Lead Forward Deployed Software Engineer

Flink Robotics; Zürich; On-site; CHF 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Top-tier gear

Travel opportunities

Job summary

Flink Robotics, a fast-growing startup out of ETH Zürich’s Computational Robotics Lab, is seeking a Lead Forward Deployed Software Engineer to optimize autonomy stacks at customer sites. You will own adaptation, troubleshoot deployments, and guide the field team to deliver reliable software in real-world conditions.

You’ll travel about 50% and collaborate with product and engineering teams to turn field data into robust solutions, mentoring others as the team scales.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience in robotics or software engineering.
• Experience deploying C++ code in production.
• Experience diagnosing complex system issues under tight deadlines.
• Ability to mentor teammates in growth stages.

Responsibilities

• Optimize robot performance post-installation and ensure smooth handover.
• Deploy incremental and major software upgrades across the fleet.
• Define and own the remote supervision process.
• Filter customer feedback to product teams.
• Build and manage the forward deployed software team.

Skills

C++ deployment

Robotics

Leadership

Problem solving

Fluent English

Education

Maths/CS degree

Tools

C++

Job description

Flink Robotics is a fast-paced startup, out of ETH Zürich's Computational Robotics Lab, building autonomous robots that can handle any item - including ones they’ve never seen before. We're revolutionising material handling, from stacking boxes to sorting parcels and unloading goods.

We're looking for a Lead Forward Deployed Software Engineer who loves debugging systems and turning real-world data into working software. You'll be out with our field team at customer sites, owning the adaptation and troubleshooting of our autonomy stack as it meets the conditions of each deployment.

Who you are

• Eager to join a VC-backed startup and take real ownership from the start
• Passionate about robotics: from perception and motion to autonomy and control
• An experienced problem-solver who can make decisions under ambiguity and mentor others as the team grows
• Proactive, curious and a clear communicator (fluent English, additional languages are a plus)
• Ready to travel around 50% of the time, to get the best performance out of our deployed robots

What you bring

• 5+ years of professional experience and a degree in maths, computer science, or a related field
• Experience deploying C++ code in production
• Self motivated, and thriving in entrepreneurial environments (startups, professional services, big tech)
• Proven experience diagnosing and resolving complex system issues in short turnaround cycles
• Low-ego collaboration; people love working with you

What you'll do

• Optimise robot performance after installation and ensure smooth customer handover
• Quality control and deploy incremental and major software upgrades across robot fleet
• Define and own the remote supervision process
• Guide and filter feedback from customers to the product teams
• Build out and manage the forward deployed software engineering team

Why join

• An ambitious team building a product with huge potential
• Cutting-edge robotics problems, with direct, high-stakes customer impact
• Competitive salary, equity, and top-tier gear
• Based in Zurich, with travel to partners worldwide

Swiss/EU citizen, existing Swiss work permit, or a degree from a Swiss university; able to work in Switzerland without visa sponsorship