Full-Time
Robotics Software Engineer
Vision-Language-Action Models
Updated on 8/1/2026
Trener Robotics
11-50 employees
Robot-agnostic software platform for industrial automation
No salary listed
San Jose, CA, USA
In Person
 Mechanical Engineering (1) |
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 Software Engineering (1) |
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- A Master's or PhD degree in robotics, computer science, machine learning, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience in robot learning and manipulation.
- Professional experience with Python and C++, including a proven track record of shipping production-quality code.
- Deep expertise with a modern machine learning framework, with PyTorch preferred and JAX or TensorFlow also acceptable.
- Direct experience testing and iterating on physical robots integrated with vision, force-torque, and tactile sensors.
- Experience with robotic simulation environments such as MuJoCo, Isaac Sim, or Drake.
- Business fluency in English.
- Ability to spend significant time in the lab running hardware experiments and troubleshooting real-world edge cases.
- Develop, train, and deploy multimodal Vision-Language-Action and learned manipulation policies for contact-rich tasks, integrating sensor-based control strategies using vision, force-torque, and tactile feedback.
- Run the manipulation model lifecycle by conducting regular trials on real hardware to evaluate algorithmic changes and curate high-quality training datasets.
- Architect and build modular components for imitation and reinforcement learning while improving robustness on contact-rich tasks.
- Build continual-learning pipelines so policies improve from new demonstrations and real-world deployment data.
- Stress-test and optimize the real-time execution framework for learned policies running on robots.
- Experience manipulating and analyzing complex, large-scale, high-dimensional multimodal data from varying sources, with proficiency training models at scale on cloud-based workflows.
- Experience with edge deployment and model optimization for real-time control, including low-latency inference, quantization, distillation, and pruning for resource-constrained on-robot hardware and accelerators.
- Contributions to robot learning through publications or open-source projects.
- Familiarity with Robot Operating System 2 and hands-on experience using industrial and collaborative robots from vendors such as Universal Robots, ABB, Fanuc, and KUKA.
- Experience with multibody dynamics simulators such as Adams.
Trener Robotics provides Acteris, a robot-agnostic software platform that serves as the control brain for industrial robots. It replaces hard-coded programming with pre-trained, production-ready skills powered by foundation models that fuse vision, language, and action. Operators can describe tasks in natural language, and Acteris translates them into executable automation that can operate in unstructured environments across ABB, Universal Robots, and FANUC. The company targets system integrators and OEMs to deploy flexible, skills-based automation, starting with CNC machine tending, and aims to expand its library of robot skills and partnerships through its T-Labs division.
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
San Jose, California
Founded
2024
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- RARUK Automation's March 2026 UK deal expands Acteris distribution with Universal Robots.
- Nikon’s NFocus Fund investment integrates Acteris with robot vision systems.
- $32M Series A in February 2026 funds T-Labs R&D and global partnerships.
What critics are saying
- Covariant’s RFM-1 erodes Acteris edge with superior VLA performance in 12-18 months.
- NVIDIA’s GR00T bundles undercut Acteris pricing on FANUC, ABB, UR in 6-12 months.
- Physical Intelligence’s π0 captures CNC market via faster, reliable deployment in 6-12 months.
What makes Trener Robotics unique
- Acteris enables natural language programming for robot-agnostic industrial automation.
- Pre-trained skills replace rigid code with adaptive vision-language-action models.
- Focuses on CNC machine tending across ABB, Universal Robots, and FANUC robots.
