Senior CI/CD & Build Systems Engineer

Location: Union City, Ca

Department: Engineering

Company Description

Third Wave Automation is a rapidly growing startup that has demonstrated its core technology components, proven its market fit, and just closed its Series C funding. If you are excited about cutting edge machine learning, robotics that affects the real world, and want to join a company where your skills can have a huge impact, you’ll fit right in. 

Third Wave Automation is applying modern machine learning to materials handling—delivering site-specific forklift navigation and infrastructure-free pallet handling that continuously adapts to changing floor configuration and warehouse demand. 

Job Description

Third Wave Automation is looking for a Senior CI/CD & Build Systems Engineer to help us build and maintain the core development workflows for our autonomous forklifts. This is a high-impact individual contributor role focused on creating and optimizing our build pipelines, ensuring fast iteration cycles and a reliable continuous integration environment. You will be the resident expert on our Bazel build system and lead efforts to streamline our development and testing processes for a large-scale, multi-language codebase.

How You Can Make an Impact

• Own the Bazel Build System: Lead, architect, and optimize our Bazel build system to support large-scale, multi-language codebases with fast iteration cycles.
• Design and Implement CI/CD Pipelines: Design and build our CI/CD pipelines in Buildkite, from initial code commit to deployment, ensuring a robust and efficient development workflow.
• Drive Performance-Critical Development: Architect and implement core infrastructure components in C++ and Python for autonomous vehicle systems, with a focus on buildability and testing.
• Improve Test and Build Reliability: Troubleshoot complex build and test failures, ensuring our CI/CD system provides reliable and fast feedback to engineering teams.
• Collaborate and Lead: Work closely with autonomy, perception, and infrastructure teams to integrate and operationalize robotics software, and mentor other engineers on best practices for build and CI/CD.

Desired Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 2+ years in a senior individual contributor capacity.
• Deep expertise in C++ and Python, with strong systems design and debugging skills.
• Strong proficiency with the Bazel build system in large, polyglot repositories.
• Extensive experience designing, building, and maintaining CI/CD pipelines, particularly with platforms like Buildkite.
• Experience with ROS or similar robotics middleware.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and drive technical outcomes across teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Bonus Points For 

• Experience working in robotics, autonomous vehicles, or other real-time/safety-critical systems.
• Contributions to open-source infrastructure or build tooling projects.

The pay range for this position is $125,000 - $205,000/yr+ benefits+equity; however, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.  Base pay information is based on market location.

More About Working Here

Our Core Values:

• Safety. We consider safety in everything we do.
• People. We care about our teammates as people.
• Encouragement. We encourage teaching, asking questions, and sharing opinions.
• Transparency. We are transparent and sincere in our actions.

A robust set of benefits and perks:

• Comprehensive benefits. Health, Dental, Vision, and a 401k matching program, to boot!
• Flexible working schedule. Be productive when you work best.
• Show & Tell. We love to learn from one another, and see the cool stuff everyone is working on!
• Meals are covered. Lunch is provided every day, and dinner for those evenings that run long.
• Stacks of snacks. Donuts are a main food group, and the snack shelf is always stocked with a wide variety of items.
• Great teammates. One of the best parts of working here!

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We value each person's expertise and experiences. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. 

All qualified applicants able to work in the United States are encouraged to apply. We are unable to sponsor H-1 visas subject to fees required by the ‘Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers’ Presidential Proclamation dated September 21, 2025.