Head of Software

JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking an experienced Head of Software and AI Leader with proven capabilities who has deployed robotic systems at scale to join the Next-Gen Robotic Systems team. You will build a group focused on deploying AI for mobile manipulation tasks, both indoors and outdoors. You will guide the architectural design of many elements of our software stack, particularly perception, grasp synthesis, data collection, simulation, and fleet management. To support marketing and fundraising activities, you will create compelling AI demos. You will contribute to the AI product roadmap for Next-Gen Systems. You will be the subject matter expert who keeps our team up-to-date on advances in the field and participates in conferences and tradeshows showcasing these capabilities.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Develop a strategic roadmap for AI capabilities.
• Design prototype mobile manipulation products.
• Deliver production-grade robot manipulation products.
• Build a team to support you.
• Use physics-based simulation to show roadmap capabilities for the manipulator in support of sales, marketing, and investor relations activities.
• Deliver reliable software through code reviews, continuous integration, and automated testing.
• Maintain comprehensive and accurate architecture and design documentation.
• Educate our team on the latest AI technologies related to perception, motion planning, and object manipulation.
• Lead the deployment of flexible perception and navigation technologies.
• Design interfaces and data models to ingest live robot data.
• Evaluate market and technical risks for robotic products and applications in logistics, construction, service and manufacturing.
• Represent and lead with Apptronik’s core values: CHIPC - Curiosity, Humility, Integrity, Passion, Creativity

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Experience with systems-level design, including modern AI
• C++ in a Linux development environment, with prior demonstrated ability to:
  • Translate complex theoretical concepts and algorithms into practical, efficient, and bug-free software implementations
  • Perform on a fast-paced software development team using standard CI tools like Git while following rigorous documentation and testing standards
• Familiarity with Python
• Field robot experience, ideally for outdoor manipulation use cases
• Experience with various remote sensing technologies, including calibration and deployment
• Data ingestion for AI training and deployment, preferably including ROS data streams
• Engineering team leadership
• Physics-based robot simulation, preferably IsaacSim
• Design and deployment of engineering products
• Excellent presentation and documentation skills
• (Preferred) Technology startup experience

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Graduate degree in Robotics, Computer Science, or Electrical/Mechanical Engineering
• 15+ years of relevant industry experience 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
• Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
• Hearing and speech to communicate