Founding Robotic Engineer - FTE

Job Description OVERVIEW:ROLE: Founding Robotics EngineerROLE TYPE: Direct HireCOMPENSATION: $150,000 – $250,000 total compensation, depending on experience.EQUITY: Would be based on experience level. Can be discussed during later stages of the interview process.WORK LOCATION: San Francisco Bay Area, as in-person collaboration is required at times (no permanent office yet). If not in the SF area, the candidate would be expected to relocate within 30 days of starting (the degree of reimbursement for costs can be discussed during later stages of the interview process).WORK AUTHORIZATION: Open to various work authorizations; H-1B sponsorship is a maybe (due to early-stage company status). If the candidate is strong enough, the founders are open to discussing various work authorization scenarios to see if something can be worked out.START: ASAP (flexible for the right candidate)JOB ID: H001-Robotics-FoundationCLIENT/ROLE DETAILS:The company is a seed-stage robotics startup (~4 people) building foundational infrastructure for lag-free teleoperation and large-scale real-world data capture for dexterous robotic manipulation. The team is focused on solving one of the most difficult challenges in robotics: enabling robots to learn complex manipulation tasks through high-fidelity human demonstrations, rather than relying on simulation-heavy or brittle approaches.The platform combines:Real-time teleoperation of robotic armsScalable egocentric data capture from human operatorsData infrastructure designed to support long-term robot learning and generalizationA key differentiator is access to tens of thousands of manufacturing workers, enabling real-world data collection at a scale that is rarely available to early-stage robotics teams. With approximately 18 months of runway till the next investment round, the company is transitioning from core system development into production-grade pipelines that will underpin future autonomy and learning efforts.This role exists to bring on a hands-on, systems-oriented founding engineer who can help design, build, and harden the interfaces between humans, robots, and data - from teleoperation latency and reliability to real-world robustness.WHAT MAKES THIS ROLE DIFFERENT:True founding engineer role with material influence over technical directionWork on real robots, real humans, and real-world data, not simulation-only researchBroad technical scope spanning robotics, systems engineering, networking, and ML-adjacent infrastructureHigh ownership, fast iteration, and direct collaboration with the founding teamOpportunity to shape the technical foundation for long-term robot learning effortsCURRENT STAGE EXPECTATIONS:This is a seed-stage company, and candidates should be comfortable with early-stage realities:Ambiguity is expected; priorities will evolve as the team learns from deploymentsHigh autonomy with minimal process or bureaucracyResource constraints require pragmatism and speedRegular hands-on debugging of physical systems in real-world environmentsFor the right engineer, this environment offers outsized impact, learning, and ownership.KEY SKILLS:Strong hands-on experience with robotic systems, particularly manipulators or armsProficiency in robotics software stacks (e.g., ROS / ROS2 or equivalent custom frameworks)Experience building or debugging real-time or low-latency systemsSolid programming skills in Python and/or C++Comfort working directly with hardware, sensors, and physical systemsSystems-thinking mindset: able to reason across software, hardware, and data flowsNICE TO HAVE REQUIREMENTS:Experience with teleoperation systems or human-in-the-loop roboticsBackground in robot learning, imitation learning, or data collection pipelinesFamiliarity with networking concepts affecting latency and synchronizationPrior experience at an early-stage robotics or hardware startupExposure to large-scale data infrastructure supporting ML workflowsNOTABLE BENEFITS:Founding-level equity with meaningful upsideDirect influence on core technology and company trajectoryClose collaboration with a small, highly technical founding teamWork on problems at the intersection of robotics, data, and human interactionFlexibility and speed that only an early-stage company can offer.HOW TO APPLY:If you are a motivated and organized individual passionate about Robotics and want to get in on a ground-floor opportunity, we would love to hear from you. To apply, please answer our applicant questions and submit your resume detailing your qualifications and relevant experience. We look forward to hearing from you!Amplified Sourcing is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.Job Posted by ApplicantPro