Motion Controls & Robotics Software Engineer

About the Role

Accuray develops, manufactures, and sells radiotherapy systems for cancer treatments. The Motion Controls & Robotics Software Engineer contributes to the research, planning, design, implementation, and verification of software that controls critical electro-mechanical and robotic motion mechanisms. This is a software-forward motion control role for early-career candidates with foundational experience or strong demonstrated capability developing software that interfaces with physical hardware.

Key Responsibilities

• Object-oriented software development and hands-on hardware integration for control systems, including robotic manipulators, precision positioning systems, thermal and pneumatic control systems.
• Detailed analysis reports, debugging, reliability cycling, system integration, and formal software/hardware testing.
• Researches, analyzes, plans, and implements control system design in accordance with product requirements.
• Supports the distillation of system-level requirements into sub-system and component-level requirements.
• Develops and executes comprehensive test plans, including manual, automated, unit, integration, and system-level tests.
• Hands-on, data-driven problem solving, often working directly with motion hardware.
• Assists with hardware prototype builds and troubleshooting.
• Documents, implements, and tests applicable design requirements for production, supporting the transfer of design output documents, assembly and test instructions, and service troubleshooting support.
• Collaborates closely with Embedded Software Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, and test teams.
• Provides subject matter expert input and guidance for field service escalations into engineering.
• Supports the Mechanical Systems Manager in establishing or updating project and departmental deliverables.
• Works collaboratively within project teams, seeking input from senior engineers and cross-functional partners.
• Communicates technical progress, risks, and roadblocks clearly.
• Follows applicable quality processes.
• Contributes to process improvement activities.
• Supports the effective implementation of safety and quality considerations in product design.
• Supports timely investigation, communication, and resolution of safety and quality issues.
• Supports Accuray’s Quality System and Safety and Health Program.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Object-oriented software development in C++ and/or Python.
• Experience using professional software development practices such as version control, code review, issue tracking, build/release workflows, and automated testing.
• Exposure to software development, testing, or release activities for products, prototypes, lab systems, or hardware-integrated software.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Mechatronics, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical field, with coursework or experience in software development for physical systems.
• Professional software development experience is preferred, but strong candidates with substantial internship, co-op, academic project, research, or personal project experience developing software for physical systems will be considered.
• Relevant experience should demonstrate hands-on software development, debugging, test discipline, and interest in software that interfaces with electro-mechanical, robotic, or motion control systems.
• Working knowledge of Mechanical, Electrical, and Software Engineering design principles, including how software interfaces with sensors, actuators, motor controllers, and other electro-mechanical components.
• Demonstrated foundation in designing and implementing object-oriented software in C++ and/or Python, including class design, interfaces/abstractions, modular code structure, debugging, and unit/integration testing.
• Experience using professional software development practices.
• Exposure to product development.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred Or Desired

• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Robotics, Controls Engineering, Mechatronics, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• Internship, co-op, research, academic project, or early professional experience in a regulated, safety-critical, medical device, robotics, automation, or high-reliability engineering environment.
• Demonstrated ability to test and verify developed hardware and software against requirements.
• Ability to develop system-level requirements for motion control systems and effectively integrate components into systems.
• Experience or strong academic/project exposure working with automated or robotic systems and their components, including low-level firmware, mid-level software interfaces/device drivers, APIs, and robot controls middleware.
• Experience developing robotics, motion control, or embedded software in regulated, safety-critical, or high-reliability environments.
• Experience programming digital motion controllers.
• Self-starter who can make progress independently while seeking guidance appropriately.
• Demonstrated experience developing, building, debugging, or deploying software in Linux-based environments.
• Exposure to 3D CAD modeling software (SolidWorks preferred) and virtualization tools for robotics applications.
• Exposure to Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) and parallel computing concepts.
• Proficiency with linear algebra, rigid transformations, coordinate frames, and/or robotics software for serial-link manipulators.
• Proficiency in working with databases.
• Strong foundational knowledge in control theory combined with hands-on experience developing data-driven control strategies.
• Comfortable using AI-assisted tools to enhance productivity while maintaining engineering judgment and verification discipline.
• Understands fundamental machine learning and reinforcement learning concepts.
• Formal product reliability qualification and testing background.