Senior Software Engineer — Software Platform & Middleware

Build the Software Platform Powering Next-Generation Mobility Apex.AI is developing the software foundation for autonomous systems, intelligent machines, and software-defined vehicles. We are looking for an experienced Software Engineer to help advance our core software platform technologies, including Apex.Grace and Apex.Ida. In this role, you will work on high-performance middleware, runtime systems, developer tooling, and software platform infrastructure used in safety-critical and real-time environments. You will collaborate closely with world-class engineers to design and implement robust software components that enable scalable, reliable, and production-ready mobility systems. This is an opportunity to work deeply in modern C++, distributed systems, middleware, operating systems, and developer platforms while contributing directly to products deployed in real-world applications across automotive, robotics, aerospace, and industrial automation. We are looking for engineers who enjoy solving complex systems problems, writing clean and maintainable code, and building technology that other developers rely on every day. This role is based in our Munich office. What You’ll Do • Design, develop, and maintain core software components for Apex.AI products, particularly Apex.Grace and Apex.Ida • Build new software platform capabilities, middleware features, developer tooling, and runtime infrastructure • Improve performance, reliability, scalability, and maintainability across the platform stack • Investigate, debug, and resolve complex system-level and distributed software issues • Develop and maintain automated tests, CI workflows, and development tooling • Collaborate closely with product, platform, and applications teams to deliver production-quality software • Participate in architecture discussions, code reviews, and technical design decisions • Contribute to engineering best practices, development workflows, and technical standards • Help shape product direction through direct collaboration with customers and internal stakeholders What You Bring • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field — or equivalent practical experience • Strong software engineering fundamentals and system design skills • Excellent programming skills in modern C++ and solid experience with Python • Experience developing software on Linux-based systems • Hands-on experience with middleware or communication technologies such as DDS, shared memory IPC, SOME/IP, ROS, or similar systems • Experience working with application frameworks or SDKs for distributed or embedded systems • Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills across complex software stacks • Excellent written and verbal communication skills • Collaborative mindset with a desire to work in a high-performing engineering team • Curiosity, ownership mentality, and eagerness to learn new technologies Nice to Have • Experience with multiple middleware technologies and distributed systems architectures • Familiarity with networking concepts, TCP/IP, sockets programming, and low-latency communication • Experience with ROS 2 and modern robotics software ecosystems • Knowledge of Interface Definition Languages (IDLs), code generation, or domain-specific languages • Familiarity with automotive software architectures and standards such as AUTOSAR • Experience with real-time operating systems such as QNX • Exposure to autonomous systems, robotics, or software-defined vehicle platforms • Experience developing safety-critical software following ISO 26262 or similar functional safety standards • Familiarity with cloud-native development tools and infrastructure Why Apex.AI • Build foundational platform technology us