Robotics Engineer Jobs in San Francisco, CA
Robotics Engineer jobs in San Francisco are in strong demand, concentrated in SoMa, Mission Bay, and the Dogpatch across autonomous vehicles, medical robotics, and industrial automation. Employers hiring right now include Amazon, OpenAI, and Skild AI. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 36+ Robotics Engineer jobs
Position Overview
We are seeking a Lead Software Engineer to join a team of 12 engineers developing a 6-DOF robotic arm mounted on a mobile robotic platform. This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy solving complex systems problems across software, robotics, firmware, networking, and infrastructure.
You will own critical systems end-to-end, build production-grade Rust services, and develop the software that enables robots to operate reliably in real-world environments.
Responsibilities
- Design, develop, and maintain core Rust services powering robotic systems.
- Build and optimize inverse kinematics solvers and real-time control systems.
- Develop and enhance teleoperation platforms using VR-based controllers.
- Create scalable infrastructure for robot fleet management and data collection.
- Integrate cameras, sensors, and hardware components across the robotics stack.
- Collaborate with firmware and mechanical engineering teams.
- Improve system reliability, performance, and deployment readiness for production environments.
- Solve cross-functional challenges involving ROS2, networking, streaming systems, and hardware interfaces.
Required Qualifications
- 3+ years of professional software engineering experience.
- Strong experience developing production systems in Rust or another systems programming language.
- Experience with Linux-based systems and networking fundamentals.
- Knowledge of real-time systems, distributed systems, or streaming architectures.
- Familiarity with hardware communication protocols such as UART, CAN, I2C, or EtherCAT.
- BS/MS in Computer Science, Robotics, Engineering, or a related field.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in robotics, autonomous vehicles, or hardware-focused software environments.
- Hands-on experience with ROS2.
- Knowledge of 6-DOF robotic arms, teleoperation systems, or inverse kinematics.
- Experience building backend systems for robotics or real-time applications.
- Startup experience with ownership of systems from design through deployment.
Technology Stack
- Rust
- Axum
- Tokio
- ROS2
- FlatBuffers
- WebTransport
- MoQ
- GStreamer
- Linux
- UART
- I2C
- CAN
- EtherCAT
Ideal Background
Candidates from robotics, autonomous vehicle, industrial automation, defense robotics, or hardware-focused software companies such as Waymo, Cruise, Boston Dynamics, Skydio, Aurora, Nuro, Figure, Agility Robotics, or similar organizations.
Pay: $160,000.00 - $250,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
Position Overview
We are seeking a Lead Software Engineer to join a team of 12 engineers developing a 6-DOF robotic arm mounted on a mobile robotic platform. This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy solving complex systems problems across software, robotics, firmware, networking, and infrastructure.
You will own critical systems end-to-end, build production-grade Rust services, and develop the software that enables robots to operate reliably in real-world environments.
Responsibilities
- Design, develop, and maintain core Rust services powering robotic systems.
- Build and optimize inverse kinematics solvers and real-time control systems.
- Develop and enhance teleoperation platforms using VR-based controllers.
- Create scalable infrastructure for robot fleet management and data collection.
- Integrate cameras, sensors, and hardware components across the robotics stack.
- Collaborate with firmware and mechanical engineering teams.
- Improve system reliability, performance, and deployment readiness for production environments.
- Solve cross-functional challenges involving ROS2, networking, streaming systems, and hardware interfaces.
Required Qualifications
- 3+ years of professional software engineering experience.
- Strong experience developing production systems in Rust or another systems programming language.
- Experience with Linux-based systems and networking fundamentals.
- Knowledge of real-time systems, distributed systems, or streaming architectures.
- Familiarity with hardware communication protocols such as UART, CAN, I2C, or EtherCAT.
- BS/MS in Computer Science, Robotics, Engineering, or a related field.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in robotics, autonomous vehicles, or hardware-focused software environments.
- Hands-on experience with ROS2.
- Knowledge of 6-DOF robotic arms, teleoperation systems, or inverse kinematics.
- Experience building backend systems for robotics or real-time applications.
- Startup experience with ownership of systems from design through deployment.
Technology Stack
- Rust
- Axum
- Tokio
- ROS2
- FlatBuffers
- WebTransport
- MoQ
- GStreamer
- Linux
- UART
- I2C
- CAN
- EtherCAT
Ideal Background
Candidates from robotics, autonomous vehicle, industrial automation, defense robotics, or hardware-focused software companies such as Waymo, Cruise, Boston Dynamics, Skydio, Aurora, Nuro, Figure, Agility Robotics, or similar organizations.
Pay: $160,000.00 - $250,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
See All 36 Robotics Engineer Jobs in San Francisco
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Find Robotics Engineer JobsRobotics Engineer Job Market in San Francisco
Who's Hiring
- Amazon7
- OpenAI6
- Skild AI3
- Nimble2
- DoorDash2
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software14
- Science & Research11
- E-Commerce & Online Marketplaces8
- Retail7
- Artificial Intelligence5
Robotics Engineer Jobs in San Francisco: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a robotics engineer job in San Francisco?
Focus on San Francisco's dominant hiring sectors: autonomous vehicle development in SoMa, surgical and medical robotics in Mission Bay, and hardware automation startups in the Dogpatch. Employers here prioritize hands-on ROS experience, embedded systems skills, and a portfolio of deployed projects. Attending local robotics meetups and connecting with early-stage hardware companies gives candidates a meaningful edge over applicants applying cold.
Which companies hire robotics engineers in San Francisco?
Companies currently hiring robotics engineers in San Francisco include Amazon, OpenAI, and Skild AI, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. San Francisco's employer mix skews toward venture-backed hardware startups, medical device firms, and the Bay Area offices of major autonomous systems companies.
Are there remote robotics engineer jobs in San Francisco?
Yes, though remote work is limited for robotics engineers since most roles require hands-on lab or field work. About 12% of robotics engineer openings tied to San Francisco are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, with remote options concentrated in software-heavy areas like motion planning, simulation, and robotics software infrastructure rather than hardware build or test roles.
How can I get a robotics engineer job in San Francisco with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in San Francisco is targeting robotics technician or associate automation engineer roles at mid-stage hardware startups in SoMa and the Dogpatch, where smaller teams often bring on junior talent who can grow quickly. Internships at medical robotics firms in Mission Bay and contract test roles at autonomous vehicle programs are also common first steps. A strong GitHub portfolio with ROS projects and evidence of real hardware work consistently opens doors with local hiring managers.
Which industries hire the most robotics engineers in San Francisco?
San Francisco robotics engineer roles concentrate in Technology & Software, Science & Research, and E-Commerce & Online Marketplaces, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. San Francisco's dense cluster of life sciences campuses in Mission Bay, autonomous vehicle programs in SoMa, and industrial automation startups in the Dogpatch make those sectors the city's primary drivers of local robotics hiring.
Related Jobs in California
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