Robotics Engineer

Foundation Robotics Lab; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Foundation Robotics Lab in San Francisco is looking for talented software engineers who can build and maintain the software ecosystem for advanced robots. The ideal candidate is a software generalist with expertise in cloud software, capable of designing system services applications.

The role requires a proven track record in software engineering, proficiency in programming languages, and a commitment to the mission of enhancing efficiency through robotics. A collaborative in-person work culture is essential.

Qualifications

• Proven background as a generalist software engineer.
• Expertise in building and scaling cloud software.
• Strong experience in designing system services.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain full software ecosystem for robots.
• Implement and scale system services applications.
• Contribute to the technical direction and architecture.

Skills

Cloud software development

System services applications

Distributed systems

Strong APIs

Proficiency in programming languages (C++, Python, Go, Rust)

Job description

Our mission is to create advanced robots that can operate in complex environments, reducing human risk in conflict zones and enhancing efficiency in labor-intensive industries.

We are on the lookout for extraordinary engineers and scientists to join our team. Your previous experience in robotics isn't a prerequisite — it's your talent and determination that truly count.

We expect that many of our team members will bring diverse perspectives from various industries and fields. We are looking for individuals with a proven record of exceptional ability and a history of creating things that work.

Our Culture

We like to be frank and honest about who we are, so that people can decide for themselves if this is a culture they resonate with. Please read more about our culture here https://foundation.bot/culture.

Who should join:

• You like working in person with a team in San Francisco.
• You deeply believe that this is the most important mission for humanity and needs to happen yesterday.
• You are highly technical - regardless of the role you are in. We are building technology; you need to understand technology well.
• You care about aesthetics and design inside out. If it's not the best product ever, it bothers you, and you need to “fix” it.
• You don't need someone to motivate you; you get things done.

Why Are We Hiring for this Role

• To build and maintain the full software ecosystem for our general-purpose robots, requiring versatility across high-level cloud services and system services running on the robot computer.
• To drive the implementation and scaling of critical system services applications, including user-facing web applications, comprehensive data logging infrastructure, and robot interfaces.
• To ensure the team has a capable software generalist who can bridge the gap between high-level applications and low-level system necessities, enabling rapid feature development, software porting, and necessary OS-adjacent implementations.
• To contribute a broad and deep software background to influence the technical direction and architecture of both robot-side and cloud-side systems.

What Kind of Person are we looking For

• A great software generalist who is versatile and can write at scale cloud software.
• Ability to design and implement system services apps that sit on the robot computer, such as webapps and robot control interfaces.
• Focus is on higher-level software development (above firmware/OS, and lower than AI components).
• Scrappy and capable of extending into OS level implementations and software porting when necessary.
• Proven background as a generalist software engineer, comfortable operating across different layers of the software stack (from higher-level cloud applications down to OS-adjacent implementations).
• Expertise in building and scaling cloud software (e.g., distributed systems, robust APIs, data logging pipelines).
• Strong experience in designing and implementing system services applications, including web applications, user interfaces, and robot control interfaces.
• Proficiency in at least one major programming language used in cloud/systems development (e.g., C++, Python, Go, Rust).
• A "scrappy" mindset with demonstrated ability to quickly learn new technologies, port software, and delve into low-level (OS-adjacent) code when necessary.
• Familiarity with foundational computer science concepts, operating systems, and networking.