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Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 4%1 year growth
↑ 4%2 year growth
↑ 4%RARUK Automation to offer Acteris AI robot software. 24/03/2026 RAR UK Automation (R.A. Rodriguez) Automation and robotics distributor RARUK Automation has signed an exclusive UK distribution agreement with Trener Robotics (formerly T-Robotics). Headquartered in San Jose, California, and Trondheim, Norway, Trener Robotics offers an AI platform - Acteris - designed to bring artificial intelligence to manufacturing robots. Instead of the traditional code-based programming required to get a robot cell up and running, Trener Robotics' Acteris platform offers a learning-based software solution powered by Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models. This enables greater adaptability to changing production needs and makes automation increasingly accessible for those with no prior experience. Acteris can be deployed on new robot cells or retrofitted on existing work cells. RARUK Automation is the UK's leading Universal Robots distributor, offering a portfolio of complementary products including application kits, end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) and vision systems to automate repetitive manufacturing tasks. Combining Acteris with the popular Universal Robots range will unlock new automation possibilities for RARUK Automation's UK customers. "We're pleased to announce our new partnership with Trener Robotics. Their innovative approach to Physical AI, and replacing point-to-point programming with adaptive intelligence, aligns perfectly with RARUK Automation's mission to make automation accessible, intuitive and commercially beneficial for manufacturers of all sizes." - Ross Lacy, Sales Director at RARUK Automation. Acteris enables robots to adapt to real-world environments where variation and complex operating conditions are common. This allows manufacturers to move from traditional programming to intuitive and scalable automation. "Partnering with RARUK Automation is a strategic step in our mission to bring Physical AI to global manufacturing. RARUK has a strong reputation for making automation accessible, and by combining their automation expertise with the Acteris platform, we are giving UK manufacturers the ability to deploy robots that see, learn, and adapt in real time. We are moving away from the era of static programming and into a future where intelligent robotics is the standard on the factory floor." - Jacob Pascual Pape, VP of Sales at Trener Robotics.
Nikon expands Vision Robotics strategy with investment in Trener Robotics. Nikon Corporation has announced that it has made an investment in Trener Robotics, based California, United States through the NFocus Fund[*]. Trener Robotics' total funding to date is over $38 million. The new capital will be used to accelerate Trener's T-Labs R&D, new skill training, global talent acquisition, and market and partner expansion. Trener Robotics provides a physical artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform 'Acteris' that enables natural language programming specifically for industrial robots. Acteris delivers pre-trained, production-ready skills to automate complex, high-variability workflows in real production environments. It enables natural language programming, allowing operators to give simple written instructions that Acteris translates into robot actions, eliminating conventional code-based programming and accelerating deployment of advanced industrial automation. Leveraging more than a century of expertise in applied optics and precision technologies, Nikon is accelerating the commercialization of robot vision system products to establish this field as a new pillar of its business. Through this investment, Nikon aims to combine Trener Robotics' AI-powered digital technologies with Nikon's robot vision system to address various challenges associated with next generation manufacturing sites that promote labor saving and unmanned operations, thereby maximizing site automation, efficiency, and versatility. Go Ichinose, General Manager of the Vision Robotics, Nikon Corporation said, "Like Nikon technology, Trener Robotics' AI technology advances innovation at manufacturing sites, and it will enable users to easily implement autonomous robotic operations across a wide range of applications. We foresee strong synergies with Nikon's real time situational recognition and robot control technologies that will enable us to deliver the high speed, precise, and flexible automation required in real-world industrial environments. Nikon is deeply impressed by Trener Robotics as they continue to address the dynamic challenges in the rapidly evolving field of AI robotics. Through this investment, and other initiatives within Nikon and our Vision Robotics business, we look forward to unlocking groundbreaking capabilities for the next generation of robotic operations." In 2025, Trener Robotics demonstrated significant momentum, collaborating with more than 15 solutions and integration partners across Europe and the U.S., and integrating leading robot brands like ABB, Universal Robots and FANUC into Acteris. *NFocus Fund is a private equity investment fund jointly established by Nikon and Geodesic Capital (California, USA).
Trener Robotics raises $32M to advance AI-driven CNC robot automation. Trener Robotics has launched Acteris, an AI-driven software platform designed to bring pre-trained Physical AI skills to industrial robots in CNC automation, alongside the close of a $32 million Series A funding round. The round was co-led by Engine Ventures and IAG Capital Partners, with participation from Cadence and Geodesic Capital through Nikon's NFocus Fund. Total funding now exceeds $38 million. The company said the capital will support expanded CNC machine tending capabilities, market growth, and hiring. Acteris replaces traditional procedural robot programming with pre-trained AI skills, allowing operators to describe tasks in natural language. The system converts conversational input into executable automation and adapts to high-mix production environments. Initially focused on robotic CNC machine tending, the platform offers real-time optimization, intelligent collision avoidance, part identification, and production monitoring. It is currently compatible with ABB, Universal Robots, and FANUC systems. Trener Robotics has partnered with more than 15 integrators across Europe and the United States to deliver turnkey solutions. The company said the platform reduces programming complexity, shortens deployment timelines, and supports scalable automation in response to growing demand for flexible manufacturing.