Robotics System Test Engineer

Gritt Robotics Inc; Kentucky; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Gritt Robotics Inc in the United States is seeking a Robotics System Test Engineer to define and execute test strategies for autonomous robotic systems. This role requires hands-on testing in outdoor environments, focusing on safety and performance of heavy machinery.

The ideal candidate has a M.S/B.S degree in engineering, with 3+ years of relevant experience, including proficiency in Python and C++. This is an opportunity to innovate in the field of robotics while ensuring the teams' safety procedures are meticulously followed.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in test, QA, or validation engineering with robotics experience.
• Hands-on hardware testing experience with heavy machinery.
• Familiarity with robotics frameworks like ROS2.

Responsibilities

• Define the test strategy for the autonomy stack.
• Lead root-cause analysis on failures across various systems.
• Design mechanical and electrical test fixtures for measurable results.

Skills

Python

C++

Test automation

Data-driven decision making

Safety judgment

Robotics frameworks (ROS2)

Education

M.S/B.S in robotics, vision, computer science, mechanical or electrical engineering

Tools

Test automation tooling

Hardware-in-the-loop rigs

Job description

Role: Robotics System Test Engineer

Location: SF Bay Area (in‑person)

Gritt is developing physical AI to automate the construction of large‑scale infrastructure around the globe. Gritt’s systems are already deployed commercially in difficult outdoor environments, and are helping to build critical energy infrastructure. The founding team comprises experts in robotics and AI from Carnegie Mellon, Stanford and MIT. Gritt is a Series A company backed by marquee VCs.

About the role

We are looking for a Robotics System Test Engineer to own how we prove our robots are ready, across both the autonomy software and the physical machine. This is not a siloed QA role. You will work at the intersection of perception, planning, controls, and hardware, and you will spend real time outdoors: most of your testing happens in the yard behind our office, where our robots run in genuine sun, wind, dust, and temperature.

You will define the test strategy, build the automation and fixtures that catch regressions before they ship, and lead full‑system test campaigns on heavy machines. Your work directly determines whether a one‑ton robot is trusted to operate autonomously and whether it does so safely around the people testing it.

What you’ll get to work on

• Own the test strategy for the autonomy stack across perception, planning, manipulation, and the models that run locally on every robot.
• Define quantitative acceptance criteria for pick‑and‑place accuracy, cycle time, model performance, safety behavior, and hold releases to them.
• Lead root‑cause analysis on failures that span perception, software, controls, and hardware.
• Plan and run full‑system test campaigns on heavy (~1,000 lb) robots in our yard, across real weather, lighting, dust, and temperature.
• Design and build mechanical and electrical test fixtures and instrumentation that make results measurable and repeatable.
• Execute the full range of testing including exploratory and characterization on prototypes, performance and reliability testing, and end‑to‑end verification against formal requirements.
• Test across the panel SKUs and conditions the robot must handle in production, from new hardware to changing site and weather conditions.
• Develop, document, and enforce safety procedures for testing large autonomous machines around people and equipment.
• Produce clear, data‑driven test reports and maintain traceability from requirements through to test execution and results.
• Investigate field incidents and feed structured findings back into the test suite so the same issue never ships twice.

What we look for

• M.S/B.S degree in robotics, vision, computer science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or other engineering disciplines (or equivalent experience).
• 3+ years in test, QA, or validation engineering, including significant experience testing robotics, autonomous systems, or other complex physical and embedded products.
• Skilled in Python and C++, with a track record of building test automation, tooling, and analysis pipelines from scratch.
• Hands‑on hardware testing experience — building fixtures, hardware‑in‑the‑loop rigs, and instrumentation — alongside software testing (CI, regression, simulation).
• A rigorous, data‑driven approach: you write clear test plans, define quantitative acceptance criteria, and make ship / no‑ship calls backed by evidence.
• Sound safety judgment. You are comfortable working hands‑on with heavy machinery outdoors and take procedure seriously.
• Familiarity with robotics frameworks like ROS2.
• Should be comfortable taking ownership of tasks with light supervision.
• Must have excellent problem‑solving skills.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States.