There are over 7 billion people on this planet. And by 2050, there will be 2 billion more... many moving into urban centers at an unprecedented rate. Making sure there is enough food, fiber and infrastructure for our rapidly growing world is what we're all about at John Deere. And it's why we're investing in our people and our technology like never before! Here the world's brightest minds are tackling the world's biggest challenges. If you believe one person can make the world a better place, we'll put you to work. RIGHT NOW.
John Deere is an equal opportunity employer, including disabled & veterans.
Primary Location: United States (US) - California - Santa Clara
Function: Product Engineering (CA)
Title: Senior Staff Software Engineer - 120276
Onsite/Remote: Onsite Position
Your Responsibilities
As a Senior Staff Software Engineer for John Deere located in Santa Clara, CA , you will:
Serve as the connective tissue across the full system stack - bridging build systems, containers, ROS infrastructure, board support packages (BSP), and cloud backends to keep the entire platform working end-to-end.
Own and improve the C++ build pipeline, reducing build times, and increasing overall reliability across CI/CD (CMake, colcon, Bazel).
Architect and execute the transition from Fast DDS to Zenoh as the ROS 2 middleware layer, including performance benchmarking, integration testing, and migration planning.
Diagnose and resolve complex system-level issues that span multiple processes, machines, and network boundaries - you're the person who figures out what's broken and why when logs are the only evidence.
Design and implement core autonomy software components, including state machines, behavior trees, and shared utilities used across the robotics stack.
Mentor and uplevel teammates on architecture, software best practices, modern language features, systems thinking, and software craftsmanship.
Identify and resolve systemic software quality issues such as race conditions, resource leaks, undefined behavior, and poorly structured dependencies.
VISA Sponsorship is NOT available for this position
What Skills You Need
7+ years of professional software engineering experience with a strong focus on modern C++.
Demonstrated ability to work across the full system stack - someone who understands how build systems, containers, middleware, OS/BSP layers, and cloud services interact and can troubleshoot at any boundary.
Significant experience with complex, distributed, asynchronous systems - multi-process, multi-machine architectures that communicate with cloud backends.
Strong log-based debugging skills - the ability to reconstruct system behavior and root-cause failures from logs across heterogeneous components when live debugging isn't an option.
Deep expertise with build systems - CMake, colcon, and/or Bazel - including dependency management, cross-compilation, and build performance optimization.
Proven ability to mentor engineers and raise the technical bar of a team through code reviews, design discussions, and knowledge sharing
Strong understanding of concurrency, real-time constraints, and systems-level programming on Linux.
Comfortable working in containerized development environments (Docker) and understanding how containers interact with host systems, networking, and devices
What Makes You Standout
Hands-on experience with ROS 2 (nodes, lifecycle, launch, parameters, QoS) and its build ecosystem.
Experience with DDS middleware (Fast DDS, Cyclone DDS, or similar) and a solid understanding of pub/sub transport, discovery, and QoS tuning.
Direct experience with Zenoh or active involvement in the ROS 2 Zenoh RMW effort.
Experience with cross-architecture builds (x86 / ARM / Jetson) and BSP-level integration.
Experience with static analysis and code quality tools (clang-tidy, cppcheck, ASAN/TSAN/UBSAN).
Knowledge of real-time Linux (PREEMPT_RT, priority scheduling, lock-free data structures).
Familiarity with CAN bus protocols and vehicle/machine communication.
Experience debugging multi-machine networked systems - understanding multicast, DDS discovery, network namespaces, and firewall/routing issues in field deployments.
Contributions to open-source robotics projects (ROS 2 ecosystem, middleware, tooling).
Experience with test frameworks for C++ (GTest, GMock, Catch2) and integration/system-level testing in simulation.
Background in agricultural, mining, construction, or other off-highway autonomous vehicle domains
Education
Ideally, you will have a degree or equivalent related work experience in the following:
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or a related technical field.
Advanced coursework or demonstrated expertise in distributed systems, real-time systems, or robotics software architecture is a plus.
What You'll Get
At John Deere, you are empowered to create a career that will take you to where you want to go while working in an inclusive team environment. Here, you'll enjoy the freedom to explore new projects, the support to think outside the box and the advanced tools and technology that foster innovation and achievement. Additionally, we offer a comprehensive reward package to help you get started on your new career path, including:
Flexible work arrangements
Highly competitive base pay
Savings & Retirement benefits (401K and Defined Contribution)
Healthcare benefits with a generous company contribution in the Health Savings Account
Adoption assistance
Employee Assistance Programs
Tuition assistance
Fitness subsidies and on-site gyms at specific Deere locations
Charitable contribution match
Employee Purchase Plan & numerous discount programs for personal use
Vacation and Holiday Pay
$157,488.00 - $236,232.00 + Benefits
Follow this link to learn more about our Total Rewards Package https://bit.ly/3XCd8fL
Must be 18 years of age or older to apply
The information contained herein is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and qualifications required of individuals performing the job. The qualifications detailed in this job description are not considered the minimum requirements necessary to perform the job, but rather as guidelines.
The terms of the applicable benefit plans, and all company actions administering or interpreting these plans, continue to control. Deere & Company reserves the right to suspend, amend, modify, or terminate the Plan(s) in any manner at any time, including the right to modify or eliminate any cost-sharing between the company and participants. Changes, which can be made at any time, are made by action of the company's board of directors, or to the extent authorized by resolution of its board of directors, or by the Deere & Company Compensation Committee. In the event of a conflict between the language of the official Plan Documents and this document, the language of the official Plan Documents will control.
ACA Section 1557 Nondiscrimination Notice
The John Deere Health Benefit Plans for Salaried Employees and The John Deere Benefit Plan for Wage Employees comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability.
