Perception Engineer - C++ (Radar

About Forterra
Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.

About the role

The Forterra autonomy team seeks a Perception Engineer with a focus on advancing the use of 4D radar for autonomous operations. This includes everything from developing radar signal processing algorithms to supporting system integration and real-world testing. The Perception team partners closely with integration, testing, and R&D groups to design, validate, and deploy radar-based perception capabilities that strengthen Forterra’s autonomy stack.

In addition to advancing radar algorithms and simulations, you will work on all aspects of the radar perception pipeline, from system-level integration and performance analysis to hardware-in-the-loop testing and cross-sensor collaboration. Experience across all these areas is not expected, but a willingness to learn and adapt is.

• Build the algorithms and software that transform 4D radar and other sensor data into actionable information for off-road autonomous operations
• Develop and maintain robust C++ software across the perception stack, including signal processing, detection, and tracking pipelines
• Support the integration and testing of radar perception systems on autonomous vehicles, including possible travel to company, government, and partner test sites
• Collaborate cross-functionally with integration, R&D, and testing teams, as well as other autonomy groups such as navigation, sensor fusion, and behavior generation
• Prototype and evaluate new radar algorithms, and hardware-in-the-loop testing workflows
• Contribute to improving code quality, system reliability, and deployment efficiency across the perception team

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, or 4+ years of relevant professional experience
• Minimum 2 years of experience in C++ development for real-time or high-performance applications
• Strong proficiency in C++ and Linux OS, with familiarity in object-oriented programming design patterns
• Hands‑on experience with radar perception, radar systems engineering, or radar signal processing
• Knowledge of radar concepts such as Doppler, clutter, interference, or tracking
• Experience with modern development tools such as Git, Docker, and CI/CD pipelines
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multi‑disciplinary engineering environment (integration, testing, hardware, and autonomy teams)

• Experience working with a variety of autonomy sensors such as EO/IR cameras, and LiDAR
• Hands‑on experience with robotics or autonomous vehicles, in academic or industry settings
• Experience with ROS2 (Robot Operating System) or native DDS development

US Salary Range
$145,000—$170,000

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full‑time, high‑demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package.

In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full‑time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits:
  Three plan options, including an HSA‑eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long‑term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20…