Head of Robotics Engineering

About the role

In this pivotal position, you will spearhead the engineering initiatives to guarantee that our robotic systems function effectively in practical environments. Your responsibilities will encompass overseeing firmware development, control systems, teleoperation, and providing technical assistance for robots already in operation. This role demands a hands-on leadership approach, requiring a solid foundation in embedded systems, hardware diagnostics, and operational support.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Design and outline the architecture and development strategy for robot firmware, focusing on real-time control, sensor and actuator integration, and safety protocols.
• Lead the development of the control and planning framework that governs robot mobility and intelligent functionalities.
• Supervise ongoing engineering efforts for products already deployed, ensuring the addition of new features while maintaining existing functionalities.
• Manage the teleoperation framework, emphasizing remote operation, data acquisition, and enhancing the operator's experience.
• Build and oversee a customer support team, establishing clear protocols for escalation and response to field-related issues.
• Convert customer insights and operational metrics into prioritized engineering tasks, ensuring timely deployment of solutions.
• Analyze hardware malfunctions reported by customers and collaborate with hardware and manufacturing teams to devise effective solutions.
• Create and implement technical training programs for engineers, catering to both internal teams and field personnel.
• Set and uphold engineering standards for firmware, control systems, and teleoperation, including conducting code reviews and safety validations.
• Engage in coding and code reviews, particularly for critical components of firmware and control systems.
• Collaborate closely with the CEO, software platform lead, and hardware teams to align development efforts.
• Act as the representative for robot engineering in discussions with external partners and clients, particularly during technical exchanges and support sessions.

Requirements

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in robotics engineering, with a robust foundation in dynamics, kinematics, control theory, and state estimation.
• Proven experience in managing a hardware product post-launch, including conducting field root-cause analyses and implementing firmware updates.
• Actively engaged in writing and reviewing production-level firmware and control code.
• Extensive knowledge of embedded and real-time software systems, including RTOS, driver integration, and hardware-software co-design principles.
• Experience in designing firmware for safety-critical applications, including fault detection and safe-state management.
• Familiarity with robot control and planning systems, such as locomotion or manipulation, with an understanding of both classical and learning-based methodologies.
• Ability to navigate the intersection of control systems, perception, and advanced AI frameworks.
• Strong grasp of mechanical design, electronics, actuators, and sensors, enabling effective leadership in cross-disciplinary hardware investigations.
• Proficient in driving corrective measures in collaboration with hardware and manufacturing teams based on field failure analyses.
• Experience in developing or utilizing teleoperation systems, focusing on low-latency control and user interface design.
• Demonstrated success in establishing or scaling customer-facing technical support, including triage and escalation processes.
• Experience in creating and delivering technical training programs for engineering or field teams in a robotics or hardware context.
• Proven track record in recruiting and nurturing engineers across firmware, controls, and customer-facing roles.

Nice to have

• Experience with humanoid robots or other intricate multi-degree-of-freedom robotic systems.
• Previous leadership roles in a startup environment, particularly in scaling a robotics engineering team from inception.
• Familiarity with prevalent robot computing and networking frameworks (e.g., Jetson, EtherCAT, real-time Linux).

Skills & tools

• Proficient in programming languages such as C/C++, Python, and ROS (Robot Operating System).
• Familiar with simulation tools like Gazebo or V-REP for testing robotic algorithms.
• Understanding of machine learning frameworks and their applications in robotics.
• Experience with version control systems, particularly Git, for collaborative development.
• Knowledge of safety standards and regulations applicable to robotics and automation.

Practical notes

This role is based in our Fremont office, and we offer a competitive salary ranging from $200K to $400K, commensurate with experience. We are open to sponsoring visas for the right candidate who meets our requirements. If you are passionate about robotics and eager to lead a talented team in a dynamic environment, we encourage you to apply.

META

Company: Dexmate

Title: Head of Robotics Engineering

Listed

location: Fremont Office

Job type: full_time