Founding Robotics Engineer — Controls & Integration Full-time · San Francisco, CA View role →

Defexrobotics; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Defexrobotics in San Francisco, CA is seeking a hands-on robotics engineer to co-design and build an integrated robotic system. You will connect the robot arm, gripper, cameras, force sensor, and test equipment, and craft control software for reliable operation.

You will work directly with the founders to design components, fixtures and test sequences, while writing control software and validating end-to-end assembly workflows on Linux using C++ and Python.

Qualifications

• Experience building or commissioning a robot or mechatronic system.
• Proficient in C++ and Python on Linux.
• Knowledge of coordinate frames, calibration, motion control and contact behavior.

Responsibilities

• Integrate robot arm, gripper, cameras, force sensor and test equipment, including calibration and timing between devices.
• Develop motion and contact-control routines for connector alignment, insertion and recovery.
• Design gripper fingers, fixtures and part carriers; work with suppliers to fabricate and refine them.
• Build the sequence from a presented part to an assembled, tested joint, including what happens when a step fails.
• Use logs and physical measurements to diagnose failures. Track cycle time, damaged parts and the work needed from an operator.
• Work with safety specialists on guarding and interlocks, and with the learning engineer to run policies through the robot’s control interface.

Skills

C++

Python

Linux

Motion control

Robot coordination

Robot SDKs

ROS 2

Tools

ROS 2

Robot SDKs

Job description

About the role

Our prototype needs to do more than insert a connector once. It needs to handle contact, physically test the joint and recover from a failed attempt. This role brings the mechanics, sensing and control software together to make that possible.

As our first robotics hire, you’ll work directly with the founders on the system design and build. The work spans choosing components, designing fixtures, writing control software and testing the complete assembly sequence.

Pay

$135,000–$165,000 USD per year + equity.

Responsibilities

• Integrate the robot arm, gripper, cameras, force sensor and test equipment, including calibration and timing between devices.
• Develop motion and contact-control routines for connector alignment, insertion and recovery.
• Design gripper fingers, fixtures and part carriers; work with suppliers to fabricate and refine them.
• Build the sequence from a presented part to an assembled, tested joint, including what happens when a step fails.
• Use logs and physical measurements to diagnose failures. Track cycle time, damaged parts and the work needed from an operator.
• Work with safety specialists on guarding and interlocks, and with the learning engineer to run policies through the robot’s control interface.

Experience

• You’ve built or commissioned a robot, automation station or substantial mechatronic system, and can explain the decisions you made.
• You can write and debug C++ and Python on Linux, including code that communicates with physical devices.
• You understand coordinate frames, calibration, motion control and how a robot behaves during contact.
• You can work through mechanical, electrical and software faults, using measurements to separate the possible causes.

Useful experience

• Connector assembly, force-guided manipulation or factory commissioning.
• CAD and fixture design, industrial I/O, PLC integration or electrical test equipment.
• Robot SDKs, ROS 2 or running learned policies on hardware.

First project

Commission one connector task with a physical acceptance test and a repeatable recovery sequence. Use those runs to establish the prototype’s limits and decide what to improve next.