Senior Software Engineer, Mapping and Routing

At Serve Robotics, we’re reimagining how things move in cities. Our personable sidewalk robot is our vision for the future. It’s designed to take deliveries away from congested streets, make deliveries available to more people, and benefit local businesses. The Serve fleet has been delighting merchants, customers, and pedestrians along the way in Los Angeles while doing commercial deliveries.

The Serve fleet has been delighting merchants, customers, and pedestrians along the way in Los Angeles while doing commercial deliveries. We’re looking for talented individuals who will grow robotic deliveries from surprising novelty to efficient ubiquity.

Who We Are

We are tech industry veterans in software, hardware, and design who are pooling our skills to build the future we want to live in. We are solving real-world problems leveraging robotics, machine learning and computer vision, among other disciplines, with a mindful eye towards the end-to-end user experience. Our team is agile, diverse, and driven. We believe that the best way to solve complicated dynamic problems is collaboratively and respectfully.

As a Senior Software Engineer – Mapping and Routing, you will be a key member of our cross-functional team focused on optimizing and expanding our mapping and routing capabilities for sidewalk-based delivery robots. You’ll leverage GIS data, including OpenStreetMap (OSM) and other mapping sources, to build and extend real-time routing solutions. Additionally, you’ll collaborate closely with Operations to strategically identify mapping priorities that maximize impact. You will work primarily in C++, driving both architectural and algorithmic decisions that enhance our navigation systems.

Responsibilities

• Map Data Integration: Parse and integrate data from multiple sources (OSM, HD maps, proprietary data) into our routing infrastructure.

• Routing Engine Development: Design, implement, and maintain routing algorithms in C++ to optimize sidewalk navigation and meet real-world constraints.

• Algorithm Optimization: Identify performance bottlenecks and develop strategies to improve speed, accuracy, and reliability of routing.

• Collaboration with Operations: Partner with the Operations team to determine high-impact areas for mapping and routing improvements, helping guide field mapping efforts.

• System Scalability & Reliability: Ensure mapping and routing solutions scale to accommodate growing fleets and evolving geographic requirements.

• Continuous Improvement: Conduct code reviews, champion best practices for development and testing, and stay updated on the latest advancements in geospatial technologies.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience in software development, with a focus on C++ for high-performance systems.

• Strong understanding of GIS data structures and processing pipelines (experience with OSM or similar large-scale datasets is a plus).

• Familiarity with HD mapping solutions, such as Lanelet2, OSM-based expansions, or custom lane-level map representations.

• Proficiency in routing algorithms (e.g., A*, Dijkstra’s, or graph-based search) and data structures.

• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP) and container orchestration (Kubernetes) is a bonus.

• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to handle complexity in real-world geospatial challenges.

• Strong communication skills, including the ability to translate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

What Makes You Stand Out

• Domain Passion: You have a genuine interest in geospatial technologies, sidewalk navigation challenges, and the broader field of robotics.

• Innovative Mindset: You proactively seek new data sources, tools, and methodologies to continually enhance routing performance and reliability.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: You excel at working with diverse teams (engineering, product, operations) to ensure your solutions align with larger business goals.

• Data-Driven Approach: You utilize metrics and analytics to guide decisions, ensuring each improvement has a measurable impact on performance.

• Adaptability: You thrive in a dynamic environment, eager to tackle new challenges and rapidly respond to emerging requirements.