Lead Robotics Software Engineer

Lead Robotics Software EngineerLocation: San Francisco, CAType: Full-timeSalary: $180,000 - $250,000 (Dependant on experience)The OpportunityWe’re working with an early-stage robotics company developing advanced technology for the public transportation sector. The team is now building its first production-ready platform and is looking for a Lead Robotics Software Engineer to play a foundational role in both the technology and engineering organisation.This is a hands-on leadership position in the first instance, combining software development, robotics AI, system architecture and team building. You’ll work closely with the founding team and have significant influence over the technical direction of the product.What You’ll DoDevelop and improve AI/ML models supporting perception, prediction, tracking and localisation.Design and evolve the core robotics software architecture, ensuring it can scale as the platform and fleet grow.Work with multi-modal sensor data to develop robust vehicle-focused perception and AI capabilities.Build data collection, evaluation and validation pipelines to support rapid model and software iteration.Write, review and deploy production-quality software into real-world environments.Establish engineering best practices and help shape the team's technical roadmap.Mentor engineers, interns and contractors while supporting the recruitment and onboarding of future team members.Work closely with hardware and robotics teams to solve complex system-level challenges.What We’re Looking For6+ years of experience developing robotics AI/ML systems, particularly for vehicles or autonomous/semi-autonomous platforms.Strong experience training and deploying AI models using multi-modal sensor data.Proven ability to design and build complex robotics software architectures that are maintainable and scalable.Strong software engineering skills with the ability to produce high-quality production code.Experience working across the robotics stack rather than within a narrowly defined software function.Comfortable operating in an early-stage environment, taking ownership and moving quickly from concept through to deployment.Experience using LLM/AI coding tools effectively while maintaining strong engineering standards.Desirable ExperiencePhD or advanced degree in Robotics, Computer Science, AI/ML or a related discipline.8+ years working with AI/ML, reinforcement learning or robotics software for automated or semi-automated vehicles.Hands-on experience integrating software with robotic hardware and sensors.Previous experience as a founding engineer, technical lead or engineering manager.Experience building products that have been deployed and tested in real-world environments.What’s On OfferCompetitive salary and early-stage equity.Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits.Disability and commuter benefits.Flexible working days alongside unlimited PTO.The opportunity to join at an early stage and have significant influence over the product, technology and engineering team.