Cognitive Group | Part of the Focus Cloud Group
Robotics and Embedded Controls Engineer

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Job Title
We are seeking an experienced Embedded Controls Software Engineer with a proven background delivering production software for major automotive OEMs.
This is a hands-on engineering role focused on developing safety-critical control software for vehicle ECUs, with particular emphasis on ADAS, trajectory planning, vehicle actuation, and real-time embedded systems.
The successful candidate will have developed control software that has progressed from development into high-volume vehicle production, ideally deployed across millions of vehicles.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, develop and maintain embedded C++ software for automotive Electronic Control Units (ECUs).
- Develop vehicle control algorithms for ADAS and automated driving applications.
- Design and implement controllers responsible for vehicle motion, including acceleration, braking and steering actuation.
- Develop trajectory generation and point planning algorithms to safely move vehicles from A to B.
- Implement and optimise Model Predictive Control (MPC) and other advanced vehicle control strategies.
- Develop software running on Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS), ensuring deterministic behaviour and efficient sharing of trajectory and control data.
- Reprogramme and enhance existing ECU software to meet evolving legislation, regulations and customer requirements.
- Work throughout the full software development lifecycle following Automotive SPICE (ASPICE) and the V-Model.
- Produce high-quality, maintainable and production-ready embedded software suitable for functional safety environments.
- Collaborate with systems, integration and validation teams to ensure successful deployment into production vehicles.
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Essential Experience
- Significant experience developing embedded software for automotive OEMs.
- Proven experience writing production vehicle controllers deployed into series production.
- Experience developing control software that has been released into high-volume production (ideally millions of vehicles).
- Strong commercial C++ development experience in embedded environments.
- Experience developing software for safety-critical automotive applications.
- Demonstrable experience developing ADAS control software.
- Experience writing embedded software for automotive ECUs.
- Strong understanding of Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS).
- Experience implementing trajectory planning, path planning or motion planning algorithms.
- Experience with vehicle actuation systems, including acceleration and braking control.
- Experience developing Model Predictive Control (MPC) or similar advanced control algorithms.
- Strong understanding of Automotive SPICE (ASPICE).
- Experience working within the V-Model development process.


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This role is suited to an engineer who has worked within an automotive OEM or Tier 1 supplier developing production control software—not purely research or prototype systems.
You will ideally be able to be onsite 1 day per week in Stuttgart, and you must be eligible to work in Germany as an independent contractor.
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