Staff Software Architect, Robotics & AI

Divergent is building the new industrial age. Every day, our teams design, manufacture, and assemble advanced systems for some of the world’s most demanding industries. Our integrated engineering and manufacturing platform transforms complex designs into production-ready solutions, helping customers move faster, build smarter, and deliver critical systems when they matter most. Divergent is a qualified Tier 1 supplier to global automotive OEMs and supports leading U.S. aerospace and defense companies. Join us and help push the boundaries of what can be built. Purpose We are seeking a Software Architect to lead design and architecture for the Robotics & AI Software Team. You will define system-level designs spanning real-time robotics control, planning/optimization, and generative AI / autonomous agents — with deep expertise in C++ and Python, end-to-end GUI development, and infrastructure/deployment at scale. The Role • Own system architecture for multithreaded C++ and Python applications across robotics control, automation, AI/ML, and optimization pipelines. • Architect end-to-end solutions from design through production deployment: operator-facing GUIs, diagnostics, monitoring, simulation/modeling, calibration, and fault-detection systems. • Design scalable, reliable integrations with robotics stacks (ROS/ROS2, MoveIt), electromechanical hardware, sensors, and manufacturing systems. • Define architecture for planning/optimization (SAT/SMT, constraint programming, PDDL/planners) and generative AI / agentic systems (LLMs, multimodal models, multi-agent orchestration, inference optimization). • Establish CI/CD, containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), build systems (CMake), automated testing, code quality, and engineering best practices across teams. • Lead technical design, review, and mentoring; collaborate cross-functionally with controls, electrical, mechanical, systems, manufacturing, data, legal, and product. • Drive commissioning, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement; support production hardware integration. Qualifications • Ability to lawfully access information and technology subject to U.S. export controls. • Bachelor’s in Computer Science, Robotics, AI/ML, or related field with 5+ years of professional experience, including architecture/design experience. • Expert proficiency in modern C++ (C++17 or newer) and Python; strong multithreaded, real-time, and performance-sensitive software design. • System architecture experience: design scalable, reliable, integrated software systems. • End-to-end GUI experience: design/architect operator-facing applications for monitoring, diagnostics, and control. • Infrastructure/deployment architecture: CI/CD, automated testing, containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), build systems (CMake), debugging, production-grade delivery. • Strong Git, documentation, technical leadership, and cross-functional collaboration. Preferred Qualifications • Robotics & Control: ROS/ROS2, MoveIt, kinematics/dynamics, trajectory generation, industrial automation/mechatronic integration. • Planning & Optimization: SAT/SMT, combinatorial optimization, constraint programming, PDDL/planners, open-source planning/scheduling libraries, cloud-native/scalable architecture. • Generative AI & Agents: LLMs/multimodal models, agentic patterns (function calling, reasoning loops, autonomous error correction), frameworks (LangGraph/LangChain/LlamaIndex), vLLM/PyTorch/HuggingFace, production multi-agent systems, inference optimization, MLOps, model monitoring/reliability, ethical AI/compliance. • Domain & Credentials: Advanced manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, robotics; Master’s/Ph.D. with publication/open-source record; C#/TypeScript; experience leading medium-to-large architectural initiatives. Pay Range $141,380—$224,500 USD What We Offer: • Holistic Compensation Package: Enjoy a world-class compensation package that includes a competitive salary, equity plan, and discretionary results-based incentive bonus opportunities, ensuring you're truly valued for your contributions. • Wellness and Time Off: Embrace a healthy lifestyle with paid vacation, sick time, and company holidays, including a year-end shutdown to recharge. We support growing families with paid parental leave, recognizing the importance of bonding time. • Comprehensive Health and Wellness: Prioritize your well-being with our comprehensive health and wellness benefits, offering both HMO and Premium PPO options. Additionally, benefit from company-sponsored life insurance and short and long-term disability coverage for peace of mind. • Investment in Growth: We're committed to your professional development. Take advantage of reimbursement opportunities for learning and development initiatives, empowering you to continuously expand your skill set and reach peak performance. • Collaborative and High-Performing Environment: Join our collaborative, dynamic, and high-performing team within a fast-paced, mission-driven company. Together, we're disrupting the traditional manufacturing industry, fostering innovation, and integrating people and technology to reduce our footprint. Equal Employment Opportunity Divergent is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected characteristic. Divergent provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act. EEO Poster In order to adjust to changes in our business, it may become necessary to add, remove or modify certain duties and responsibilities, or to reassign you to another job position. From time to time you may be asked to work on special projects or to assist with other work. Your cooperation and assistance in performing such additional work is expected. E-Verify: Right to Work Our company participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is a program that electronically confirms a candidate’s eligibility to work in the United States after completing the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9). The information provided on the Form I-9 is compared to the records contained in the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) databases. This helps employers verify the identity and employment eligibility of newly hired employees. Eligibility to Work Poster (English) | Eligibility to Work Poster (Spanish) Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO) Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO), we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. No agencies, no solicitations, and no calls please.