Software Engineer - Robotics (Motion)

Company Overview ACS (Allen Control Systems) is a defense technology company building precision robotic systems for the United States and its allies. Founded by two former U.S. Navy electrical engineers with deep experience in robotics and software, ACS brings together AI, computer vision, precision motion, and advanced hardware to solve complex defense challenges across land, air, and maritime environments.

Our flagship product, Bullfrog, is an autonomous precision weapon system that transforms existing weapons into highly accurate counter-drone systems — giving warfighters a scalable, cost-effective response to one of the fastest-growing threats on the modern battlefield. Bullfrog is deployed with U.S. forces, and ACS works with organizations throughout the U.S. military and national security community.

Following a $200 million Series B at a $2.2 billion valuation, ACS is rapidly expanding manufacturing, accelerating Bullfrog deployments, and developing the next generation of autonomous battlefield systems. This is an opportunity to join a proven, fast-moving team and help scale technology with direct, real-world impact on national security.

ACS is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with additional operations in Alexandria, Virginia; Mountain View, California; and Huntsville, Alabama. For more information, visit allencontrolsystems.com.

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Position Overview

We are seeking a Software Engineer with a speciality in Robotics. In this position you will be responsible for turning computer vision output into precise, safe motion — running real-time control loops, and getting the turret pointed exactly where we want it, when we want it.

We’re hiring across multiple experience levels, including:

• Associate Software Engineer.
• Software Engineer.
• Senior Software Engineer.
• Staff Software Engineer.
• Senior Staff Software Engineer.

Your title and level will be determined based on your experience, skills, and the scope of responsibility appropriate for the role.

What You'll Do:

• Control robot motion to track drones under tight real-time constraints.
• Develop and tune real-time control loops for accurate, stable pointing.
• Own calibration routines and coordinate-frame transforms across the sensor/actuator chain.
• Define and negotiate a robust software/hardware contract at the actuation handoff, minimizing rework.
• Enforce safety constraints on motion (limits, no-fire zones, fault handling) as a first-class design concern.

What You'll Need:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• Strong proficiency in C++ for real-time/deterministic code; Python for tooling and analysis.
• Solid grounding in linear algebra, kinematics, and coordinate transforms.
• Experience with real-time or low-latency systems and performance optimization.
• Control theory fundamentals (PID and beyond).

You'll Stand Out:

• Robotics frameworks (ROS/ROS 2) and Eigen.
• Advanced control (MPC, LQR, state estimation / Kalman filtering).
• Motor / servo / actuator control and sensor calibration.
• Real-time Linux, deterministic scheduling, or safety-critical systems experience.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary
• ACS Equity Package
• Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off

Allen Control Systems is an Equal Opportunity Employer, providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Allen Control Systems prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.