Senior Robotics Software Engineer
Software Engineering
Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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 RoleWe'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!