Robotics Software Engineer

Our mission is to help farmers work more efficiently, enjoyably, and sustainably. By developing software for advanced robotics, you directly contribute to animal welfare, food quality, and the future of sustainable agriculture. By joining us, you help create innovations that have a meaningful impact on farms around the world, improving safety, efficiency, and well-being for both farmers and animals.

What is your role?

As a Robotics Software Engineer, you design and maintain the software that powers our automated farming solutions, including the control technologies for our feeding robots. You work in a multidisciplinary team of software engineers, testers, data engineers, and system/mechanical/electrical engineers. We value different perspectives and encourage team members to share ideas, ask questions, and grow together.

If you enjoy working with others to solve complex challenges and build meaningful robotics solutions, this position is an excellent fit.

Your main responsibilities include:

• Designing, implementing, and testing software for our robots.
• Designing, planning, and conducting real-world experiments in our workshops and on Lely test farms.
• Optimizing data structures and algorithms used in production, while improving and maintaining the existing codebase.
• Ensuring software quality through design reviews, code reviews, unit tests, integration tests, and test automation.
• Contributing to the Agile workflow by setting goals, sharing progress, and identifying risks early.
• Developing new robotics algorithms in collaboration with multidisciplinary engineering teams.

What is your experience?

We are looking for someone with strong technical capabilities and a collaborative, curious mindset.

If you recognize yourself in most of the points below, we encourage you to apply.

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, or a related field.
• Experience with Embedded Linux, Git and C++.
• Ability to approach challenges from a system-level perspective.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas is a plus: Mobile robot simulation, Motion control/planning, Secure software development, GitLab CI/CD, Unit testing, Behaviour-driven testing, Robot Operating System, Multidisciplinary Agile Scrum environments.
• Openness to feedback, curiosity about new ideas, and a motivation to keep learning.
• Comfortable asking questions, raising concerns, and contributing to a supportive team environment.

What you can expect from us

Working at Lely means contributing to sustainable progress within one of the most innovative organizations in the Netherlands. You help make the agricultural sector future-proof. We make sure you have the space, resources, and support you need to grow and do your best work.

• An international environment where collaboration, initiative, and diverse perspectives are valued.
• A culture that encourages learning, experimentation, and ownership of ideas.
• Excellent working conditions, including up to 8 weeks of vacation per year and a good pension scheme.
• Control over your own development, with access to a wide range of courses through the Lely Academy.
• Daily access to excellent sports facilities on the Lely Campus: an indoor gym, outdoor padel courts, basketball and volleyball courts, table tennis, and table soccer. You can join Hyrox workouts or sign up for personal training and challenge your colleagues during an active break.
• Fresh coffee and tea from our own barista (with milk from our farm) and a healthy, affordable company restaurant.

Work-life balance

• A healthy work-life balance thanks to our hybrid work policy: you work at least three days a week on Campus, with flexible working hours and plenty of room to spend extra time on site (between 06:00 and 20:00).
• A free shuttle bus will take you to and from the metro in Maassluis, so your workday starts and ends smoothly.

About Lely

At Lely, we believe in achieving a sustainable, profitable and agreeable future for dairy farmers by combining robotisation, engineering and farming expertise.