Robotics Software Engineer – Autonomous Lab Automation

Radical AI; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Radical AI is seeking a Robotics Software Engineer to design, develop, and deploy software that enables robots and automated workcells to reliably execute materials research workflows autonomously. You will own task execution, motion and manipulation software, and reusable control capabilities deployed across lab systems.

You will collaborate with perception, simulation, systems software, mechatronics, mechanical engineering, and materials science to meet rigorous design requirements at

Qualifications

• 4+ years of professional software engineering with robotics or automation development.
• Strong Python and C++ skills.
• Experience with ROS/ROS2.
• Understanding of robot kinematics, motion planning, state machines, and real-time control.
• Experience integrating and debugging robots, sensors, actuators, and lab equipment.
• Ability to work independently in hands-on environment.
• Strong communication and cross-discipline collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement reusable software for robot motion, manipulation, workcell control, and autonomous task execution.
• Develop robust state machines, task sequencing, interlocks, and fault detection and recovery for flexible robotic workcells.
• Integrate robotic arms, sensors, vision outputs, and lab equipment into coordinated automated workflows.
• Implement motion planning, grasping, calibration, and execution logic for variable sample geometries and changing laboratory workflows.
• Develop interfaces to higher-level orchestration services for scheduling, execution status, commands, and experimental data capture.
• Use simulation and hardware-in-the-loop testing to validate robot behaviors before physical deployment.
• Debug and optimize robotic performance, throughput, reliability, and recoverability on deployed hardware.
• Contribute to architecture, code quality, testing practices, and mentorship across the robotics software stack.

Skills

Python

C++

ROS/ROS2

Robotics

Motion planning

Education

BS in Robotics or CS/EE

Tools

MoveIt

Simulation tools

Job description

Radical AI is seeking a Robotics Software Engineer to design, develop, and deploy software that enables robots and automated workcells to reliably execute materials research workflows autonomously. You will own task execution, motion and manipulation software, and reusable control capabilities deployed across lab systems.

You will collaborate with perception, simulation, systems software, mechatronics, mechanical engineering, and materials science to meet rigorous design requirements at