Robotics Software Engineer

HIKINEX; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

HIKINEX in San Francisco is seeking a software engineer to join a small, highly technical robotics team building intelligent automation systems for industrial manufacturing. You will design and implement software for robotic systems, integrating perception, motion planning, and real-time control, and validate through simulation and field tests.

Join a fast-paced team where you own features, contribute to architecture, and work closely with hardware and controls engineers to deliver integrated

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS, robotics, EE, or related technical field.
• Strong Python software development experience.
• Kinematics
• Dynamics
• Control theory
• State estimation
• Git, testing, and debugging.
• Excellent problem-solving in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain robust software for industrial robotic systems.
• Build and optimize motion planning, trajectory generation, and real-time control algorithms.
• Develop vision-based robotic applications by integrating cameras and other sensors.
• Improve system performance, reliability, and scalability across embedded and cloud-based environments.
• Write clean, modular, well-tested code following software engineering best practices.
• Perform simulation, testing, and real-world validation of robotic systems.
• Collaborate closely with software, hardware, and controls engineers to deliver integrated robotic solutions.
• Contribute to system architecture and technical design decisions.

Skills

Python

Git

Debugging

Problem solving

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Robotics/EE/Mechanical

Master's degree in Robotics/CS/related field

Tools

ROS

Job description

About the Opportunity

We are partnering with an innovative early-stage robotics company developing intelligent automation solutions for industrial manufacturing. The team is building advanced robotic systems that combine perception, motion planning, and real-time control to solve complex automation challenges in production environments.

This is an opportunity to join a small, highly technical engineering team where you'll have significant ownership, work directly with robotics hardware, and help build core technology from the ground up.

What You'll Do

• Design, develop, and maintain robust software for industrial robotic systems.


• Build and optimize motion planning, trajectory generation, and real-time control algorithms.


• Develop vision-based robotic applications by integrating cameras and other sensors.


• Improve system performance, reliability, and scalability across embedded and cloud-based environments.


• Write clean, modular, well-tested code following software engineering best practices.


• Perform simulation, testing, and real-world validation of robotic systems.


• Collaborate closely with software, hardware, and controls engineers to deliver integrated robotic solutions.


• Contribute to system architecture and technical design decisions.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.


• Strong software development experience in Python.


• Solid understanding of robotics fundamentals, including:


• Kinematics


• Dynamics


• Control theory


• State estimation


• Experience with Git, software testing, and debugging.


• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.


• Must be authorized to work in the United States without future sponsorship due to export control requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Robotics, Computer Science, or a related field.


• Experience with ROS or other robotics middleware.


• Experience with motion planning, trajectory optimization, and real-time robotic control.


• Experience working with industrial robot arms or robotic manipulation systems.


• Familiarity with computer vision and 3D perception.


• Experience optimizing software for embedded or edge computing platforms.


• Knowledge of distributed systems or cloud-based robotics infrastructure.

Ideal Background

We're especially interested in engineers who have experience developing software for robotic manipulation systems in industrial, manufacturing, or automation environments. Candidates who enjoy building new systems from the ground up, working across hardware and software, and taking ownership of challenging technical problems will thrive in this role.

What You'll Find

• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge robotics technology.


• High-impact engineering role with meaningful ownership.


• Collaborative, fast-moving technical team.


• Competitive compensation and equity package.


• Relocation assistance may be available for qualified candidates.