Senior Robotics Software Engineer

Location: Santa Cruz, California

Department: Engineering – Robotics Software & Controls

Reports To: Manager of Robotics & Controls

Workplace Type: Hybrid — onsite 3–4 days per week across Santa Cruz and West Menlo Park,with at least one day per week in Santa Cruz

About Capstan Medical

Capstan Medical is developing a first-of-its-kind robotic platform for minimally invasive heart valve treatment. By combining surgical robotics, catheter-based delivery, and next-generation implants, we're working to make complex procedures safer and more effective for patients and clinicians.

We're a collaborative, hands-on team that moves quickly, takes ownership, and values ideas from every team member.

The Role

We're looking for a Senior Robotics Software Engineer to develop the software infrastructure connecting our robotic hardware with control, planning, and clinical applications. You'll lead hardware bring-up, integrate motors and sensors, and troubleshoot issues across hardware, firmware, and software.

This is a hands-on role for an engineer with experience in robotics software, controls, motion planning, or mechatronics who enjoys working close to the hardware and building reliable, production-ready systems.

What You’ll Do:

Lead robot hardware bring-up, from initial power-on to safe, repeatable operation.

Develop robotics infrastructure, including hardware abstraction layers, device drivers, real-time control loops, logging, and diagnostics.

Integrate motor drives, encoders, force and position sensors, and other peripherals.

Support motor control, joint tuning, and the transition from prototypes to production-ready software.

Contribute to kinematics, motion planning, and control features.

Build calibration, characterization, and hardware testing tools.

Debug issues across hardware, firmware, operating systems, and application software using software and laboratory tools.

Write reliable, high-performance C++ and Python code that meets real-time requirements.

Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, controls, and systems engineers to define interfaces and requirements.

Document designs, participate in technical reviews, and support verification and validation for regulatory submissions.

Required Qualifications

BS/MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field.

5+ years of experience developing software for robots or electromechanical systems.

Strong proficiency in C++ and Python.

Experience bringing up hardware or developing software that controls physical systems.

Hands-on experience integrating software with motors, encoders, sensors, or embedded

controllers.

Working knowledge of communication protocols such as EtherCAT, CAN, SPI, I2C,

UART, or Ethernet.

Understanding of operating systems, concurrency, and real-time system constraints.

Strong debugging skills across hardware, firmware, and software.

Ability to communicate technical tradeoffs, collaborate across disciplines, and own

problems end-to-end.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in controls, motion planning, kinematics, or mechatronics.

Motor control experience, including current, velocity, or position loops, commutation, or

drive tuning.

Robotics software experience, including ROS/ROS2.

Embedded software or firmware experience with microcontrollers, RTOS, or real-time Linux.

Experience taking robots or electromechanical products from prototype to production.

Experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing or automated hardware test systems.

Medical device or safety-critical systems experience, including IEC 62304 or ISO 14971.

Experience across multiple software technologies and the ability to learn new tools quickly.

Why Join Us

We offer a fun, hands-on, fast-paced, collaborative environment where you will be working on transformational technologies in the cardiac healthcare space.

We offer projects and training to continue your learning and technical growth.

We offer outstanding benefits with medical, dental, and vision covered at 100% for you and your family, as well as flex time off.

We thrive in our work-hard, play-hard environment. Bring your bike or running shoes if you’d like or just be ready to enjoy a fun office outing. We enjoy time inside the office and out!

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, and disability, or other legally protected status.