Robotics Engineer

Hawaii (Initial Assignment) | Long-Term: California or Washington

About the Company

Our client is an innovative, venture-backed technology company developing advanced hardware and autonomous systems for demanding real-world applications. The company combines robotics, mechanical engineering, electronics, and software to develop complex systems that operate in challenging environments.

With a small, highly technical engineering team, the company emphasizes rapid prototyping, hands-on development, and real-world testing. This is an opportunity to join an early-stage organization working on innovative technologies with applications across the defense and advanced technology sectors.

The Role

Our client is seeking a Robotics Engineer to help develop autonomous deployment systems for advanced hardware platforms.

This role spans robotics, mechanical systems, embedded software, electrical integration, sensing, and controls. You will help develop the hardware and autonomy required for a system to deploy itself, navigate to a designated location, secure itself in place, and operate reliably in extreme environments.

The position is highly hands-on and prototype-focused. Rather than developing a complete autonomous vehicle, the focus is on building targeted autonomous capabilities and integrating them into a compact hardware platform. You will own meaningful engineering components from initial prototyping through fabrication, integration, and real-world testing.

This is an opportunity for an early-career engineer with exceptional hands-on robotics experience, particularly someone who has built and competed with robotic systems and wants to transition that experience into real-world technology development.

What You'll Own

• Develop autonomous deployment capabilities that allow hardware systems to reach designated locations with minimal human intervention.

• Design and prototype mechanical systems for controlled movement, stabilization, and positioning.

• Develop guidance and control capabilities using onboard sensing and closed-loop control.

• Design and integrate autonomous mechanisms that allow hardware to secure itself at its intended destination.

• Support the development of mechanical and electrical systems capable of operating reliably under extreme environmental conditions.

• Integrate mechanical, electrical, and embedded software components while working within strict size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints.

• Build, assemble, and debug prototypes using existing components, custom hardware, and rapid fabrication techniques.

• Conduct iterative testing in controlled environments followed by real-world field trials.

• Troubleshoot hardware and system-level failures, analyze test results, and implement design improvements through rapid development cycles.

• Participate directly in field testing and hands-on deployment and recovery operations.

What You'll Need

• New graduate to a few years of professional engineering experience, with a degree in engineering or equivalent hands-on technical experience.

• Exceptional hands-on robotics experience, ideally demonstrated through a standout contribution to a RoboSub team or comparable competition such as MATE ROV, RoboBoat, or other RoboNation events.

• Demonstrated experience designing, building, assembling, and debugging physical robotic hardware that has been tested and operated in water.

• Broad technical understanding across mechanical engineering, electrical systems, embedded software, and controls, with deeper expertise in at least one area.

• Ability to rapidly prototype hardware, integrate existing components, troubleshoot problems, and develop practical engineering solutions.

• Experience taking ownership of technical projects and driving them from initial concept through physical implementation and testing.

• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work through unexpected hardware failures in fast-paced development environments.

• Comfortable working hands-on in a machine shop, laboratory, and outdoor testing environments, including boat-based operations and water testing.

• Willingness to initially work onsite in Hawaii for approximately 6–12 months, potentially longer, before transitioning to a long-term location in California or Washington.

• Eligibility to obtain a U.S. security clearance.

Nice to Have

• Experience as a team captain, subsystem lead, or technical lead on a collegiate robotics or engineering competition team.

• Experience with Robot Operating System (ROS).

• Embedded C or C++ and Python programming experience.

• Background in underwater navigation, sensing, localization, or control systems.

• Experience with CAD, mechanical fabrication, machining, and PCB design.

• Internship or professional experience with marine robotics, defense technology, or advanced hardware development companies.

• Experience developing and testing autonomous or remotely operated robotic systems.

Work Environment

This is a hands-on engineering role within a small, fast-moving technology startup. Engineers are expected to take ownership of real hardware, move quickly through prototype iterations, and contribute across multiple engineering disciplines.

The development process emphasizes rapid experimentation and real-world validation over lengthy design cycles. Candidates should be comfortable working in the shop, getting hands-on with hardware, participating in field testing, and supporting operations in demanding environments.