, snacks, and dinner for late workers. - Flexible vacation with no accrual, plus paid holidays and a company-wide break. - **Engineering Focus**: High concentration of technical talent (33% of staff) with talent sourced from Toyota Research Institute, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and top robotics companies. Open roles include Senior Perception, Robotics, and SRE engineers. - **Impact**: Opportunity to work on a physical AI product that directly improves warehouse safety and efficiency, with a clear mission and real-world impact. ## Sources 1. [thirdwave.ai](https://thirdwave.ai/) 2. [thirdwave.ai/about-us](https://thirdwave.ai/about-us) 3. [thirdwave.ai/join-our-team](https://thirdwave.ai/join-our-team) 4. [LinkedIn Company Page](https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirdwaveautomation) 5. [Greenhouse Careers Page](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/thirdwaveautomation) ## Other roles at Third Wave Automation - [Senior Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-third-wave-automation-union-city-95vd770226dx) — Union City, CA - [Technical Lead Manager - Robotics Software Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-lead-manager-robotics-software-engineering-third-wave-automation-h7ydtndk0jgt) — Union City, CA - [Staff Technical Product Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-technical-product-manager-third-wave-automation-union-city-y3kdgj2azrky) — Union City, CA - [Customer Success & Operations Leader](https://feeny.ai/job/customer-success-operations-leader-third-wave-automation-union-city-n94n5qrwz29b) — Union City, CA - [Sr. Data Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-data-engineer-third-wave-automation-union-city-182sw5btxtzn) — Union City, CA - [Senior Software Engineer - Robotics](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-robotics-applied-intuition-london-90tb93naqags) — London, United Kingdom