Product Engineer

Product Engineer

San Francisco || Oakland, CA

Formic is on a mission to reshape American manufacturing by making automation accessible to every factory. As labor constraints rise, costs increase, and global competition intensifies, automation is no longer optional for manufacturers that want to stay competitive.

We deliver automation through a Robotics-as-a-Service model that combines industrial robotics, proprietary software, and full-service support into a single, integrated solution. By removing the traditional barriers of cost, complexity, and risk, we enable manufacturers to deploy automation quickly and realize measurable gains in throughput, safety, and operational efficiency without large upfront capital investment.

Backed by leading investors including Lux Capital, Initialized Capital, Blackhorn Ventures, and Mitsubishi HC Capital North America, Formic is scaling rapidly and building the foundation for a new era of high-performance, Made in America production.

About the Team

The Automation Engineering Team is responsible for delivering robotics-driven automation deployments across a wide range of customer applications. The team partners cross-functionally to translate customer requirements into deployed systems, ensuring solutions are integrated, commissioned, and validated to perform reliably in real manufacturing environments. Automation Engineering works closely with customers, internal technical teams, and external integrators to execute deployments on schedule while maintaining high standards for quality, safety, and repeatability.

About the Role

As a Product Engineer, you will drive fleet-wide reliability, standardization, and system evolution across Formic's deployed robotic automation systems. You will identify recurring field issues, evaluate feature requests, and translate operational feedback into durable, scalable engineering improvements.

This role bridges field performance and product-level design. You will convert real-world system data into validated enhancements, structured documentation, and implementation-ready updates that improve reliability, reduce repeat failures, and strengthen long-term system sustainability.

In This Role You Will

• Identify recurring performance issues across deployed systems and define structured improvement initiatives
• Analyze mechanical, electrical, controls, and safety data to develop validated engineering enhancements
• Design scalable solutions that improve reliability, performance, and maintainability
• Develop implementation-ready documentation, drawings, and hardware packages for field deployment
• Lead enhancement projects from definition through validation and rollout
• Partner closely with Field Service and Customer Success to ensure alignment and long-term adoption
• Standardize improvements to prevent one-off fixes and reduce fleet variability
• Collect and structure engineering data to inform product evolution
• Support new product initiatives by incorporating field-driven insights into system design

What Makes You a Great Fit

• Hands-on experience building, commissioning, or supporting automated systems
• Strong background in industrial robotics and automation integration
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics
• Solid understanding of automation design principles
• Working knowledge of mechanical systems, pneumatics, motion components, PLCs, and safety systems
• Comfort navigating CAD in 2D and 3D environments
• Understanding of manufacturing and production environments
• Strong organizational and project leadership skills
• Proven ability to translate structured engineering data into scalable product improvements

Our Total Rewards: At Formic, we believe people do their best work when they feel supported both professionally and personally. That's why we offer a comprehensive benefits and perks package for full-time, U.S.-based team members, including:

• Equity in Formic: Participate in our stock option program and share in the success of a fast-growing start-up backed by leading global investors
• Competitive & Uncapped Commission Structure: Designed to reward performance and impact in commission-eligible roles
• Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield and Unum, with 99% of employee premiums covered and 75% coverage for dependents, with optional buy-up plans available
• Additional Insurance Benefits: FSA and DCFSA, life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability through Unum, all 100% employer-paid
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Fully funded by Formic, offering support when you need it most
• Paid Parental Leave Program: Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• Company-sponsored 401(k): Invest in your future with our company-facilitated retirement savings plan
• Home Office Stipend: A one-time allowance for fully remote and hybrid employees to support an at-home or on-the-road work setup
• Monthly Cell Phone Reimbursement: Monthly stipend toward personal phone and internet expenses
• Flexible Time Off: Take the time you need, when you need it, supported by our flexible PTO policy

Compensation Range: $105,000 - $165,000 USD

What We Look For

We're building this company from the ground up, and every person we hire has an outsized impact on our culture, performance, and trajectory. While each team member brings unique strengths and perspectives, we look for people who align with our Operating Principles and embody them in action. If this sounds like you, Formic may be the right place for you!

• Fearless Optimism: You make bold bets and default optimistic. You believe in the mission, aren't paralyzed by risk, and fear inaction more than failure. You see ambiguity as opportunity and bring energy to building what doesn't yet exist.
• Create the Magic: You absorb complexity so customers don't have to. Whether your customer is external or internal, you focus on delivering experiences that are clear, fast, value-added, and outcome-driven. You don't say "not my job." You make things work.
• Today, Not Tomorrow: You have a bias to action. You close the loop. You take extreme ownership. You understand that speed compounds, and you don't confuse activity with results.
• Seek Truth: You think from first principles. You value data over ego and strong opinions loosely held. You're willing to challenge assumptions, including your own, in pursuit of the best answer.
• Made of Rubber: You are resolute and adaptable. When things break or priorities shift, you rebound stronger. You treat setbacks as learning moments and move forward with grit.
• One Formic: You operate without silos. You practice radical helpfulness, document clearly, and make clean handoffs. You assume positive intent and prioritize team success over individual credit.

Equal Opportunity Employment: Formic is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, family or parental status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. All employment decisions are based on a person's merit, business needs, and role requirements. If you require further accommodations or have questions regarding accessibility of our roles, please reach out to View email address on click.appcast.io.

AI Use: At Formic, fairness and transparency are at the heart of our hiring process. We use AI-powered tools in some interviews to help our teams evaluate candidate responses, but all final hiring decisions are made by humans. You can learn more about how AI is used in our recruitment process by reviewing our AI Hiring Disclosure linked here.