Senior Robotic Systems Engineer
About the Role
This is a foundational senior engineering hire at an ambitious early-stage robotics startup in Munich. You will own the core robotics software stack for a fully flexible, intelligent industrial robotic work cell designed to automate some of the most demanding manual tasks in industry - surface finishing, welding, and coating. This is a high-ownership, high-impact role where you will shape architecture decisions and drive the system from prototype to real-world production deployment.
This role is on-site in Munich. Candidates must already be eligible to work in Germany - no visa sponsorship is available.
What You'll Do
Own the core robotics software stack of the industrial robotic work cell end-to-end
Develop and optimize motion planning, trajectory generation, and robot control algorithms
Integrate perception systems - cameras, force/torque sensors, LiDAR - into real-time control loops
Implement industrial safety concepts and fail-safe behaviors to production standards
Lead on-site testing, calibration, and commissioning of the physical system
Drive software architecture decisions and establish engineering best practices for the team
What We're Looking For
Required:
5+ years of hands-on experience in robotics engineering, including real-world production or industrial environments (not simulation-only)
Proven experience with motion planning and trajectory generation for industrial robot arms (e.g. KUKA, ABB, Fanuc, Universal Robots)
Strong proficiency in C++ and/or Python
Experience with ROS 2 for robot software development
Hands-on integration of perception hardware: force/torque sensors, cameras, and/or LiDAR into closed-loop control
Familiarity with 3D CAD tools such as SolidWorks or CATIA
Knowledge of industrial communication protocols (e.g. EtherCAT, OPC-UA)
Currently based in Munich or willing to relocate - this role is on-site only
Nice to Have:
Background in surface finishing, welding, or industrial coating applications
Experience with kinematics, dynamics, and advanced control theory
German language skills (not required)
Compensation & Benefits
Base salary: 75,000 - 110,000 per year (depending on experience)
Equity participation: Meaningful equity stake - a genuine differentiator at this stage
High ownership and direct influence on product and engineering direction
Small, focused team pushing the frontier of industrial robotics
Location
Munich, Bavaria, Germany - on-site only. Candidates must already hold the right to work in Germany. No remote or hybrid option is available for this role. German language skills are a plus but not a requirement.
