Principal Hardware Robotics Engineer, Data Centers

Socket.dev; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 275,000 - 382,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Bonus target

Benefits

Job summary

Google's AI and Infrastructure (AI2) team is redefining what's possible. As Principal Engineer, you will define the strategic and technical direction for PIE Robotics roadmap and lead the Data Center robotics systems program across hardware, software and ecosystem partnerships.

In this role, you will steer strategy and technical development of autonomous robots and automation solutions to enable scalable data center operations, repairs, deployments and decommissioning, collaborating with

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent practical experience in robotics or related field.
• 15 years of experience in robotics systems engineering or architecture with experience in technical innovation.
• Experience leading robotics applications development and turning R&D into deployed real-world systems.
• Experience in robotic control, planning, kinematics, and mechatronic systems.

Responsibilities

• Scope and develop advanced robotics automation solutions for data center hardware.
• Collaborate with executive leadership on AI2's data center robotics strategy and ecosystem development.
• Source and deploy latest robotics and AI technologies within AI2 to meet business needs.
• Lead engineering execution and provide technical leadership for autonomous robots and robotic arms deployment.

Skills

Robotics systems engineering

R&D to deployed systems

Robotic control

Kinematics

Mechatronic systems

Education

PhD in Robotics or related field

Tools

ROS

RTOS

FPGA

Job description

Minimum qualifications:

• PhD degree in Robotics or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 15 years of experience in robotics systems engineering or architecture, and experience with technical innovation.
• Experience in the robotics industry, leading robotics applications development and turning Research and Development (R&D) into deployed, real world systems.
• Experience in robotic control, planning, kinematics, and mechatronic systems.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with embedded systems (e.g., RTOS, microcontrollers, FPGA), sensor fusion, and actuator control.
• Experience implementing foundational vision-language-action (VLA) models, imitation learning, and reinforcement learning (RL) pipelines to teach robots dynamic object manipulation.
• Experience executing low-latency teleoperation infrastructure, haptic feedback integration, and human-in-the-loop systems for complex, remote hardware interventions and data collection.
• Familiarity with motion control systems and robotics programming languages (e.g. Robot Operating System) or similar frameworks.
• Practical understanding of recent advancements in the robotics field, specifically the application of general-purpose bipedal/wheeled humanoid platforms for flexible, human-centric data center tasks.

About the job:

The AI and Infrastructure (AI2) team is redefining what’s possible. We empower Google customers with breakthrough capabilities and insights by delivering AI and Infrastructure at unparalleled scale, efficiency, reliability and velocity. Our customers include Googlers, Google Cloud customers, and billions of Google users worldwide. As Principal Engineer, you will define the strategic and technical direction for PIE Robotics roadmap.

In this role, you will lead the strategy and technical development of Data Center hardware robotics systems. You will lead internally and externally, to deliver the robotics automation solutions to enable our scale up and out hardware deployment, repair operations, and final decommission.

The AI and Infrastructure team is redefining what’s possible. We empower Google customers with breakthrough capabilities and insights by delivering AI and Infrastructure at unparalleled scale, efficiency, reliability and velocity. Our customers include Googlers, Google Cloud customers, and billions of Google users worldwide.

We're the driving force behind Google's groundbreaking innovations, empowering the development of our cutting-edge AI models, delivering unparalleled computing power to global services, and providing the essential platforms that enable developers to build the future. From software to hardware our teams are shaping the future of world-leading hyperscale computing, with key teams working on the development of our TPUs, Vertex AI for Google Cloud, Google Global Networking, Data Center operations, systems research, and much more.

Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $275000 - $382000 (USD) + 30% bonus target + equity + benefits.

Learn more about benefits at Google.

Responsibilities:

• Scope and develop advanced robotics automation technical solutions for data center hardware required for AI2 business transformation.
• Collaborate closely with executive leadership, internal and external, regarding AI2's data Center Robotics strategy and ecosystem development.
• Source and ensure AI2 captures the latest Robotics and AI technologies and solutions from the ecosystem, and rapidly deploy within AI2, to meet the business needs.
• Lead engineering execution and provide technical leadership for product features and delivery. Oversee the end-to-end deployment of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and multi-axis robotic arms for handling delicate data center hardware.