Senior Robotics Engineer, Production

Senra Systems•Cypress, CA

6d•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 robotic automation for high-mix assembly. This hands-on senior role involves building cells for real production lines, using classical methods where they work and learning-based approaches where needed. Proven cells are handed off to the industrial engineering team to operate and scale, while the engineer continues to own the software that runs them. The role reports to Senra’s cofounder and Head of AI & Robotics and works closely with other senior engineers, including the Senior Robotics Engineer, Robot Learning. The robotics engineer integrates learned skills, perception and grasping models into production cells and returns production data and failure cases to support further training. The position also contributes to the program’s technical direction, project scoping, engineering standards, and team growth. This is an onsite position based at the Cypress, California facility, with regular time at the Redondo Beach, California facility. Compensation is $180,000–$220,000, depending on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors; the offer includes meaningful equity and is weighted toward equity for early hires building the program.

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.
Demonstrated ability to move quickly through rapid prototyping, testing on real hardware, and iteration 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, 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, getting them built, and iterating quickly.
Ability to take ownership of a technical area end to end, partner 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 introducing automation onto an operating 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

Design, rapidly prototype, and deploy robotic production cells that take over one or more operations and have clear inputs and outputs.
Hand off proven cells to the industrial engineering team while continuing to own the software, firmware, and data that run them.
Develop system architectures integrating hardware, motion planning, controls, sensing, and perception into reliable, maintainable cells.
Build and roll out production-line capabilities such as perception, inspection, and machine tending.
Integrate learned skills and models from robot-learning work into cells, and send production data and failure cases back to support training.
Develop repeatable cell designs and roll them out across lines and facilities, working with integrators where useful.
Integrate cells with Senra’s in-house factory software so cells and the factory can share work and data in real time.
Design fixtures, grippers, end effectors, and tooling.
Scope automation projects and develop technical and business cases for them.
Establish engineering standards and best practices, and evaluate vendors, partners, and 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 and identify future cells and capabilities.