Staff Robotics Motion Control Engineer

Qualcomm

Quick summary

Work type: On-site
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Salary: $167,000–$250,600 / yr
Posted: 156 days ago
Closes: Jun 28, 2026
Nearby: 99+ roles within 25 mi

Market check

Salary context

Competitive pay

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $192k

This role $209k

$136k most similar roles pay here $263k

This role pays more than 64% of similar roles. Most pay $161,241–$222,000 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $209k versus about $192k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About Qualcomm

Qualcomm is a leading American semiconductor and telecommunications company based in San Diego, CA.

Qualcomm currently has 621 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $148,300–$224,400 across 562 roles with salary data.

Most-posted roles

View all roles at Qualcomm

At a glance

TL;DR · Staff Robotics Motion Control Engineer

Apply Now Log in to save

As a Robotics Motion Control Engineer at Qualcomm Technologies’ Robotics Team, you will design and optimize motion control algorithms for robotic arms, mobile manipulators, and humanoid systems, focusing on precision, safety, and efficiency. You’ll integrate these algorithms with Qualcomm’s robotics SDK and ROS2-based frameworks, ensuring seamless collaboration with AI, perception, hardware, and simulation teams. Responsibilities include implementing real-time control loops, conducting performance benchmarking, validating algorithms in simulation environments like Gazebo or Isaac Sim, and contributing to system-level architecture discussions. Ideal candidates have 3+ years of experience in robotic motion control, proficiency in C++ and Python, and a strong background in kinematics, dynamics, and control theory. Familiarity with Qualcomm’s robotics platforms, real-time operating systems, and functional safety standards is preferred. Join a global team working on advanced AI and 5G-enabled robotics solutions for diverse markets.

Skills

C++ Python ROS2 Gazebo Isaac Sim RTOS Qualcomm Robotics SDK Raspberry Pi Compute Platforms Functional Safety Standards Machine Learning Reinforcement Learning Kinematics Dynamics Control Theory PID MPC Impedance Control Admittance Control

What you'll do

Develop and optimize motion control algorithms for robotic manipulators and mobile platforms.
Integrate motion control software with Qualcomm’s robotics SDK and ROS2 frameworks.
Implement safety features aligned with ISO 26262 and IEC 61508 standards.
Conduct performance benchmarking on heterogeneous compute platforms (CPU, GPU).
Validate algorithms in simulation environments like Gazebo and Isaac Sim.
Contribute to system-level architecture discussions for robotics solutions.

What we're looking for

3+ years of experience in motion control for robotic systems.
Proficiency in C++, Python, ROS/ROS2, and real-time operating systems (RTOS).
Expertise in kinematics, dynamics, and control theory including PID and model predictive control.
Experience with simulation tools like Gazebo and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
Knowledge of functional safety standards for safe motion planning.
Familiarity with Qualcomm robotics platforms and AI acceleration frameworks.

Similar roles

Sr. Staff Engineer / Principal Robotics SLAM and Positioning Lead

Qualcomm

Santa Clara, CA 20 days ago $198,600–$297,800

C++ ROS2 DDS SLAM Sensor Fusion Multi-Sensor Fusion State Estimation Localization Map Management CI/CD Heterogeneous Compute Diagnostics Health Monitoring Cloud-Assisted Robotics Service-Oriented Architecture Middleware-Centric Systems KPIs Test Automation

Save

Staff Product Manager, Robotics Software

Qualcomm

San Diego, CA 9 days ago $179,200–$268,800

Linux ROS ROS 2 real-time Linux (PREEMPT-RT) kernel-level tuning robotics software stacks perception SLAM mapping planning controls middleware heterogeneous compute architectures CPU GPU DSP NPU SoC architecture open-source robotics ecosystems Yocto-based builds DevOps pipelines AI inference optimization distributed robotics architectures SDKs developer toolchains platform documentation CI/CD

Save

Robotics Software Engineer, Behaviors

Anduril Industries

Costa Mesa, CA today $191,000–$253,000

C++ Rust BehaviorTree.CPP py_trees Python Simulation Embedded Systems Flight Controllers Networking Autonomy Systems Integration Multi-Agent Coordination Motion Planning Perception Localization AI/ML

Save

Staff Robotics Engineer (Dynamics and Controls)

General Motors (GM)

Remote (Mountain View Technical Center - Mountain View Technical Center, US) 98 days ago $198,900–$304,800

C++ Python ROS Autonomous Vehicles ADAS Optimization Algorithms Vehicle Dynamics Control Theory Trajectory Optimization Continuous Integration Code Reviews Simulation Testing On-Road Testing Safety Critical Systems Distributed Development Environment CI/CD

Remote

Save

Staff Robotics Engineer, Manufacturing Automation

Anduril Industries

Costa Mesa, CA today $166,000–$220,000

FANUC UR RoboDK FANUC ROBOGUIDE UR Virtual Controller Delmia Robot kinematics Robot dynamics Motion control Path planning PLC programming Rockwell Siemens EtherNet/IP Profinet CAD Solidworks NX CATIA AutoCAD Safety standards ISO 10218 R15.06 STO SLS SS1 EOAT Pneumatic grippers Electric grippers Vacuum grippers

Save

Staff Software Engineer, Robotics

Anduril Industries

Irvine, CA today $220,000–$292,000

C++ Rust Linux CI/CD Python PostgreSQL ROS Kubernetes AWS Docker Terraform Git GitHub Maven Jenkins Prometheus Grafana

Save