Robotics Systems Engineer

Cssmerge; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 182,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance

401(k)

Team lunches

Job summary

Cssmerge is seeking a Robotics Systems Engineer based in San Francisco to develop and validate autonomy features for our autonomous vehicle fleet. The role requires strong programming skills in C++ and Python, and involves debugging issues across various hardware and software components.

Successful candidates will have 3+ years of experience in robotics engineering and will be expected to collaborate with multiple teams for vehicle deployment and performance assurance. Benefits include medical insurance, 401(k), and paid time off.

Qualifications

• Experience with real-time or robotics systems.
• Ability to diagnose issues across software and hardware.
• Proven experience with system-level ownership.

Responsibilities

• Develop and validate autonomy features for real vehicles.
• Debug system-level issues across various components.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on deployment.

Skills

C++ programming

Python programming

Robotics engineering

System-level debugging

Field testing

Education

3+ years of professional software development or robotics engineering experience

Tools

Logging and diagnostics tools

CI/CD infrastructure

Linux

Job description

Who we are

Atoms is building the machines that power the next era of progress.

Over the last decade, software has transformed the digital world. But the physical world, where food is made, minerals are mined, goods are moved, and industries are run, remains far less intelligent, far less efficient, and far more constrained. We’re changing that.

Atoms builds Physical AI—real-world robots for the industries that move civilization forward, starting with food, mining, and transport. Our systems are designed to understand, predict, and control the real world with precision, turning complex physical operations into something more reliable, more scalable, and more productive.

This work requires more than robotics. It requires deep integration across hardware, software, AI, operations, manufacturing, and real estate. We don’t just build machines in a lab. We deploy them into real environments, operate them, learn from them, and improve them until they work at scale.

We are roboticists, engineers, operators, and builders. We believe the next great technology companies will not only transform information, but the physical systems that shape everyday life.

If you want to work on hard problems with real-world impact, join us.

What you’ll do

Atoms is looking for a Robotics Systems Engineer who thrives at system-level debugging and end-to-end delivery of autonomy capabilities on real vehicles. You’ll develop, integrate, test, and deploy features for our autonomous vehicle fleet, helping bring autonomy capabilities from prototype to reliable real-world performance.

This role may be hired at multiple levels, depending on experience and demonstrated scope of ownership. At more senior levels, this role will include greater ownership of autonomy features, production readiness, system-level validation, release gates, and cross-functional technical leadership.

Responsibilities

• Develop, integrate, and validate autonomy features, including production software, tests, diagnostics, and deployment support.
• Debug system-level issues across sensors, compute, networking, controls, vehicle interfaces, and autonomy software using logs, metrics, and on-vehicle tools.
• Support or lead technical execution for vehicle bring-up and deployments, including planning, risk identification, validation, issue triage, and coordination across teams.
• Define and improve diagnostics, validation criteria, release gates, and metrics for production readiness.
• Support field and track testing, including hands-on vehicle debugging and periodic travel to test facilities or deployment hubs.
• Bring up and integrate new platforms by working with hardware and integration teams on sensors, vehicle signals, calibration, and performance tuning.
• Collaborate with hardware, operations, safety, and product teams to deliver robust, safe, and maintainable autonomy behavior.
• At senior levels, serve as a technical owner for production readiness of major autonomy capabilities or vehicle deployments, including cross-team validation and mentoring other engineers.

Travel note

This role requires periodic travel to test sites or regional deployment hubs (up to 15%).

Schedule note

Some schedule flexibility may be required during deployments.

What we’re looking for

• 3+ years of professional, non-internship software development or robotics engineering experience; 3+ years or equivalent demonstrated scope for senior-level consideration.
• Strong programming skills in C++ and Python.
• Experience designing, building, testing, and debugging maintainable software for real-time or robotics systems.
• Proven robotics engineering experience with system-level ownership, such as integration, debugging, performance tuning, field testing, deployments, or platform bring-up.
• Ability to diagnose issues across software, hardware, sensors, networking, vehicle interfaces, controls, or autonomy stacks.
• Experience building or using diagnostics such as structured logging, metrics, fault isolation tools, test harnesses, or fleet-level monitoring.
• Working familiarity with core robotics concepts such as localization, state estimation, planning, controls, calibration, or sensor fusion.
• Ability to operate in ambiguous technical environments by clarifying scope, interfaces, milestones, risks, and success criteria.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to explain technical trade-offs to technical and non-technical partners.
• Demonstrated ability to drive technical work through planning, implementation, testing, validation, and deployment.
• For senior-level candidates, demonstrated ability to lead complex technical projects, define release or validation criteria, coordinate cross-functional execution, and mentor other engineers.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience deploying autonomy or robotics systems in the field, including deployment rotations, on-call support, safety-critical troubleshooting, or customer-site support.
• Experience with one or more of the following: sensor fusion, safety systems, camera pipelines, ML-based perception, CAN or other vehicle interfaces, calibration workflows, or autonomy validation.
• Experience defining release gates, validation metrics, or production-readiness criteria for safety-critical robotics or autonomy systems.
• Experience managing technical triage for distributed robots, vehicles, or fielded systems.
• Familiarity with robotics development infrastructure such as Linux, Git, CI/CD, simulation, test harnesses, or automated validation pipelines.

Benefits Summary (USA Full-Time Exempt Employees)

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, and Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account / Health Savings Account Options
• 401(k)
• Equity
• Sick Time, Unlimited Flexible Time Off, and Paid Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• Pre-Tax Commuter Benefit Plan
• Team lunch in our SoMa office every Tuesday and Thursday

Benefits are subject to change at the company's discretion.

Salary

The base salary range for this role is $182,000 - $230,000 per year.

Actual compensation will be determined on an individual basis and may vary depending on experience, skills, and qualifications.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package. You may also be eligible for equity awards and an annual performance-based bonus.

What else you need to know

This role is based in our San Francisco office location. As a company driven by innovation and continuous change, close collaboration is essential. We’re constantly reimagining our industry, creating new products, and refining our processes, and we do our best work together. That’s why all of our office-based teams work onsite, five days a week.