Staff Systems Engineer - Robot-as-a-Service Platform

Posted 6 Hours Ago
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Austin, TX, USA
Hybrid
Senior level
Computer Vision • Hardware • Machine Learning • Robotics • Software
We build machines that empower humans to live to our fullest potential.
The Role
Lead architecture and systems design for a Robot-as-a-Service edge/cloud platform. Define interfaces, constraints, and contracts between robots, platform, and customer integrations. Drive cross-functional decisions, translate product intent to engineering scope, and ensure reliability across data pipelines, APIs, and security concerns.
Summary Generated by Built In

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 embodied 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

We’re hiring a Senior Systems Engineer to help drive architectural clarity across our Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) platform — the edge and cloud software that connects our humanoid robots to operators, customer systems, and the broader fleet.

This role lives at the interfaces: between the robot and the platform, between the platform and customer integrations, and between product intent and engineering execution. You will focus on systems thinking and broad technical judgment — defining the right architectural constraints, drawing clean interfaces, and surfacing the decisions that most shape the solution so the right architecture can emerge underneath.

You’ll work as part of the engineering team, collaborating across disciplines to provide architectural clarity, shape the direction of the RaaS solution, and ensure the most important decisions are made well and made on time. Strong cross-functional communication is central to the role — much of your impact will come from helping others align around a shared understanding of the system.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

  • Define functional and non-functional requirements for the RaaS platform — including its interfaces to the robot, to customer software, and to operator-facing tools.
  • Specify architectural constraints (latency, availability, security posture, data ownership, failure semantics) without overconstraining the design.
  • Own the contracts at key system boundaries: robot APIs, integration APIs for external software providers, and the core platform behaviors that customers depend on.
  • Drive cross-functional decisions to closure — surface the few high-leverage choices, frame the trade-offs clearly, and keep the team moving.
  • Translate product intent into engineering scope, and engineering reality back into language product and customers can act on.
  • Go deep where it matters — across data pipelines (data collection, inference, fleet management), the robot-facing API surface, or cross-cutting concerns like security — as the platform evolves and the work demands.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

  • A genuine systems-thinking mindset: you reason about emergent behavior, failure modes, and feedback loops, not just components.
  • Strong understanding of distributed software architecture — edge/cloud topologies, service boundaries, asynchronous communication, consistency and availability trade-offs.
  • A track record of working effectively across product, engineering, and program management — translating between them and driving alignment.
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication. You prioritize ruthlessly, write tightly, and know that an unread document is the same as no document.
  • Comfort defining requirements and interfaces at the right level of abstraction — neither hand-wavy nor over-specified.
  • We’re open to candidates coming from either a robotics / industrial automation background or a distributed systems / cloud platforms background. Both paths can succeed in this role.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, Engineering, or related field; master’s degree in computer science or equivalent preferred.
  • 8+ years building production software systems, with significant time spent at the architecture / systems level rather than purely in code.

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

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or related field
  • Master's degree in computer science or equivalent
  • 8+ years building production software systems with significant architecture/systems-level experience
  • Demonstrable systems-thinking mindset (emergent behavior, failure modes, feedback loops)
  • Strong understanding of distributed software architecture (edge/cloud topologies, async communication, consistency/availability trade-offs)
  • Track record of working effectively across product, engineering, and program management to drive alignment
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to define requirements and interfaces at appropriate levels of abstraction
  • Ability to lift 15 pounds

Apptronik Compensation & Benefits Highlights

  • Healthcare Strength Medical insurance through UnitedHealthcare includes multiple plan types with an employer-paid portion, alongside life and disability coverage. These core health benefits are presented as comprehensive for a fast-growing startup.
  • Equity Value & Accessibility Company equity is explicitly included in total rewards, with performance bonuses and relocation assistance also listed. This ownership component adds longer-term upside beyond base pay.
  • Parental & Family Support Generous parental leave, family medical leave, and an onsite mother’s room are highlighted. These provisions indicate tangible support for caregiving needs.

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The Company
HQ: Austin, TX
355 Employees
Year Founded: 2016

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.

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Apptronik Offices

Hybrid Workspace

Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.

Typical time on-site: Not Specified
HQAustin, TX
We're based in North Austin near The Domain, a lively, outdoor shopping area full of shops and restaurants.

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