Senior Software Engineer, Algorithms
About Orca
We’re a tight-knit, fast-moving team that cares deeply about building great software products—and doing it with curiosity, creativity, and high standards. As a Senior Software Engineer, you’ll be in a position where your ideas, code, and leadership genuinely shape what we build and how we build it.
There’s no heavy hierarchy here. Everyone rolls up their sleeves and contributes directly to the mission. If you take initiative, follow through, and consistently raise the bar, you’ll naturally grow into more ownership and influence.
Clear, thoughtful communication is part of the job. You’ll be expected to articulate your ideas and share knowledge precisely and effectively, give and receive feedback, and help others level up along the way.
About the role
We're on the hunt for a passionate and driven Senior Software Engineer specializing in Algorithms to join Orca's innovative routing and navigation team. You’ll dive deep into fascinating challenges involving path planning, marine routing optimization, and navigation algorithms. Your work will directly shape how hundreds of thousands of boaters across the globe explore and enjoy the seas.
You're someone who thrives when navigating uncertainty and solving complex problems. Often, we'll have a big goal — like building the best sail routing software solution on the market — and while getting there usually involves research, experimentation, and iterative development, our focus is always on shipping real value to customers along the way. You excel at grasping the bigger picture, clearly communicating your approach, and independently discovering clever, simple and elegant solutions. We're a small, fast-moving team, so your ability to independently drive things forward is essential!
In this role, you will:
Design, build, and improve cutting-edge algorithms for routing, navigation, and path planning.
Clearly communicate your ideas and decisions, bringing your teammates along in your thinking.
Proactively identify requirements, risks, and potential pitfalls in algorithm design.
Deliver robust solutions from start to finish, with lots of freedom to innovate.
Your background looks something like:
7+ years of hands-on experience with algorithms, ideally related to routing, navigation, or path planning.
Solid foundation in data structures and algorithms.
Knowledge or interest in graphs, pathfinding algorithms (like A*, D*, or RRT), and computational geometry.
Solid C++ experience.
Experience with, or ability to quickly pick up: Node.js and Python
Experience with, or ability to quickly pick up: PostGIS, Mapbox stack and general GIS concepts.
Proven ability to build high-quality solutions independently.
Exceptional ability to manage uncertainty, define clear requirements, and drive toward clarity through fast iterations, learning, and sharp problem framing.
Excellent communication, collaboration, reporting, analytical and problem-solving skills.
As a person, you…
Are first and foremost a builder.
Are a self-starter and excel when given autonomy.
Prefer simplicity and practicality in your engineering solutions.
Communicate clearly, seeking and providing context proactively.
Naturally align technical solutions with the broader goals and user experience.
Why join Orca?
Orca is revolutionizing marine navigation, building products that transform the boating experience. We are well funded, highly motivated, and already making waves in the marine industry (pun very much intended). We offer competitive compensation and a very attractive employee option program. Join us to tackle exciting algorithmic challenges that directly impact boating worldwide.
Here are few of our blog posts relevant for this role:
Ready to jump in?
If this sounds like you, we’d love to chat! Drop us a message here or send an email to careers@getorca.com. Bonus points if you share some of your favorite code with us! For the fast track, try tackling our programming challenge—we promise a quick review.
