The Member of Technical Staff position in Microsoft Robotics focuses on designing, developing, and deploying navigation and planning systems for robots. The role is part of the Microsoft Discovery and Quantum division, which aims to advance robotics and AI capabilities. The engineer will work on the autonomy stack, including localization, mapping, and motion planning, to ensure robots can navigate safely and efficiently in real-world environments. This position emphasizes collaboration with various teams to enhance Microsoft's robotics platform and improve navigation capabilities.

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 2+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python.
• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements.

• Develop algorithms that translate mission objectives, task assignments, spatial constraints, and robot state into safe, dynamically feasible trajectories for mobile robots.
• Integrate navigation and planning modules with localization, mapping, perception, control, simulation, and fleet operations systems.
• Build and improve real-time planning systems that operate under practical constraints such as limited compute and dynamic obstacles.
• Develop costmaps, traversability models, spatial constraints, route-planning logic, and safety-aware decision policies.
• Use simulation, log replay, field testing, and automated regression suites to evaluate navigation performance.
• Collaborate with perception, spatial AI, simulation, platform, and field test teams to validate navigation behavior.
• Analyze robot telemetry, navigation logs, planner traces, and field test results to debug autonomy issues.
• Write production-quality software in Python, C++, or equivalent languages, following engineering best practices.
• Stay current with advances in robotics navigation, motion planning, and embodied AI.

• Employees at Microsoft are often offered comprehensive, “world-class” benefits—including health and mental-wellness programs, competitive pay with bonuses and stock awards, and retirement/savings options. Time-off and flexibility are common, with generous vacation and holidays, parental and caregiver leave, and flexible work schedules, alongside learning support, employee resource groups, product discounts, and matching-gifts/volunteering programs. Specific benefits can vary by region.