Software Development Engineer – Platform

Job description

Apera is an innovative, Vancouver-based company at the forefront of robotics, AI, and machine vision — recognized with the 2025 Frost & Sullivan Technology Innovation Leadership Award and the 2024 BC Tech "Company of the Year, Growth" award. We're on a mission to redefine AI-driven robotic vision. Apera AI helps manufacturers make their factories more flexible and productive. Robots enhanced with Apera's software have 4D Vision — the ability to see and grasp objects with human-like capability. Challenging applications such as bin picking, sorting, packaging, and assembly are now open to fast, precise, and reliable automation. We work with the world's leading automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. Our portfolio spans Vue (our 4D Vision software), Forge (a no-code simulation and AI training studio where customers build, validate, and de-risk robotic cells before any hardware is bought), and VuePod, our new turnkey, productized bin-picking cell. ### **Let’s End Robot Blindness. Together.** Robots can do amazing things, if they can see. Apera AI builds breakthrough 4D Vision™ systems that give robots the clarity to handle complex, real-world tasks. But vision alone isn’t enough, it needs a foundation that scales, updates, and performs flawlessly. That’s where you come in. We’re looking for a Software Development Engineer – Platform to design and build the software foundation that powers Apera’s vision-guided robotics systems. You’ll solve complex system challenges, bridge hardware and software, and ensure every deployment — from lab to factory floor — runs with precision and reliability. This is a systems-first role, not app development, not web services. You’ll design, implement, and maintain deployment frameworks, provisioning tools, and hardware integration layers that make vision-driven robotics scalable and reliable. ### **What You’ll Actually Do** - Build the backbone: Design and implement platform software in Python and C++ that automates deployment, provisioning, upgrades, and backups for distributed robotic systems. - Integrate hardware: Connect and validate vision cameras, NVIDIA GPUs, network devices, and robot controllers into a seamless, high-performance platform using Dockerized environments. - Configure the platform: Contribute to Linux (Ubuntu) system configuration, including autoinstall, cloud-init, and image management to support scalable deployments. - Automate reliability: Develop automated health checks, backup/restore processes, and upgrade workflows that keep systems running with near-zero downtime. - Empower teams: Build automation tools that reduce setup and testing time by 30% or more, accelerating deployment cycles for engineering and field teams. - Continuously improve: Pilot AI-assisted diagnostics, predictive testing, and performance profiling to enhance platform stability and developer productivity. - Collaborate cross-functionally: Partner with robotics, vision, and infrastructure engineers to ensure the Apera platform integrates seamlessly across the full technology stack. ### **Why This Is a Career Move (Not Just a Job)** At Apera, we don’t just give robots vision — we build the foundation that keeps that vision running reliably, anywhere in the world. Here’s what makes this role special: - You’ll shape the core. Your code becomes the backbone for every Apera deployment, from pilot projects to global rollouts. - You’ll grow across layers. Work from Python and C++ up through Linux configuration, Docker orchestration, and GPU integration, influencing architecture and process design. - You’ll see your impact. Every improvement you ship reduces install time, boosts uptime, and helps scale AI vision to more robots worldwide. - You’ll define reliability. You’ll help set the standard for what “production-ready” means in AI-driven robotics systems. ### **What We’re Looking For** - 3+ years of experience in system-level or platform software development. - Proficiency in Python and C++, with experience building deployment or configuration tools. - Hands-on experience with Linux environments (Ubuntu preferred), Docker, and automation frameworks. - Experience integrating hardware, cameras, GPUs, robot controllers, and network interfaces — into cohesive systems. - Familiarity with Ubuntu autoinstall, cloud-init, and system imaging for scalable deployment automation. - Knowledge of DevOps principles, CI/CD pipelines, and AI-assisted testing. - Strong debugging, documentation, and cross-team collaboration skills. ### **Bonus Points If You Have** - Experience with NVIDIA GPU workflows and high-performance Dockerized compute. - Background in camera hardware integration, PoE systems, or network peripherals. - Familiarity with SELinux, OverlayFS/SquashFS, or Linux performance profiling. - Exposure to AWS infrastructure or distributed system design. - Curiosity to explore predictive diagnostics and AI-assisted monitoring. ### **Why Apera?** - Every employee is an owner, equity for all. - A culture of curiosity: we experiment, learn fast, and share openly. - Well-funded and scaling quickly, with a recent Series A fueling product and platform innovation. - Purpose with impact: Your work won’t sit idle, it will power robots in factories around the world. **Straightforward Compensation, Real Growth** At Apera AI, we keep compensation as clear as our technology. We hire for impact - and reward it accordingly. Total compensation: $110,000 CAD – $180,000 CAD per year, plus equity opportunities. This is an intermediate to senior role; we place and pay based on demonstrated competency, so where you land in the range reflects the scope and impact you bring. We tailor offers based on more than resume years - we look at your unique skills, creative problem-solving, and the impact you’ll have as we reinvent industrial automation with AI-powered vision systems. Transparency is our baseline; growth is our promise. At Apera AI, you’ll help bring intelligent robots into production and shape the future of automation. Apply today and be part of Apera AI’s mission to end robot blindness.