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. #J-18808-Ljbffr