Senior Robotic Systems Engineer

About the Role

This is a foundational senior engineering hire at an early-stage industrial robotics startup based in Munich, Germany . The company is building a fully flexible, intelligent robotic work cell designed for the hardest manual industrial tasks — surface finishing, welding, and coating . You will own the core robotics software stack end-to-end, from motion planning and control through to real-world deployment on the shop floor.

This is a high-ownership, high-impact role for someone who thrives on real hardware, moves fast, and wants to shape the technical direction of a small, ambitious team pushing the boundaries of industrial automation.

What You'll Do

• Own and evolve the core robotics software stack of an industrial robotic work cell.
• Develop and optimize motion planning, trajectory generation, and robot control algorithms.
• Integrate perception systems — cameras, force/torque sensors, LiDAR — into real-time control loops.
• Design, implement, and validate industrial safety concepts and fail-safe behaviors.
• Lead on-site testing, calibration, and commissioning of robotic work cells in industrial environments.
• Drive architecture decisions and establish engineering best practices across the team.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with mechanical, electrical, and process engineers.

What We're Looking For

Must-haves (dealbreakers):

• 5+ years of hands-on robotics experience in industrial automation, including direct work with industrial robotic arms.
• Strong proficiency in C++ and Python for robotics software development.
• Solid experience with ROS 2 for robot software development and system integration.
• Ability and willingness to work on-site in Munich, Germany (relocation required if not already local; no visa sponsorship available).

Required skills & experience:

• Hands-on experience with industrial robot arms (e.g., KUKA, ABB, Fanuc, Universal Robots) in real production environments.
• Proficiency with CAD tools such as SolidWorks and/or CATIA for mechanical understanding and integration.
• Experience with industrial communication protocols: EtherCAT and OPC-UA .
• Proven ability to integrate perception systems into real-time control loops.
• Experience designing and validating industrial safety concepts and fail-safe behaviors.
• Track record of on-site commissioning and calibration of robotic systems.
• Background in surface finishing, welding, or coating within manufacturing environments.

Nice to have:

• German language skills (not required — English is the working language).
• Startup experience: strong independent ownership, comfort with ambiguity, cross-functional collaboration.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: €75,000 – €110,000 per year (depending on experience)
• Equity participation — meaningful, early-stage equity package.
• Full-time, permanent position.

Location

• Munich, Bavaria, Germany — fully on-site.
• Relocation to Munich is required.
• No visa sponsorship available — candidates must have existing right to work in Germany/EU.