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 commissioning in industrial environments. WHAT YOU'LL DO - Own and evolve the core robotics software stack for an industrial robotic work cell - Develop and optimize motion planning, trajectory generation, and real-time 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 production environments - Drive architecture decisions and establish engineering best practices across the team WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR Must-haves (dealbreakers): - 5+ years of hands-on robotics experience in industrial automation, including work with industrial robotic arms - Proficiency in C++ and Python for robotics software development - Hands-on experience with ROS 2 for robot software development and integration - Hands-on experience with industrial robot arms (e.g., KUKA, ABB, Fanuc, UR) in real production environments - Experience with industrial communication protocols EtherCAT and OPC-UA - Experience integrating perception systems into real-time control loops - Ability to design and validate industrial safety concepts and fail-safe behaviors - Proficiency with CAD tools such as SolidWorks and/or CATIA - Able and willing to work fully on-site in Munich, Germany (relocation required if not local; no visa sponsorship available) Nice to have: - Background in surface finishing, welding, or coating within manufacturing environments - German language skills - Experience thriving in a startup environment with high ownership and cross-functional collaboration COMPENSATION & BENEFITS - Competitive cash compensation (estimated €75,000–€110,000 annually, to be confirmed) - Meaningful equity participation - High-ownership, early-team role with significant influence over technical direction LOCATION Munich, Germany — fully on-site. Remote work is not available for this role. No visa sponsorship is provided; candidates must already hold the right to work in Germany or the EU.