Principal Robotic Systems Engineer, Pickle Robot
3+ days a week in office (Cambridge, MA)
Package handling robots
Be an early applicant
Package handling robots
21-100 employees
Be an early applicant
3+ days a week in office (Cambridge, MA)
21-100 employees
Company mission
To create robots that work alongside people in the very messy world of the loading dock, reducing the backbreaking human effort that goes into getting online orders to the door.
Role
Who you are
- This role is ideal for someone with deep experience in robotics systems design, who can balance technical vision with pragmatic execution, and thrives in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment
- 10+ years in software engineering with at least 5+ years in robotics systems or autonomous systems
- Deep experience in designing and scaling complex software systems for real-time robotics applications
- Proven leadership in shipping production-grade robotics platforms in manufacturing, logistics, autonomous vehicles, or related domains
- Strong grasp of robotics architecture patterns: real-time control loops, sensor fusion, SLAM, and distributed systems
- Expertise in C++, Python, and system-level development (RTOS, Linux, embedded Linux).Extensive experience with ROS2, DDS, and real-time communication protocols
- Strong background in systems architecture, software abstraction layers, and interface design
- Familiar with cloud infrastructure (e.g., Google cloud,AWS, Azure) and edge-device orchestration
- Experience with software reliability engineering, including logging, telemetry, debugging, and automated testing frameworks
- Experience with AI/ML systems integration into real-time robotic applications
- Hands-on experience scaling robot fleets in industrial or warehouse environments
- Familiarity with safety standards (e.g., ISO 10218, IEC 61508) and compliance in robotic deployments
- Contributions to open-source robotics software or published research in robotic software architecture
- Systems-level thinker who thrives on solving cross-disciplinary problems
- Passionate about elegant software design in complex physical systems
- Collaborative, communicative, and energized by leading a tight-knit team of expert engineers
- Adaptable and comfortable with ambiguity in an R&D-focused environment
- Willing and able to work from our Cambridge/Charlestown, MA office at least three times per week
What the job involves
- Pickle is seeking a visionary and hands-on Principal Robotic System Engineer / Architect to lead the architectural strategy and design of our robotic systems
- You will be responsible for defining and evolving the core software infrastructure that powers Pickle’s next-generation autonomous unloading robots, working at the intersection of robotics, real-time systems, AI, and scalable deployment
- Architect and evolve Pickle’s robot software platform, driving reliability, modularity, scalability, and maintainability
- Lead systems requirement definition and integration across hardware, embedded controls, cloud services, and operator interfaces
- Design for real-time performance, fault tolerance, and reliability in production environments
- Provide technical mentorship and code-level guidance to software and robotics teams
- Collaborate with mechatronics, controls, and industrial automation teams to ensure seamless robotic operations and fleet-level orchestration
- Design real-time monitoring, logging, and remote diagnostics for production-scale robotic fleets
- Support and contribute for failure analysis and fault recovery mechanisms to enhance uptime and performance
- Provide technical leadership and cross-functional collaboration across engineering teams
Our take
Unattractive working conditions have pushed more and more workers out of the logistics sector, with the labor gap only expected to grow in the coming years. Pickle Robot supplies intelligent robots to be employed in high-risk and heavy-lifting positions, to make up the worker shortage and free humans from these undesirable roles.
Pickle Robot was founded in 2018 to tackle an array of warehouse challenges, finding focus in the labor-intensive truck unloading space. Its pioneering industrial robots are built with AI and computer vision alongside advanced sensor technology, allowing them to perform intelligent unloading tasks at speed. This enables people to work quicker and smarter, whilst also avoiding the high risks of injury and fast turnaround associated with the sector.
Pickle Robot has raised significant funding to support go-to-market activities and improve its deployment capabilities. In 2024 it secured orders that represent the first stage of this commercial expansion, and the company also plans to invest in new feature sets in the near future.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Company
Funding (last 2 of 6 rounds)
Nov 2024
$50m
SERIES B
May 2024
$15m
EARLY VC
Total funding: $102.5m
Company benefits
- Equity stakes
- Health care
- 401k
- Snacks and cold brew
- Beautiful headquarters in the heart of Cambridge, MA
Company HQ
Central Square, Cambridge, MA
Leadership
Andrew Meyer
(CEO)Currrently serves as the Founder of Industry Laband as President of LeafLabs.
Dan Paluska
(Co-Founder & VP of Robotics)Previously CTO of the company.
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