Full-Time
Mechanical/Agricultural Design Engineer
TRIC Robotics
11-50 employees
Autonomous UV-C strawberry pest control
Compensation Overview
$90k/yr
Santa Maria, CA, USA
In Person
 Engineering Management (1) |
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- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Agricultural, Mechanical, or Mechatronics Engineering.
- 5+ years of experience in agricultural machinery design and leadership.
- Proven track record of leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Strong proficiency in SolidWorks and project management tools.
- Expertise in agricultural systems, hydraulics, and Internal Combustion Engine engines.
- Experience working with farmers and end users to gather product feedback.
- Strong communication skills and ability to translate complex ideas into practical solutions.
- Lead engineering team in developing new robotic systems and improving existing designs.
- Define engineering project scopes, schedules, budgets, and performance metrics.
- Mentor junior engineers and technicians to develop technical capacity.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with field operations, R&D, and executive leadership.
- Ensure design for manufacturability (DFM), cost efficiency, and sustainability.
- Conduct technical reviews and ensure compliance with industry safety standards.
- Oversee the integration of software, mechanical, and electrical systems in field-ready prototypes.
- Stay informed on industry trends and emerging agricultural technologies.
TRIC Robotics offers an automated, chemical-free pest control service for strawberry farms. Its autonomous UV-C robot travels through fields, applying a specific wavelength of light to treat pathogens without harming plants or the environment. The system operates by self-navigating the fields and delivering targeted treatment, provided as a deploy-and-operate service rather than selling equipment. The goal is to create a more sustainable and predictable future for agriculture by reducing chemical use and helping growers manage pests on-site.
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
Seed
Total Funding
$7.4M
Headquarters
Newark, New Jersey
Founded
2017
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- $5.5M seed funding from Version One Ventures and USDA enables manufacturing scale-up.[5]
- Non-dilutive $1.6M in USDA and NSF grants supports R&D without equity dilution.[4]
- Expanding beyond strawberries into tomatoes and other high-value crops increases addressable market.[5]
What critics are saying
- Winter cloud cover on Central Coast reduces UV-C efficacy, forcing reversion to pesticides.[6]
- Competitors like Burro could rapidly pivot to UV pest control, eroding first-mover advantage.[5]
- EPA or FDA may classify UV-C as pesticide, requiring costly re-approval or halting operations.[5]
What makes TRIC Robotics unique
- UV-C light and vacuum integration reduces pesticide use by 70% versus chemical alternatives.[5]
- Autonomous robots provide 24/7 crop monitoring with real-time data analytics for farmers.[5]
- Service-based model with bi-weekly treatments generates actionable crop management insights.[4]
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Flexible Work Hours
Profit Sharing
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 0%1 year growth
↑ 0%2 year growth
↑ 0%TRIC Robotics has just raised $5.5 million in seed funding to tackle one of farming's biggest challenges - pest and disease control - without relying on harmful chemicals.
TRIC Robotics has closed its seed funding round to advance its agricultural robots, which offer sustainable pest and disease control. The company's autonomous robots use AI and sensors for early threat detection and precise treatment application, reducing pesticide use and providing 24/7 crop monitoring. The funding will enhance R&D, manufacturing, and scalability, reflecting strong investor confidence in TRIC Robotics' innovative solutions for the agricultural sector.
TRIC Robotics has raised $5.5 million in seed funding to expand its autonomous robots for pest and plant disease control, starting with strawberries. The company's robots use ultraviolet light and vacuum technology to reduce pesticide use by up to 70% without harming the environment. The funding will help TRIC Robotics grow its team and expand its capabilities and regions. The company offers its technology as a service, providing data-driven insights and real-time field analytics.
Tric Robotics, a Newark startup that has designed a robot to autonomously treat strawberry crops with UVC light instead of pesticides, has won the state's Delaware Technical Innovation Program (DTIP) grant.
State of California