Hands-On CTO: Robotics & Automotive Automation Leader

Motion Recruitment; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity participation

Medical Insurance

401(k)

Dental Benefits

Vision Benefits

PTO

Professional Development

Job summary

Motion Recruitment is seeking a hands-on Chief Technology Officer for a robotics startup focused on automotive automation. You will lead technical strategy, guide prototype-to-production robotics systems, and work closely with engineers to solve complex challenges.

This role blends strategic planning with direct lab work to shape product development and engineering culture. Ideal candidates have 8+ years in robotics, strong system integration skills, and a track record of building and leading

Qualifications

• 8+ years of robotics experience including automation, controls, or related field.
• Significant hands-on robotics engineering experience.
• Experience taking robotic systems from concept through deployment or production.
• Strong understanding of robotics systems including motion, controls, sensing, actuation, and system integration.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong software and hardware integration experience.
• Experience troubleshooting complex robotic systems in a hands-on environment.
• Experience developing technical roadmaps and architecture decisions.
• Understanding of mechanical, electrical, controls, and software interfaces in robotics.
• Ability to move between high-level strategy and detailed engineering problems.
• Strong communication skills with engineers, customers, and leadership.
• Bachelor’s degree in relevant technical field.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the company’s overall technical strategy and robotics roadmap.
• Lead development of robotic systems from early prototypes through production.
• Work directly with engineers on difficult technical and system-level challenges.
• Make architecture and technology decisions across robotics hardware and software.
• Lead integration of mechanical, electrical, controls, perception, and software systems.
• Establish engineering processes, standards, and development practices.
• Build, mentor, and grow a robotics engineering team.
• Recruit and retain key technical talent as the company scales.
• Oversee prototyping, testing, validation, and deployment of robotic systems.
• Collaborate with customers and partners to translate real-world requirements into technical solutions.
• Evaluate new robotics technologies, platforms, and tools.
• Troubleshoot system-level problems and drive root-cause analysis.
• Balance performance, reliability, cost, and time-to-market.
• Help establish engineering culture and technical vision.
• Communicate progress, risks, and roadmap decisions to leadership.

Skills

Robotics leadership

System integration

Architecture decisions

Strong communication

Hands-on engineering

Education

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

Master’s or PhD in a relevant engineering discipline

Tools

ROS/ROS2

C++

Python

PLC/industrial controls

Embedded systems

Job description

Motion Recruitment is seeking a hands-on Chief Technology Officer for a robotics startup focused on automotive automation. You will lead technical strategy, guide prototype-to-production robotics systems, and work closely with engineers to solve complex challenges.

This role blends strategic planning with direct lab work to shape product development and engineering culture. Ideal candidates have 8+ years in robotics, strong system integration skills, and a track record of building and leading