Senior Software Engineer – Autonomous Systems & Agentic AI - Partnering with Palantir

Imagine building the backend of a real-time strategy game—except the assets are real autonomous vehicles, the sensor feeds are live, and the software is deployed in operational environments.

We’re partnering with Palantir to hire two Senior Software Engineers for a rapidly growing autonomous systems team. You’ll build the core service layer connecting LLMs, AI agents, operator interfaces, sensors, and real-world autonomous platforms.

This is hands-on product engineering at the intersection of backend systems, agentic AI, robotics, and mission-critical software. You’ll help take ambitious ideas from prototype to field deployment—often working directly with the people using the technology.

What You’ll Build

You’ll design and deliver cloud and edge software used to command and control individual autonomous vehicles and coordinated swarms.

Your work will include:

• Building middleware, APIs, and services that connect operator interfaces, AI agents, sensors, and autonomous platforms
• Processing live data from cameras, radar, RF systems, and other sensor modalities
• Developing real-time messaging and integration layers across multiple external systems
• Connecting self-hosted and commercial LLMs with tools, workflows, and autonomous systems
• Building reliable, fail-safe software for high-stakes operational environments
• Integrating with unmanned vehicles, sensors, actuators, and kinetic and non-kinetic systems
• Taking software from rapid prototype through testing and real-world field deployment
• Working alongside specialists in AI, sensing, robotics, simulation, hardware, and user experience
• Travelling to customer sites when required to deploy, test, and improve the product in the field

What We’re Looking For

You’re a hands-on backend or systems engineer who has owned important software—not someone sitting several layers away from the code.

You’ll ideally bring:

• 4–10 years of professional backend, service-layer, or systems engineering experience
• Experience building and owning middleware, APIs, microservices, or other core services connecting multiple systems
• Strong experience with real-time data, messaging, or software that communicates with external services
• Proficiency in at least one modern backend or systems language, ideally Rust, Python, C++, or Java
• Experience shipping quickly in a startup, scale-up, or similarly fast-moving environment
• A Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or related technical degree
• The ability to work directly with customers, understand operational problems, and turn them into working software

Experience in autonomous systems, robotics, autonomous vehicles, distributed real-time systems, LLM integrations, AI agents, or agent toolchains would be highly valuable—but it isn’t essential.

This is primarily a backend and service-engineering role. It is unlikely to suit someone focused mainly on ML research, simulation, mathematical algorithms, or path planning. You must also still enjoy writing and shipping production code.

Why Palantir?

Palantir builds software used by some of the world’s most operationally demanding institutions to make critical decisions in real time.

This team sits at the frontier of that mission. You’ll work on software that connects intelligent decision-making systems with real autonomous platforms—and see what you build tested and deployed in actual field environments.

The hiring manager describes it as the most exciting work of his career. The team has significant resources, important customers, and the freedom to move exceptionally quickly.

Location and Package

• Base salary: $145,000–$275,000, depending on experience, level, and location
• Equity: RSUs
• Locations: Seattle, New York City, Washington DC, or Palo Alto
• Working model: Hybrid, with travel to customer and deployment sites
• Employment: Full-time
• Hiring: Two positions available

Clearance Requirement

Due to the nature of the work, applicants must be US citizens and eligible to obtain a US security clearance . This position is not open to visa sponsorship, and Green Card status alone does not meet the clearance requirement.

If you’re a hands-on engineer who wants to build complex backend systems that extend beyond the cloud and into the physical world, this is a genuinely rare opportunity.