Robotics Engineer

Location

On-site — Austin, TX

Employment Type

Full‑Time

Job Title

Robotics Engineer (Junior, Senior, Lead/Principal)

Company Overview

We are a funded startup building autonomous machines for defense markets. Our first product is designed to counter small, fast FPV suicide drones — also known as Group 1 / sUAS, similar to those seen in the Russia‑Ukraine conflict. Our robots require world‑class perception and decision‑making. If you love turning cutting‑edge machine learning into field‑ready capability, this is your playground.

We are currently focused on defensive systems, with the potential to expand into lethal systems in the future.

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Robotics Engineer to join a small, fast‑moving team. You will design and implement the physical control systems — the “body” — of our interceptor platforms. This role is critical, as the accuracy of our control theory dictates the success of every high‑speed maneuver in combat. You should be comfortable writing code and working with robotic components (actuators, controllers, compute, sensors, etc.).

Essential Duties

• Design and implement high‑bandwidth control loops and advanced control algorithms (e.g., PID control) to ensure vehicle stability and enable high‑speed, precise maneuvers under dynamic load.

• Write high‑quality, efficient code (primarily Rust, C, or C++) to control and manage actuators, motor drivers (via CAN bus), and sensors on a real‑time operating system (RTOS).

• Integrate and fuse sensor data from cameras and IMUs (using methods such as EKF/UKF) on embedded systems (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson) to achieve reliable, real‑time state estimation.

• Act as the final link in the autonomy chain, translating tracking output from the computer vision system into reliable motor commands that accurately steer the interceptor.

• Define, build, and maintain Python tools for calibration, logging, and CI/CD, ensuring rapid iteration and deployment.

Requirements

• Control theory & embedded systems: Strong grasp of PID control, motor drivers, CAN bus, and RTOS fundamentals. Expertise in designing control and performance for robotics applications.

• Programming/frameworks: Hands‑on experience building embedded robotics systems. Proficiency in Rust, C, or C++ for speed and direct hardware interaction.

• Hardware: Experience with embedded platforms such as NVIDIA Jetson and camera pipelines. Skilled in managing scopes, logic/CAN analyzers, and basic rework.

• Compliance: This position requires access to export‑controlled information under ITAR. Only U.S. persons are permitted to access such information.

• Must be willing to submit to a background check.

Nice‑to‑Have

• Experience with ROS2, DDS, or similar middleware

• Model‑predictive or adaptive control expertise

• PCB design and EMC awareness

• Safety‑critical workflow experience

• Prior defense startup experience

• Security clearance or ability to obtain one

• Passion for building robots or engineering projects as a hobby

Benefits

• Competitive salary + early equity

• Opportunity to build systems the Department of Defense actively needs

• New lab equipped with Jetsons, scopes, and 3‑D printers

• Direct influence on product and technology roadmap

About the interview

1. Application screen phone call (30 min)

2. Virtual interview with co-founder #1 (30 min via MS Teams)

3. Paid take-home ($500, ~4-8 hours)

4. Review work

5. Virtual interview with co-founder #2 (45 min via MS Teams)

6. In-person visit to Austin/Offer