Derq is an MIT spinoff building AI-powered traffic safety and smart infrastructure. We're a team of passionate innovators, leveraging the latest in AI and technology to transform the future of mobility. Our platform enhances road safety and traffic management by turning real-time data into actionable insights for cities and road operators. Our patented technology collects and analyzes data from connected sensors like cameras, radar, and traffic signal controllers to help predict and prevent road incidents. We deploy edge and cloud solutions that make intersections and highways safer and smarter.

Role Overview

We are looking for a Senior Software Engineer to own the design, development, and evolution of our traffic signal optimization systems. This role sits within the intelligent transportation industry, bringing together real‑time systems, optimization algorithms, distributed software, traffic engineering, and traffic signal systems.

You will lead technical direction while remaining hands-on, working on second-by-second optimization logic, edge/cloud systems, and large-scale deployments across urban environments. This is a senior role for someone who understands both software systems and the physics of traffic.

Key Responsibilities

Traffic Signal Optimization & Algorithms

• Lead the design and evolution of traffic signal optimization implementation based on industry standard Purdue research and algorithms in partnership with the Product Owner
• Develop real-time decision-making logic using (transportation) traffic theory, optimization, and AI techniques
• Improve system performance for complex environments such as urban grids, corridors, and multimodal intersections
• Apply concepts such as queueing theory, control theory, and reinforcement learning where appropriate
  
  

Software Engineering & Systems

• Design, develop, test, deploy, and maintain high-quality, production-grade systems
• Build scalable systems that run across edge devices and cloud infrastructure
• Work with distributed systems that process high-volume, low-latency data streams
• Ensure systems are observable, reliable, and resilient under real-world conditions
  
  

Architecture & Technical Leadership

• Own technical decisions and guide system architecture
• Review code and mentor engineers to maintain high engineering standards
• Identify refactoring opportunities and introduce new technologies where they add value
• Balance speed, correctness, and long-term maintainability
  
  

Operations & Reliability

• Follow a "run what you build" mindset
• Participate in on-call rotations for production systems
• Improve monitoring, alerting, and performance tuning
• Investigate and resolve complex production issues involving real-time systems
  
  

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Product, AI/Research, Network Engineering, and Deployment teams
• Translate real-world traffic problems into technical solutions
• Support deployments and provide technical guidance when systems are live in the field
  
  

Requirements

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Robotics, or a related field (advanced degrees a plus)
• 6+ years of professional software engineering experience
• Experience with real-time, high-concurrency, or mission-critical systems
• Proven experience leading complex technical initiatives or owning major system components
  
  

Technical Skills

• Strong proficiency in Python, Go, C/C++, or Rust
• Experience with distributed systems and real-time data processing
• Solid understanding of networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, latency, reliability)
• Experience with Linux-based systems and edge computing environments
• Familiarity with traffic engineering concepts, optimization, or control systems
• Experience with monitoring tools, logging, and performance tuning
• Exposure to cloud platforms, containers, and CI/CD pipelines
• Proficiency in the DORA Capabilities Maturity Model
  
  

Soft Skills

• Strong ownership and decision-making in ambiguity
• Clear communicator; collaborative, low‑ego; mentorship mindset