Director of Robotic Engineering

Eccalon, LLC; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Eccalon, LLC in Detroit is seeking a Director of Robotics Engineering to lead the vision, architecture, and execution of advanced robotic systems.

The role requires deep technical expertise across hardware, software, and controls, plus strong leadership to mentor teams and drive product and program outcomes.

You will oversee prototyping, validation, and production readiness while collaborating with Product, Manufacturing, Quality, and Operations to meet regulatory and safety requirements.

Qualifications

• Degree and deep robotics knowledge required, with leadership experience.
• Proven ability to deliver complex robotic systems to deployment.
• Experience leading senior technical teams and large programs.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical vision and system architecture for robotic platforms.
• Lead hardware, software, firmware, and controls integration.
• Guide sensing, autonomy, motion planning, and perception decisions.
• Ensure safety, reliability, and scalability across platforms.
• Mentor senior engineers and establish engineering standards.

Skills

Robotics design & integration

Kinematics & dynamics

Autonomous systems & motion planning

Sensing & sensor fusion

ROS/ROS2

Hardware-software co-design

Education

Bachelor's degree in Robotics, Electrical, Mechanical, Computer Engineering, or related field

Job description

Security Clearance: No clearance required, must be clearable.

About Us

Eccalon provides global solutions to the most challenging technological issues of the 21st-century, and our evolving portfolio spans five major markets: Machine Learning, Cybersecurity, Aerospace & Defense, Material Sciences, Advance Manufacturing, Sports Science, Biotechnology, and Health & Life Sciences. Visit our website here.

Why Join Us?

Eccalon's Executives foster a supportive work environment allowing our teams to thrive, and have a fierce dedication to innovation, security, and people. Our culture is built on inclusion, teamwork, trust, and we are committed to offering career advancement opportunities to all employees. Encouraging a healthy and balanced life, we offer an extensive benefits package to support the wellness of our employees and their families. You will be joining a team of innovators, working with cutting edge technologies, supporting mission critical projects, and making an impact.

Job Description

We are seeking a highly experienced Director of Robotics Engineering to lead the vision, architecture, and execution of advanced robotic systems. This role requires deep technical expertise in robotics combined with strong leadership, product focus, and system‑level thinking. The Director will oversee end‑to‑end development of robotic platforms—from concept and architecture through prototyping, validation, and production—while mentoring technical leaders and driving innovation across hardware, software, and controls.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Architecture

• Own the technical vision and system architecture for robotic platforms and subsystems
• Lead design and integration of robotics hardware, software, firmware, and controls
• Guide decisions across kinematics, dynamics, sensing, perception, motion planning, and autonomy
• Ensure system‑level performance, reliability, safety, and scalability

Team & Organizational Leadership

• Build, lead, and mentor senior robotics engineers and technical managers
• Establish engineering standards, best practices, and development processes
• Foster a culture of technical excellence, ownership, and innovation
• Partner with recruiting to hire top‑tier robotics talent

Product & Execution Ownership

• Drive roadmap execution aligned with product, manufacturing, and business goals
• Oversee prototyping, testing, validation, and production readiness
• Manage technical risk, trade‑offs, and cross‑disciplinary dependencies
• Support critical design reviews and milestone decision points

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Product, Manufacturing, Quality, and Operations teams
• Align robotics development with regulatory, safety, and compliance requirements
• Support customer engagements, demos, and executive‑level technical discussions

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Electrical, Mechanical, Computer Engineering, or related field (Master’s or PhD strongly preferred)
• 10+ years of experience in robotics engineering, including leadership of complex systems
• Proven track record delivering robotic systems into real‑world deployment
• Demonstrated experience leading senior technical teams and large programs

Deep, hands‑on knowledge in several of the following:

• Robotic system design and integration
• Robot kinematics, dynamics, and control systems
• Autonomous systems and motion planning
• Sensing, perception, and sensor fusion (Lidar, vision, depth, IMUs)
• Embedded systems, real‑time software, and robotics middleware (e.g., ROS/ROS2)
• Hardware‑software co‑design and system debugging

Preferred Experience

• Industrial, mobile, medical, autonomous, warehouse, or field robotics
• Safety‑critical or regulated robotic systems
• Manufacturing, reliability, and production scale‑up
• Working with multidisciplinary teams across hardware, software, and AI

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Eccalon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.