Software Engineer - Dexterous Manipulation Austin, TX

Apptronik; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company designing AI-powered robots such as Apollo to assist in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and home environments. The Software Engineer – Dexterous Manipulation will contribute across simulation, hardware, and systems teams to enable high-DOF, multi-fingered hand manipulation on real robots.

The role emphasizes translating state-of-the-art learning-based control into production-grade software that runs in both simulation and on hardware, with

Qualifications

• Experience with multi-fingered grasping and in-hand manipulation.
• Proficiency in RL for robotic control, incl. imitation learning and diffusion policies.
• Strong Python and C++ for real-time robotics software.
• Hands-on experience validating policies in physics simulators.

Responsibilities

• Implement and tune control algorithms for multi-fingered hands.
• Develop manipulation software with low-latency real-time execution.
• Build and refine sim-to-real pipelines and domain randomization.
• Deploy and debug manipulation on physical robots.

Skills

Dexterous manipulation

Reinforcement learning

Python

C++

Physics simulators

Education

BS/MS/PhD in Robotics, CS, EE

Tools

IsaacSim

MuJoCo

Drake

Job description

Software Engineer - Dexterous Manipulation

Austin, TX

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Our flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is built to collaborate thoughtfully with people, starting with critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond.

We operate at the cutting edge of Applied AI, applying our expertise across the full robotics stack to solve some of society's most important problems. You will join a team dedicated to bringing Apollo to market at scale, tackling the complex challenges like safety, commercialization, and mass production to change the world for the better.

JOB SUMMARY

The Software Engineer – Dexterous Manipulation is a core contributor to our robots' ability to interact with the world with human-like precision. You will implement, tune, and deploy reinforcement learning and related learning-based control for high-DOF, multi-fingered robotic hands - translating state-of-the-art research (reinforcement / imitation learning, teleoperation retargeting) into reliable, production-grade software that runs in both simulation and on physical hardware. Working across simulation, hardware, and systems teams, you will get complex manipulation tasks working robustly on real robots.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Implement and tune control algorithms for multi-fingered hands - grasping, in-hand manipulation, and tactile-feedback integration.
• Develop and maintain manipulation software with low-latency, reliable execution inside the real-time controls stack.
• Build and refine sim-to-real pipelines - hand models, domain randomization, and validation in IsaacSim / MuJoCo / Drake.
• Deploy and debug manipulation capabilities on physical robots; diagnose sensor-noise, latency, and calibration issues.
• Collaborate with hardware and systems engineers, feeding back on hand performance and sensor/actuator requirements.
• Uphold code quality through rigorous testing, documentation, and peer review.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Dexterous manipulation experience: multi-fingered grasping, in-hand manipulation, and high-DOF hand control.
• Reinforcement learning for robotic control—reward design, training, and debugging—ideally applied to dexterous manipulation (imitation learning and diffusion policies a plus).
• Strong Python and working C++ for real-time robotic software.
• Hands-on experience training and validating policies in a physics simulator (IsaacSim, MuJoCo, or Drake).
• Robotics fundamentals: kinematics, dynamics, and Jacobian-based control.
• A track record of getting algorithms working on physical hardware, not simulation alone.
• Nice to have: teleoperation (VR/haptic) and retargeting, tactile-sensing integration, computer vision (6D pose / point clouds), and end-effector bring-up & calibration.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• BS/MS/PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• 3+ years of relevant experience in robotic manipulation or complex motion control (recent PhD graduates considered).
• Evidence of taking complex algorithms from research / simulation to successful deployment on physical hardware.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
• Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
• Hearing and speech to communicate

*This is a direct hire. Please, no outside Agency solicitations.

Apptronik provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

VOLUNTARY SELF-IDENTIFICATION

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Apptronik's Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

As set forth in Apptronik's Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A \"disabled veteran\" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A \"recently separated veteran\" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An \"active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran\" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An \"Armed forces service medal veteran\" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Technology Control Restrictions: As a person in this position will have access to technical data and/or computer software maintained by the Company, which includes export-controlled technical data and/or computer software, successful applicants must be eligible under U.S. export control regulations to access such information.