The NEURA Core Robot Software department in Riederich is hiring a Robotics Middleware Engineer to own the middleware integration layer for its robots, from real-time control to fleet messaging. You will work across ROS 2, OROCOS RTT, Apex.OS, DDS, Zenoh and zero-copy IPC, with deep real-time C++.
About the Team
Department: NEURA Core Robot Software
Scope: Middleware for production and cognitive robotics across all robot platforms
Challenge: Several middleware paradigms running side by side
Timing: Deterministic execution down to sub-millisecond precision
Technology You Will Own
ROS 2: Sensor drivers, ros2_control, DDS QoS tuning, Nav2, launch and diagnostics, on Humble and Jazzy
Real-Time & Safety: OROCOS RTT hard-RT layer and Apex.OS with ISO 26262 ASIL-D certification
Networking: FastDDS, Cyclone DDS, RTI Connext and Eclipse Zenoh
IPC: Zero-copy transport via Iceoryx2 and rmw_iceoryx2 for 1 kHz data exchange
Position Overview
As Robotics Middleware Engineer, you own the middleware integration layer for the robot software stack. That covers the ROS 2 layer across all platforms, the port-based OROCOS RTT hard real-time components behind the dynamics and whole-body control pipelines, and the path from a standard ROS 2 setup to a safety-ready Apex.OS deployment. You also integrate and bridge DDS variants, bring in Eclipse Zenoh systems, use zero-copy IPC on a single host, and keep robot state and command contracts consistent across every middleware surface.
Why This Role Matters: Few jobs let you work on every layer of robot communication, from sub-millisecond control loops to fleet-scale messaging. The post itself says multi-middleware experience is the role’s distinguishing skill, and you only need production depth in one of four paths to start.
Key Responsibilities
ROS 2 & OROCOS
- Own the ROS 2 layer across all platforms: sensor driver nodes, ros2_control YAML composition, DDS QoS tuning, Nav2 configuration, launch architecture and diagnostics, on Humble and Jazzy
- Own the OROCOS RTT port-based hard real-time layer behind dynamics and whole-body control, including an application and service interface that acts as a hardware abstraction layer
Safety & DDS
- Take ROS 2 from a standard setup to a safety-ready Apex.OS deployment with ISO 26262 ASIL-D certification
- Integrate, extend or bridge FastDDS, Cyclone DDS and RTI Connext, with understanding of QoS at the RTPS wire level, discovery and fragmentation
Networking & Coherence
- Integrate Eclipse Zenoh systems in local or wide area networks and bridge them into the multi-middleware stack
- Use zero-copy IPC (Iceoryx2, rmw_iceoryx2) for 1 kHz real-time data exchange
- Keep robot state and command contracts, timestamped sensor streams, ports and topic schemes consistent across all middleware
Qualifications
Core Skills
- C++ depth with real-time-safe patterns: lock-free queues, zero-copy semantics, allocation discipline and RT-safe logging
- Operational understanding of middleware QoS at the wire level: reliability, durability, history depth, fragmentation, discovery and failure modes under load
- Production experience integrating middleware into a real-time robot control loop with deterministic timing
One of Four Paths
- ROS 2 with ros2_control hardware interface authoring and lifecycle node design (Jazzy or Humble), or
- OROCOS RTT component authoring and hard-RT deployment, or
- Apex.OS / Apex.Middleware deterministic deployment, especially in automotive or industrial SIL contexts, or
- Direct DDS work (FastDDS, Cyclone DDS or RTI Connext) at configuration and tuning level, including QoS profile design
Nice to Have
- Hands-on experience across more than one paradigm, and Eclipse Zenoh for fleet or edge scenarios
- Iceoryx or other zero-copy IPC, and bridging patterns such as ros1_bridge or OROCOS-ROS2 bridging
- DDS Security plug-ins for SIL-grade deployments and open-source contributions to major middleware projects
About NEURA Core Robot Software
The posting describes the NEURA Core Robot Software department, which builds middleware for production and cognitive robotics, where several middleware paradigms increasingly need to run side by side. The text gives no company history, size or culture details.
How to Apply: The posting lists no email, phone number, application link or salary figure, so apply through the employer’s careers page or the original listing.
Who Should Apply?
- ROS 2 Engineers: With ros2_control experience
- Real-Time C++ Developers: Moving into robotics
- DDS Specialists: With QoS tuning skills
- Automotive SIL Engineers: Familiar with Apex.OS
- Stuttgart Region Talent: Wanting to build robot middleware
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