Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Our flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is built to collaborate thoughtfully with people, starting with critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond.
We operate at the cutting edge of Applied AI, applying our expertise across the full robotics stack to solve some of society's most important problems. You will join a team dedicated to bringing Apollo to market at scale, tackling the complex challenges like safety, commercialization, and mass production to change the world for the better.
JOB SUMMARY
Apptronik is building robots for the real world — to improve human quality of life and help solve the ever-increasing labor shortage. As a Staff Software Engineer – Humanoid Controls, you will be a senior technical force multiplier on our Motion Control & Planning team — the person who raises the quality of our robotics stack and moves to wherever the hardest problem is. Your scope spans whole-body control for our wheeled-base platform and our biped, learning-based hand control, mobile manipulation, and teleoperation — translating state-of-the-art controls and learning into real capability while setting technical direction for the team.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Raise the quality of the overall controls stack — architecture, algorithms, real-time performance, testing, and long-term maintainability.
- Advance whole-body control across our platforms — the wheeled-base robot and the biped — coordinating the base or legs with upper-body manipulation.
- Flex across the stack to the highest-impact problems — e.g. learning-based hand control (RL in simulation), mobile manipulation, teleoperation, and estimation.
- Translate state-of-the-art model-based and learning-based methods into robust capability, from simulation through hardware bring-up and deployment.
- Expand the robot's performance envelope — speed, payload, reliability, and safety — with measurable, defensible improvements.
- Set technical direction across the controls stack, influencing the roadmap and bringing adjacent teams (locomotion, manipulation, teleoperation, RL, estimation) along.
- Mentor engineers and multiply team capability through design reviews, code reviews, and best practices.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with hardware, systems, and RL teams to co-develop solutions and diagnose system-level issues.
SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS
- Deep robotics fundamentals: kinematics, dynamics, state estimation, and optimization/control theory.
- Proven expertise in whole-body control (WBC/OSC, QP-based control, or MPC) for floating-base (legged) or mobile (wheeled) systems.
- Hands-on experience with learning-based control / reinforcement learning applied to robotics (training in simulation).
- Breadth across robot control problems — mobile manipulation, dexterity / hand control, and teleoperation — and the versatility to move between them.
- Strong software engineering: real-time C++ and Python for robotic systems.
- Industry experience developing production-grade controllers, including hands-on experience validating or deploying algorithms on physical robot hardware.
- Preferred: shipping controllers to a production fleet or to market at scale; dexterous / in-hand manipulation; legged locomotion; or safety-critical / certified software (ISO 13849, 10218, IEC 61508).
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
- MS or PhD in Robotics, CS, EE, ME, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
- 8+ years of relevant industry experience (or 4+ with a PhD) in robot controls, with a track record of getting controllers working on physical hardware.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
- Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
- Hearing and speech to communicate
*This is a direct hire. Please, no outside Agency solicitations.
Apptronik provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Skills Required
- Deep robotics fundamentals: kinematics, dynamics, state estimation, optimization/control theory.
- Proven expertise in whole-body control (WBC/OSC, QP-based control, or MPC) for floating-base or mobile systems.
- Hands-on experience with learning-based control / reinforcement learning applied to robotics (training in simulation).
- Breadth across robot control problems: mobile manipulation, dexterity/hand control, and teleoperation.
- Strong software engineering with real-time C++ and Python for robotic systems.
- Industry experience developing production-grade controllers and deploying/validating algorithms on physical robot hardware.
- MS or PhD in Robotics, CS, EE, ME, or related field (or equivalent experience).
- 8+ years of relevant industry experience (or 4+ with a PhD) in robot controls.
- Shipping controllers to production fleet/market at scale; dexterous/in-hand manipulation; legged locomotion; safety-critical/certified software (ISO 13849, 10218, IEC 61508).
Apptronik Compensation & Benefits Highlights
-
Healthcare Strength — Medical coverage is described as broad, with UnitedHealthcare plan choices (HDHP, PPO, HMO) and an employer-paid portion of premiums, alongside FSA and mental health benefits. This scope points to solid core medical support for employees.
-
Parental & Family Support — Parental leave, family medical leave, and an onsite Mother’s Room are highlighted, with additional family-oriented events noted. These offerings indicate meaningful support for caregivers and families.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Flexible or open PTO is paired with paid holidays and sick days, and a hybrid setup enables at least two remote days per week where roles allow. Together, these policies signal ample time-off mechanisms and schedule flexibility.
Apptronik Insights
What We Do
Apptronik is building robots for the real world to improve human quality of life and to help solve the ever-increasing labor shortage problem. Our team has been building some of the most advanced robots on the planet for years, dating back to the DARPA Robotics Challenge. We apply our expertise across the full robotics stack to some of the most important and impactful problems our society faces, and expect our products and technology to change the world for the better. We value passion, creativity, and collaboration to help us overcome existing technological barriers in the industry to create truly innovative products.
Why Work With Us
At Apptronik, we don't see a future where man competes against machine. Instead, we envision a harmonious world where man and machine coexist. Our mission statement, "It is not Man vs. Machine, but Man + Machine," encapsulates our belief that the synergy between humans and robots will pave the way for a brighter, more advanced future.
Gallery
Apptronik Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
