Forward Deployed Engineer, Robotics

OpenMind; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Equity

International travel opportunity

Job summary

OpenMind is seeking a Forward Deployed Engineer to take robots from prototype to reliable field systems. You will deploy end-to-end, on-site, coordinating with customers and our team to ensure robust operation across software, autonomy, and hardware.

You will own deployments, write and debug integration software, diagnose field failures, and prototype hardware fixes. Willingness to travel internationally and learn across the full stack is essential.

Qualifications

• You've built a robot yourself, with real-world testing and documented decisions.
• You've written software to control or navigate a robot and can explain its architecture.
• You're ready for responsibility and international travel in a field role.
• You're eager to learn across software, autonomy, and robotics hardware.
• You're comfortable taking things apart, diagnosing issues, and fixing them.
• We care about what you built and how you solve problems over formal degrees.

Responsibilities

• Own customer deployments end-to-end, from requirements to on-site integration and improvements.
• Write and debug software connecting robot hardware, sensors, autonomy, and workflows.
• Diagnose and resolve real-world failures across software, networking, compute, sensors, and mech/electrical.
• Build, modify, and repair hardware using rapid prototyping tools.
• Turn field observations into reproducible issues and deployment tools.
• Communicate progress to customers and set clear acceptance criteria.
• Take ownership in the field, including international travel and independent decisions.

Skills

Robot hardware build

Robot software development

Field deployments

International travel

Hands-on problem solving

Full-stack robotics learning

Job description

About OpenMind

OpenMind is building the software that enables intelligent robots to perceive, understand, and operate in the physical world.

We develop and deploy AI-powered robotics solutions across diverse industries and environments. We're looking for a Forward Deployed Engineer who can take a robot from a working prototype to a reliable system in the field. You'll work directly with customers and our engineering team, solving problems across software, autonomy, and hardware—and taking responsibility for making the whole system work.

What you Will Do

• Own customer deployments end-to-end, from understanding requirements and preparing robots to on-site integration, testing, and ongoing improvements.

• Write and debug software that connects robot hardware, sensors, autonomy systems, and customer workflows.

• Diagnose and resolve real-world failures across software, networking, compute, sensors, and mechanical and electrical components.

• Build, modify, and repair hardware, using rapid prototyping tools to test ideas and solve deployment challenges.

• Turn field observations into reproducible issues, practical engineering improvements, and reusable deployment tools.

• Work directly with customers to communicate progress, explain technical trade-offs, and establish clear acceptance criteria.

• Take considerable ownership in the field, including international travel and independent decision-making when conditions change.

What We're Looking for

• You've built a robot yourself. You've designed, built, and tested a rover, drone, or fixed-wing aircraft in the real world. We want to understand what you built, the decisions you made, and what happened when you tested it.

• You've written the software that makes it work. You have a GitHub repository containing software you wrote to control, guide, or make your robot autonomous, and you can explain its architecture and implementation.

• You're ready for responsibility and international travel. This is a field role. You're comfortable owning deployments, working directly with customers, and troubleshooting in unfamiliar environments.

• You're enthusiastic about learning across the full stack. You're willing to work across software, autonomy, and robotics hardware, including areas you haven't mastered yet.

• You're comfortable with your hands. You're good at taking things apart, finding what's wrong, and fixing them.

• Degrees, schools, and certifications don't matter to us. We care about what you've built, how you solve problems, and your ability to learn and deliver.

Work & Benefits

• Full-time, based on-site in San Francisco, with international travel for field deployments

• Considerable responsibility and ownership of real-world robotics projects

• Unlimited PTO

• Compensation: $130K - 180K

• Offers Equity

• Opportunity to build and deploy Physical AI solutions on real robots across diverse applications