Senior Robotics Engineer

Mbodi; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Mbodi is seeking a Senior Robotics Engineer to join our core team in New York. You will build the robotics execution layer that turns AI-driven task plans into reliable robot behavior on real hardware.

You'll work across robotics software, controls, hardware, and production deployment, bridging intelligent decision-making with real-time motion execution and feedback control. This hands-on role requires strong Python/C++ skills and startup DNA.

Qualifications

• 3+ years building and deploying robotics software on physical systems.
• Strong Python and C++ skills.
• Strong understanding of feedback control, system dynamics, and real-time robotics.
• Experience with PID, feedforward, state-space control, LQR or MPC is a plus.
• Hands-on hardware integration and fault handling in production environments.

Responsibilities

• Build the robotics execution layer translating AI-driven plans into safe robot actions.
• Develop motion and control systems with real-time feedback and latency compensation.
• Integrate with industrial robot controllers and OEM interfaces.
• Lead system integration with sensors, networking, and safety I/O.
• Own robot bring-up, validation, commissioning, and on-site issue resolution.
• Debug across controls, robotics software, and hardware.

Skills

Robotics systems

Python

C++

Controls fundamentals

ROS2

Industrial robot interfaces

Hardware commissioning

Education

Advanced degree in Robotics, Controls, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Computer Science

Tools

ROS2

Job description

About Mbodi

Join Mbodi AI (YC X25), an AI robotics startup founded by two former Googlers committed to pushing the boundaries of physical intelligence. Mbodi is an embodied AI platform that makes robots learn and operate like humans. Anyone can teach robots new skills by talking to them - and execute those skills reliably in production within minutes.

We are pioneering the next wave of robotics, where AI agents meet physical-world applications. Backed by top investors and working with global industrial partners such as ABB, we’re redefining what’s possible in robotics and automation.

Role Overview

We’re looking for a Senior Robotics Engineer to join our core team.

You will build the robotics execution layer that turns AI-driven task plans and high-level intent into reliable, precise robot behavior on real hardware. Working at the intersection of AI agents and robotics, you'll bridge intelligent decision-making with real-time motion execution, feedback control, and physical-world constraints.

This spans motion execution, feedback control, OEM robot interfaces, hardware integration, calibration, and production deployment.

This is a hands-on role for someone comfortable working across robotics software, controls, hardware, and real-world system debugging.

What You’ll Do

• AI-to-Robot Execution: Build the execution layer connecting AI agents and perception systems to physical robots, translating high-level task decisions into safe, reliable robot actions with real-time feedback and error recovery.
• Motion & Control: Build and improve robot motion and feedback systems, including trajectory execution, feedback control, latency compensation, and real-time corrections.
• System Performance: Diagnose and improve tracking error, oscillation, latency, stability, motion quality, and robustness using strong first-principles intuition.
• OEM Robot Integration: Build motion execution around industrial robot controllers, accounting for joint limits, calibration, timing, motion constraints, and fault handling.
• Lead System Integration: Integrate our platform with industrial robots, sensors, network interfaces, safety I/O, and other hardware.
• Deploy and Commission: Own robot bring-up, validation, commissioning, and on-site issue resolution in production environments.
• Full-Stack Debugging: Debug failures across controls, robotics software, networking, calibration, and hardware.

What We’re Looking For

• Robotics Systems Expertise: 3+ years building and deploying robotics software on physical systems, with strong Python and C++ skills.
• Controls Fundamentals: Strong understanding of feedback control, system dynamics, stability, trajectory tracking, and real-time robotic systems. Experience with techniques such as PID, feedforward, state-space control, LQR, or MPC is a plus.
• Strong Systems Intuition: Ability to reason about robot behavior across software, controls, timing, calibration, and hardware.
• Hardware & Commissioning Experience: Hands-on experience integrating, tuning, and commissioning robotic systems in real-world environments.
• Startup DNA: High agency, strong bias toward action, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, execution-focused environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience programming or interfacing with industrial robots such as ABB, FANUC, KUKA, or UR.
• Strong experience building production-grade robotics systems in ROS2.
• Experience integrating AI-based perception, learned policies, or high-level task planning systems with robot motion and control.
• Advanced degree in Robotics, Controls, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.