Icarus Robotics is building the robotic workforce for space industrialization. We're developing dexterous robots to automate routine tasks inside space stations, dramatically reducing operational costs and unlocking the $130,000/hr astronaut labor bottleneck.
Backed by a $6.1 million seed round led by top-tier investors in deep tech and space, we're rapidly expanding our team and accelerating our development timeline. Our engineers work directly with NASA and collaborate with some of the largest aerospace companies on next-generation space technologies. We've secured partnerships with commercial LEO destination companies who will host our robots on future space stations, creating a clear path to orbit for our technology. We're now preparing for our first ISS test mission, JOYRIDE-1; a key proving ground for full orbital deployment.
We believe in an industrialized low-Earth orbit this decade and we’re making it happen.
Position OverviewAs a robotics engineer, you’ll help take our robots from prototype to zero-gravity testing and orbital deployment. You’ll shape our systems and culture as one of the earliest technical hires.
You will put a robot in space.
What You’ll DoBuild and integrate software and hardware systems for teleoperated, free-flying robots.
Implement motion planning and grasping algorithms for dexterous manipulation in space.
Develop ROS/2 packages for sensors (cameras, depth, IMUs, tactile) and robotic arms.
Build high-fidelity simulations (Isaac Sim, Gazebo, etc.) to test teleoperation and perception pipelines.
Rapidly evaluate sensing and actuation hardware to guide design trade-offs.
Collaborate with NASA and commercial space partners to prepare systems for orbital deployment.
Degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
Strong programming skills in Python and experience with ROS/2.
Proficiency integrating robotic systems (arms, sensors, embedded computers).
Familiarity with sensor fusion (IMUs, cameras, depth sensors).
Comfortable working in Linux and with platforms like Jetson or Raspberry Pi.
Experience with motion planning and grasping in real-world robotic systems.
Skilled at debugging complex, hardware-in-the-loop systems.
Proficiency in C++.
Hands-on experience deploying robots or drones in the real world.
Familiarity with simulation tools (Isaac Sim, Gazebo, MuJoCo, PyBullet)
Experience building intuitive teleoperation or HRI interfaces (VR, AR, pose estimation).
Exposure to computer vision tasks (object detection, pose estimation, fiducials).
Experience mentoring or leading in technical environment.
What We Offer
Equity as a founding team member.
Competitive salary: $120,000 - $200,000 depending on experience.
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
Access to cutting-edge tools and the autonomy to move fast.
A foundational role in shaping the future of in-space robotics and orbital manufacturing.
Collaboration with top-tier investors, NASA teams, and commercial space leaders.
Skills Required
- Degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
- Strong programming skills in Python and experience with ROS/2
- Proficiency integrating robotic systems (arms, sensors, embedded computers)
- Familiarity with sensor fusion (IMUs, cameras, depth sensors)
- Comfortable working in Linux and with platforms like Jetson or Raspberry Pi
- Experience with motion planning and grasping in real-world robotic systems
- Skilled at debugging complex, hardware-in-the-loop systems
What We Do
Icarus Robotics is building the robotic labor force for space, utilizing embodied AI to develop general-purpose robotic systems for space operations and to industrialize low Earth orbit.
