As the first technical hire, you will architect and build a production-grade autonomy stack for heavy industrial machinery. You will own the end-to-end development of perception, planning, and control systems, transitioning advanced robotics technology into rugged, real-world environments. This role offers the unique opportunity to define the technical foundation for an entire industry.
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Founding Robotics Engineer at VC-backed autonomous robotics startup
Are you ready to architect the future of autonomous heavy machinery? We are looking for a Founding Robotics Engineer to lead the development of a production-grade autonomy stack from the ground up. This isn't just research—you'll be shipping code to multi-ton machines and solving the complex perception and control challenges that on-road AV hasn't touched. With top-tier VC backing and a massive equity stake, this is a rare opportunity to be the first technical hire at a startup transforming a $400bn industry. If you have deep ROS2 experience and a founding DNA, come build the reference stack for the physical world.
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Location
San Francisco, United States
Compensation
$200k-$400k + Equity
Company
Confidential company
Role overview
About the company
VC-backed autonomous robotics startup
What you will do
- Architect the full robotics stack using ROS2, covering everything from sensor fusion to motion planning.
- Design and implement low-latency teleoperation and safety-critical drive-by-wire systems for heavy equipment.
- Conduct rapid field testing and iteration on physical hardware to solve complex challenges in unstructured environments.
Who this is a fit for
- Extensive experience building and shipping production-quality robotics or autonomous vehicle systems using ROS2.
- Deep technical proficiency in C++, Python, and integrating complex sensor suites including LiDAR and GNSS-RTK.
- Proven ability to thrive in early-stage environments, taking full ownership of mission-critical technical decisions.
Why this role is remarkable
- Lead the 0-to-1 development of a sophisticated robotics architecture for high-impact industrial applications.
- Join a well-funded team backed by top-tier VCs with immediate access to multi-billion dollar strategic partners.
- High-velocity environment where you ship code to real-world hardware weekly, bypassing the bureaucracy of traditional AV firms.
How Jack & Jill work together
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If your profile’s a match and Confidential company wants to meet, Jill will make the intro. In the meantime, Jack will send you excellent alternatives.