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Ocean Robot Software Engineer
Monterey Bay Aquariam Research Institute
Software Engineering
Posted on Jan 16, 2026
Founded in 1987 by the late David Packard, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) is a nonprofit oceanographic research center advancing marine science and engineering to understand our changing ocean. Located in Moss Landing, California, the heart of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, MBARI offers ready access to the open ocean and deep sea. Ongoing research programs range across autonomous and remotely operated underwater vehicle systems, control technologies, ocean physics, chemistry, geology, biology, ocean instrumentation, and information management. MBARI hosts approximately 200 employees, with shore facilities that include state-of-the-art science and engineering laboratories, manufacturing and electrical fabrication shops, and dock facilities for MBARI vessels.
The MBARI Engineering Department is seeking an Ocean Robotics Software Engineer to join our small, collaborative team developing and operating autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for ocean research.
For over 15 years, our vehicles have enabled scientists to conduct novel oceanographic research and collect extensive science and engineering datasets. Our multidisciplinary team of engineers, operators, and technicians support operations and advance vehicle capabilities. This role spans both vehicle-side software (diagnostics, onboard automation, mission scripting) and shore-side systems (data pipelines, command-and-control interfaces, operator tools). We’re looking for someone who gets excited about making complex systems more usable and reliable.
Primary responsibilities:
- Design, develop, test, and support software for MBARI’s fleet of Long-Range AUVs (LRAUVs)
- Build and maintain tools to help improve operational efficiency, diagnostics, and vehicle usability (data visualizers, operator situational awareness aids, etc)
- Participate in field operations, including on-call work, offshore deployments, and occasional travel
Required qualifications:
- Curiosity about how things work at the intersection of biology, robotics, and oceanography
- Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or equivalent experience
- Experience working with robotic systems
- Strong Unix/Linux fundamentals, including shell scripting, system administration, and interaction with embedded systems
- Comfort working within a large legacy C/C++ codebase
- Experience with data analysis and visualization in Python, MATLAB, or similar
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment where priorities may shift with new scientific opportunities
- Enthusiasm for collaborating across disciplines with engineers and scientists
- Modern web development skills (e.g., React), or eagerness to learn
We have needs across the full stack and will tailor responsibilities to the candidate’s strengths and interests. This role requires the ability to work independently, sometimes at unusual hours, while performing as a member of a diverse team. Strong communication and collaboration skills are essential.