NVIDIASenior Robotics Software Engineer
NVIDIA is hiring a Senior Robotics Software Engineer in Santa Clara, United States. It pays $184k-$288k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Level.
Level's read on this job
- On Level's scale, this software engineer role is Builds AI ●●●●: the job is building AI systems.
- The listed pay starts 10% above the typical software engineer posting on Level.
- Tools and skills the posting cites include Python, C and Isaac.
- Level lists 2,700+ other open roles at NVIDIA.
- The role was posted in the last few days.
AI in this role
Build end-to-end workflows and software for physical AI and robotics systems as part of the Isaac Applications Team.
As a Robotics Software Engineer on the Isaac Applications Team, you will bring together the software and hardware that enable Physical AI robots to operate in the real world. You will build working robotic systems and end-to-end workflows for engineers and AI agents. These workflows connect data, simulation, and real-world deployment to continuously expand and improve robot capabilities.
We’re looking for strong software engineering skills, broad robotics knowledge, and enthusiasm for working hands-on with physical robots when taking ideas into practice. You enjoy understanding how components interact, solving problems across their boundaries, and seeing them come together to deliver new robot capabilities.
What you will be doing:
- Lead the forefront of Physical AI progress in both simulated and real humanoid robots by building the humanoid reference platform that features NVIDIA's robotics technologies.
- Build end-to-end workflows to develop, evaluate, and deploy increasingly autonomous and interactive robot capabilities.
- Extend our platform to new robot embodiments and demonstrate its adaptability through hands-on integration and validation. Address real-world compute, latency, and bandwidth constraints on physical hardware.
- Collaborate across teams in Shanghai, America, and Europe to connect capabilities and deliver reliable robotic systems.
What we need to see:
- Master’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
- 8+ years of relevant industry experience working on robotics software.
- Hands-on experience integrating, deploying, and testing software on physical robots, and confidence working directly with hardware when needed.
- Experience deploying and evaluating learned policies to control physical robots.
- Broad working knowledge of robotics software, hardware, AI, and agentic systems. We value an understanding of how these components interact within a complete system.
- Strong problem-solving skills, including tracing issues across software and hardware boundaries. Ability to work independently through ambiguous technical challenges.
- Interest in designing robotics interfaces for agent-driven operation, with the ability to learn and evaluate new approaches.
Ways To Stand Out From The Crowd:
- Experience integrating humanoid robots or mobile manipulators, from initial bring-up through reliable demonstrations of robot capabilities.
- Experience diagnosing and resolving system-level challenges across robotics software and hardware.
- Experience building end-to-end robotics workflows where AI agents perform substantial portions of the work and guide engineers through data collection, training, evaluation, and deployment.
You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.
Applications for this job will be accepted at least until October 20, 2026.This posting is for an existing vacancy.
NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.
NVIDIA is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.How we rate this
Senior Robotics Software Engineer at NVIDIA rates 85 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Builds AI (AI Level 4 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Builds AI. The job is building AI systems.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39
Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Open the description and count.
Prepare for this job
Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Also common in software engineer jobs at this level
Pay
- This job starts at
- $184k
- Typical software engineer job
- $168k
This posting starts 10% above the typical software engineer job. See software engineer jobs
Questions you could be asked
- How do you decide when an AI agent can act on its own versus asking for approval first?
- Tell me about a project where robotics was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where machine learning was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where software engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where simulation was part of your work. What did you do?
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: AI agents, Robotics, Machine learning, Software Engineering, and Simulation. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
- Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
- Lead with what you built, trained or shipped. This role is judged on the AI system itself, not the tools around it.
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