Senior Robotics Engineer, Production

Senra Systems•Cypress, CA

7d•$180,000 - $220,000•Onsite

About The Position

Senra Systems is hiring a Senior Robotics Engineer to lead the technical implementation of robotics on its production lines as part of the Automation Program. The company manufactures electrical wire harnesses for aerospace and defense customers and is developing automation for high-mix manufacturing. This is a hands-on senior role on a small team, reporting to the Head of AI & Robotics, one of Senra's cofounders. The role partners with senior engineers and the robot-learning team to bring robotic cells and learned capabilities into production, while using production data and failure cases to inform future skills and systems. The engineer will take robotic cells from concept and rapid prototyping through deployment and handoff to the industrial engineering team, while retaining ownership of the software, firmware, and data that run them. The position also involves developing system architectures, designing fixtures and end effectors, integrating cells with factory software, assessing projects and technologies, and helping grow the engineering team. The role is onsite at Senra's Cypress, California facility, with regular time at its Redondo Beach facility.

Requirements

Hands-on experience designing, building, and deploying robotic systems at a robotics company, automation integrator, or manufacturer operating robotics in production, including experience as a technical lead.
A track record of rapid prototyping, testing on real hardware, and iterating toward reliable results.
Experience programming industrial or collaborative robot arms, such as UR, FANUC, ABB, or KUKA, including motion planning, calibration, and safety.
Hands-on experience with perception and controls on real robots, including sensing, machine vision, and closed-loop control.
Hands-on exposure to learning-based robotics, such as imitation learning, robot foundation models, or sim-to-real, through production, research, or personal projects.
Strong Python and C++ skills and fluency with core robotics tools, such as ROS 2, motion-planning and perception libraries, and simulation tools such as MuJoCo or Isaac Sim.
Production software practices, including writing tested code that others can maintain and build on.
Mechanical design skills, including designing fixtures and end effectors in CAD, arranging their fabrication, and iterating quickly.
Ability to take end-to-end ownership of a technical area, work effectively with other senior engineers, and communicate clearly with technicians, engineers, and leadership.
Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, robotics, or computer engineering, or equivalent hands-on experience.
Must meet the U.S. Person requirement under ITAR, or be eligible to obtain the required U.S. Department of State authorizations.

Nice To Haves

Experience shipping learning-based perception or manipulation into production.
Experience bringing automation onto a running production line and handing it off to the team that operates it.
Experience scaling a cell design from one unit to multiple units across lines or sites.
Industrial engineering or process improvement background.
Experience in wire harness, cable assembly, or other high-mix assembly.
Knowledge of machine safety standards such as ISO 10218 or ISO/TS 15066.
Aerospace, defense, or AS9100 manufacturing experience.
Startup or high-growth company experience.
Experience mentoring engineers or helping build a team.

Responsibilities

Develop robotic production-line cells from concept and rapid prototyping through proven deployment, with clear inputs and outputs for each cell.
Hand off proven cells to the industrial engineering team and continue owning the software, firmware, and data that run them.
Design system architectures integrating hardware, motion planning, controls, sensing, and perception into reliable, maintainable cells.
Build and roll out capabilities such as perception, inspection, and machine tending.
Integrate learned skills and models from robot-learning work into production cells, and provide production data and failure cases to support training.
Create repeatable cell designs and roll them out across lines and facilities, working with integrators when useful.
Integrate robotic cells with in-house factory software so the cells and factory share work and data in real time.
Design fixtures, grippers, end effectors, and tooling.
Scope automation projects, including their technical and business cases.
Establish engineering standards and best practices, and evaluate vendors, partners, and new technologies, including learning-based approaches.
Help hire and mentor engineers as the team grows.
Work with the Head of AI & Robotics to shape the technical roadmap.