Strategic Account Manager - AI, Robotics, & Emerging Technologies

Socket.dev; Union (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Program

Life Insurance

Disability Plans

Tuition Reimbursement

Wellness Program

Flexible Spending Accounts

Employee Assistance Program

Generous Holiday & Vacation Program

Job summary

FANUC America in the San Francisco Bay Area seeks a strategic sales leader to drive engagement with robotics startups, AI innovators, and venture-backed technology firms across North America. You will develop growth initiatives, build executive relationships, and articulate FANUC's robotics platform across AI and autonomous systems, influencing product strategy and market adoption.

This role requires five years in capital equipment sales, C-suite selling experience, and a strong grasp of

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration or related field; or equivalent relevant experience.
• Minimum five years of capital equipment sales with proven selling and negotiation skills, experience developing strategic account plans
• Experience in the robotics and/or automation industry
• Minimum three years of selling experience at the c-suite level of an organization with established contacts within select markets and industry verticals
• A strong understanding of end-to-end Physical AI system that combines perception, reasoning, and autonomous action
• Must have or be able to obtain a valid driver’s license

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic growth initiatives targeting robotics startups and AI firms.
• Build and maintain relationships with founders, CTOs, robotics architects, AI researchers, and venture investors.
• Identify opportunities to expand adoption of FANUC technologies through software-first and AI-driven projects.
• Collaborate with engineering, product management, and technical teams to communicate market trends and customer requirements.
• Represent FANUC at robotics, AI, automation, and startup ecosystem events.
• Conduct quarterly business reviews with key customer stakeholders and visit customer sites to strengthen relationships.

Skills

Capital equipment sales

Negotiation skills

Strategic account planning

C-suite selling

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Job description

Who You Are

Join FANUC America at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Industrial Robotics. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, this strategic sales role will lead FANUC's engagement with the rapidly growing ecosystem of robotics startups, AI innovators, and venture-backed technology companies developing the next generation of intelligent automation solutions. This is a unique opportunity to influence how Physical AI, ROS2, autonomous robotics, digital twins, and advanced software platforms are deployed across FANUC's global installed base of industrial and collaborative robots.

How It’s Done

• Develop and execute strategic growth initiatives targeting robotics startups, AI companies, venture-backed technology firms, research institutions, and innovation ecosystems throughout Northern California and North America, positioning FANUC as the preferred robotics platform for advanced applications in artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomous systems, physical AI, simulation, and robotic software
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with founders, CTOs, robotics architects, AI researchers, engineering executives, venture investors, universities, robotics laboratories, startup accelerators, incubators, and innovation centers to influence automation technology adoption and identify emerging business opportunities
• Identify opportunities to expand adoption of FANUC robot and controller technologies by supporting software-first and AI-driven application development, including integration with ROS2 frameworks, AI inference engines, cloud platforms, edge computing architectures, and advanced robotic software environments
• Collaborate closely with FANUC engineering, product management, and technical teams to communicate emerging market trends, customer requirements, software integration needs, and next-generation technology opportunities that influence future product development and market strategy
• Represent FANUC at robotics, AI, automation, and startup ecosystem events, including technical conferences, industry forums, venture capital events, developer communities, and innovation programs, serving as a thought leader and ambassador for FANUC technologies
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive understanding of target industries, accounts, and senior leadership by:
  • Researching market trends, regulatory and economic factors, and value/supply chains
  • Analyzing customer business models, operations, financial performance, strategic objectives, and competitive landscape, including FAC, FANUC, and partner presence
  • Evaluating executive roles, priorities, and backgrounds to enable informed, credible, and highly personalized engagement at the C-suite level
• Determine best engagement strategies for current and prospective clients
• Develop strategies and action plans to improve overall customer satisfaction
• Develop, implement, and actively maintain comprehensive key account strategic plans
• Drive sales strategy
• Assess competitive threats and market dynamics and develop strategies to strengthen FAC's position within assigned accounts
• Insight development identifying both short-term opportunities and long-term strategic initiatives
• Executive-level relationship development
• Coordinate facility automation audits with the appropriate FAC execution teams and/or ASI partners to identify operational challenges and potential automation opportunities
• Identify and facilitate engagement with appropriate ASI partners and monitor the progress of ASI and end-user relationships throughout the sales cycle
• Conduct quarterly or semiannual business reviews with key customer stakeholders to review open issues, ongoing projects, support requirements, emerging opportunities, and account performance
• Regularly visit customer sites within assigned accounts and territory to strengthen relationships, support strategic initiatives, and identify new business opportunities

What You Need

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration or related field; or equivalent relevant experience
• Minimum five years of capital equipment sales with proven selling and negotiation skills, experience developing strategic account plans
• Experience in the robotics and/or automation industry
• Minimum three years of selling experience at the c-suite level of an organization with established contacts within select markets and industry verticals
• A strong understanding of end-to-end Physical AI system that combines perception, reasoning, and autonomous action
• Must have or be able to obtain a valid driver’s license

What Would Be Even Better

• Master’s Degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or related field
• Extensive knowledge of manufacturing processes
• 5+ years of experience in the robotics and/or automation industry with working knowledge of FANUC products
• Experience working with robotics startups, AI companies, autonomous systems developers, or industrial software providers
• Understanding of robotics software architectures, ROS2, industrial communication protocols, edge computing, and AI-enabled automation technologies
• Experience with Isaac Sim, generative AI, reinforcement learning, and industrial robotics
• Familiarity with software-centric business models including SaaS, robotics-as-a-service (RaaS), platform ecosystems, and developer enablement programs
• Experience developing strategic partnerships within startup, venture capital, university, or technology innovation ecosystems
• Knowledge of machine learning, computer vision, foundation models, large language models, physical AI, or autonomous robotics technologies applied to industrial environments

It’s Your Move

Joining FANUC means becoming part of a team that values your unique perspective and encourages continuous learning and collaboration. We foster a culture where respect and innovation go hand in hand, and where your contributions help shape the future of automation and robotics.

We offer market competitive pay and benefits programs, as well as opportunities for advancement, knowledge and skill development, and recognition of individual achievements. In addition, we offer the following benefits to our employees:

• Medical, Dental& Vision Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Program
• Life Insurance
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Plans
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Wellness Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Benefit Dollars
• Generous Holiday & Vacation Program

Sponsorship will not be provided for this position

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disabled and veterans