Robotics Software Engineer

OpenAI; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

OpenAI is looking for Robotics Software Engineers to enhance their robotics data collection in San Francisco, CA. This role involves designing and optimizing software solutions across diverse robotics hardware, requiring strong collaboration with cross-functional teams.

The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of experience in software engineering, proficiency in Rust and C++, and a passion for developing advanced robotics systems. Join OpenAI in pushing the boundaries of AI technology.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Extensive experience integrating industrial automation systems.
• Hands-on experience delivering production-quality software.

Responsibilities

• Develop and grow robotics data collection labs, managing the integration lifecycle.
• Innovate robot control interfaces for varied tasks and environments.
• Collaborate with research and engineering teams on automation tools.

Skills

Rust

C++

Robotics

Industrial automation systems

Job description

About the Team

Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general‑purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI‑level intelligence in dynamic, real‑world settings. Working across the entire model stack, we integrate cutting‑edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high‑level AI capabilities with the constraints of physical systems to improve people’s lives.

About the Role

We’re seeking talented Robotics Software Engineers to expand our robotics data collection and evaluation program. This highly technical role involves designing, implementing, and optimizing software solutions across diverse robotics hardware. You’ll work closely and collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams; including software, hardware, research, and operations – to drive advancements in our robotic systems.

This role is based in San Francisco, CA, and requires in‑person 4 days a week.

In this role, you will:

• Help develop and grow our data collection labs, owning the entire integration lifecycle, from identifying and sourcing new hardware to collaborating with mechanical and electrical engineers on setup, software integration, and operational deployment.
• Develop innovative robot control interfaces suited to a variety of morphologies, environments, and tasks.
• Collaborate closely with research and engineering teams to develop automation tools and machinery that facilitate the evaluation of advanced robotic policies.
• Lead the design and implementation of data collection, visualization, and quality control processes.

You might thrive in this role if you:

• Have 5+ years of professional software engineering experience developing and shipping production‑quality systems in robotics or hardware‑integrated environments.
• Have extensive experience integrating and deploying industrial automation systems, off‑the‑shelf robotics platforms, or custom hardware into production environments.
• Bring hands‑on experience delivering production‑quality software within collaborative, cross‑functional engineering teams.
• Have strong proficiency in Rust or C++.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general‑purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US‑based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non‑public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

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We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.

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