Head of Robotics

Autzu Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Autzu Inc. is seeking a hands-on Head of Robotics to build and lead our robotics organization for the first hub automation program from concept through deployment. You’ll define workcells, select technologies, and hire the team that turns prototypes into repeatable, safe operations.

Palo Alto area lab development and strong partnerships with OEMs and AV operators are part of the role. You will drive the robotics architecture for charging, inspection, cleaning, and servicing workflows, while

Qualifications

• Built robotics or automation systems functioning outside the lab.
• Experience leading engineering teams and complex delivery programs.
• Experience taking a system from prototype through integration, validation, commissioning, and operational use.
• Experience hiring and developing engineers across multiple disciplines, including with suppliers or manufacturing partners.
• Strong judgment around safety, failure modes, system reliability, and operation around people and vehicles.

Responsibilities

• Define robotics workcells, equipment, tooling, sensing, and requirements for the first hub pilot.
• Lead hardware, controls, and software integration for robot systems and hub orchestration.
• Hire, mentor, and lead engineers across mechatronics, controls, software, and perception.
• Own the robotics roadmap, budget, and delivery cadence; measure performance.
• Forge partnerships with robotics manufacturers, AV operators, OEMs and technology partners.

Skills

Robotics

Hardware automation

Mechatronics

Embedded systems

Electrical engineering

Control software

Team leadership

Project delivery

Safety and reliability

Tools

ROS 2

Motion planning

Computer vision

Industrial control systems

Edge computing

NVIDIA platforms

Job description

Build the Future of Autonomous Infrastructure

Type: Full-Time- On Site

Industry: Robotics | Autonomous Vehicles | AI | Mobility Infrastructure | EV Technology

Compensation: Base Starting at 200k+,along with (Bonus+ Significant equity)

Our focus is the physical and software infrastructure surrounding autonomous vehicles: the hubs where vehicles charge, undergo inspection, receive cleaning and servicing, and prepare to return to operation.

Drawing on our experience operating EV fleets in the U.S. and Canada, we are developing a robotics-enabled hub platform that connects vehicles, robotic systems, charging equipment, and operational software.

We are not building another autonomous-driving stack. We are building the infrastructure that helps autonomous vehicles operate reliably in the real world.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a hands-on Head of Robotics to build and lead Autzu's robotics organization and take our first hub automation program from concept through deployment.

You will help decide what to automate first, what to build internally, which technologies to integrate, and who to hire. We're also in the stage of building a robotics lab in the Palo Alto area. You will work directly with our founder and leadership team to develop the robotics architecture, launch pilot programs, and establish relationships with robotics manufacturers, AV operators, OEMs, and technology partners.

This role is for someone who wants to build—not simply oversee an established engineering organization (Hire the team that you want to work with). Early on, that means working closely with hardware, reviewing designs, testing prototypes, troubleshooting integrations, and turning a promising demonstration into a repeatable operational system.

What You’ll Own

• Robotics for vehicle servicing. Develop and integrate automation for workflows such as charging connection, inspection, cleaning, and sensor-service or calibration support. Prioritize applications based on technical feasibility, safety, reliability, and operational value.
• The first pilot hub. Define the robotics workcells, equipment, tooling, sensing, and technical requirements needed to move from lab testing to real vehicles. Partner with operations on facility layout, commissioning, and deployment readiness.
• Hardware, controls, and software integration. Bring together robotic arms or mobile platforms, end effectors, machine vision, embedded systems, control software, and hub-level orchestration. Make practical build-versus-buy decisions rather than reinventing every component.
• Vehicle-to-hub interfaces. Work with vehicle and technology partners on supported interfaces for vehicle identification, positioning, diagnostics, charging, task coordination, and return-to-service checks. Design for interoperability without assuming every vehicle or autonomy stack works the same way.
• AI, simulation, and validation. Apply perception, robot learning, simulation, and digital twins where they improve performance or accelerate development. Establish a disciplined path from simulation to hardware testing and deployment, including safe exception handling and human intervention.
• The robotics engineering team. Hire, mentor, and lead engineers across mechatronics, electrical engineering, controls, embedded systems, robotics software, perception, and integration. Establish clear ownership, design reviews, testing standards, and an effective delivery cadence.
• Technical partnerships and the surrounding ecosystem. Evaluate robot manufacturers, charging suppliers, systems integrators, compute providers, and AV/OEM partners. Lead technical evaluations and pilot scoping, define integration requirements, and turn promising relationships into working deployments.
• Operational performance. Own the robotics roadmap and approved engineering budget. Measure success through task completion, cycle time, intervention rate, uptime, serviceability, deployment cost, and the ability to replicate successful workflows at additional sites.

What We’re Looking For

You have built robotics or automation systems that work outside the lab, and you can explain the engineering decisions that made them reliable.

We are particularly interested in candidates who bring:

• Substantial experience in robotics, mechatronics, hardware automation, or autonomous systems, including leadership of engineering teams and complex delivery programs.
• Direct responsibility for physical systems involving mechanisms, actuators, sensors, controls, and software—not solely AI models, simulation, or program coordination.
• Experience taking a system from prototype through integration, validation, commissioning, and operational use.
• A record of hiring and developing engineers across multiple disciplines, including experience working with suppliers, contractors, or manufacturing partners.
• Strong judgment around safety, failure modes, system reliability, and operation around people and vehicles.
• The ability to work effectively with customers and external technical partners while staying close to implementation.
• Comfort making decisions with incomplete information, limited resources, and the changing priorities of an early‑stage company.

You do not need to have held a CTO title. We welcome engineering managers, directors, heads of robotics, and VPs that have owned meaningful robotics programs and are ready to build a function.

Particularly Relevant Experience

Your background may include autonomous depots, robotic charging, manipulation, mobile robotics, industrial automation, robotic inspection, manufacturing systems, warehouse automation, or service robotics.

Experience with technologies such as ROS 2, motion planning, force control, computer vision, industrial control systems, simulation, and NVIDIA robotics or edge‑computing platforms is valuable. We care most about how you have used technology to deliver reliable systems—not whether your résumé contains every tool.

A strong technical education is welcome; demonstrated engineering depth and delivery experience are essential.

Your Initial Priorities;

Identify and scope the first high-value hub workflow, establish the system architecture and build-versus-buy plan, define the initial hiring and equipment needs, and develop a working pilot with clear acceptance criteria.

The objective is to demonstrate a reliable servicing workflow on real vehicles, learn from its operation, and establish the foundation for a repeatable hub platform—not attempt to automate every task at once.

You will have the opportunity to build the robotics organization from its earliest stages, influence the technical direction of the company, and see your work become physical infrastructure.

This is a role with meaningful ownership, direct access to company leadership, and the chance to connect robotics, autonomous vehicles, energy systems, and operational software into one working environment.

We are looking for someone who wants to build the systems - and the team that make autonomous infrastructure work.