Software Robotics Engineer - Navigation (m/f/d)

The Role: What to expect

Role Responsibilities: What you will do

• Localization: Improve LiDAR localization and SLAM for robust robot pose estimation.
• Planning and control: Develop global and local planners for feasible trajectory generation and tracking.
• Behavior: Build behavior-tree navigation logic for replanning, recovery and safety handling.
• Software: Write real-time capable, multi-threaded C++ and ROS 2 software for production robots.
• Testing and validation: Validate features through automated tests in simulation and hands-on testing on hardware.
• Debugging: Find root causes of field issues across the navigation stack.

Role Requirements: What you need to succeed

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics or related fields.
• 3+ years of experience developing navigation software for wheeled mobile robots in real-world or industrial settings.
• Proficiency in C++ (C++17 or newer) and solid understanding of object-oriented design.
• Hands-on experience with ROS 2, ideally including Nav2 or a similar navigation framework, with TF, costmaps and behavior trees.
• Proven experience in at least two of these areas:
  • Localization and Lifelong SLAM (scan matching, particle filters, pose graph optimization).
  • Path planning (graph search, lattice planners, trajectory optimization).
  • Motion control (MPC, trajectory tracking, sampling-based local planners).
  • Behavior and decision-making (behavior trees, state machines, recovery strategies).
• Experience with Linux development environments, Git-based collaborative workflows, and building and deploying with Docker.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Preferred Qualifications:
  • Strong understanding of mobile robot kinematics, dynamics, control theory, and probabilistic state estimation.
  • Experience with differential-drive and omnidirectional robot platforms.
  • Experience building CI/CD pipelines for robotics software with automated testing and performance benchmarking.
  • Experience with profiling and tracing tools.

Why idealworks

• At idealworks, you will find an international working environment and become part of an experienced, open team where mutual trust counts. You will feel at home from the very first second!
• Experience a first-hand start-up feeling and flat hierarchies with varied and responsible tasks that you work on independently.
• Look forward to hybrid working model with 30 vacation days per year and various opportunities to balance your free time, family and job.
• For your commitment to helping us achieve our mission, you will not only be rewarded with appreciation, but also with above-average pay including a bonus scheme and an annual personal development budget.
• We offer exciting corporate benefits, an attractive company pension scheme and regular team events.
• Our modern office is easily accessible by public transport, bike and car and offers numerous catering options for relaxed lunch breaks with your team.
• Driven by our unique corporate culture, the five values "passion for results", "wellbeing", "personal growth", "trust" and "being and acting as one team" determine our daily actions and cooperation.