Senior Robotics Engineer, Production

At Senra Systems, we're building a new model for complex manufacturing, starting with electrical wire harnesses. We're a real manufacturer, not a lab: we build harnesses on our own production lines for some of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the country. Long term, automating this work is how we help bring complex manufacturing back to the U.S. 

We're looking for a Senior Robotics Engineer to own the technical implementation of robotics on our production lines, as part of our Automation Program. High-mix assembly is one of the hardest problems in manufacturing and has long resisted automation. You'll take it on with classical methods where they work and learning-based methods where they don't, building cells that sit on our production lines, take over one or more operations, and hand off to our industrial engineering team to run and scale, while you keep owning the software that runs them. Real hardware, on a real line, in real production. 

This is a hands-on senior role on a small team with aggressive goals. You'll report to one of Senra's cofounders, our Head of AI & Robotics, who owns the technical vision for the program. You'll partner with the other senior engineers on the team to execute it, and help shape where it goes as we build. It's a lot of work, with a lot of ownership, and what you build goes onto the line fast. 

You and our Senior Robotics Engineer, Robot Learning work as one loop. They take on the tasks fixtures and programming can't reach yet, and what they learn comes back to you: trained skills, perception and grasping models, and why a grasp or insertion fails. You fold it into the cells on the line, and your cells generate the production data that trains the next skills. 

What you'll own:  

• Robotic line cells, from concept and rapid prototyping to a proven cell on the line: each one takes over one or more operations, with clear inputs and outputs 

• Handoff of proven cells to our industrial engineering team, and continued ownership of the software, firmware, and data that run them 

• System architectures that integrate hardware, motion planning, controls, sensing, and perception into reliable, maintainable cells 

• New capabilities such as perception, inspection, and machine tending, built in the Automation Program and rolled out to the line 

• Bringing learned skills and models from our robot learning work into your cells, and sending production data and failure cases back to train the next ones 

• Repeatable cell designs and rollout across lines and facilities, working with integrators where it speeds us up 

• Integration with our in-house factory software, so cells and the factory share work and data in real time 

• Fixture, gripper, end-effector, and tooling design 

• Scoping new automation projects, including the technical and business case for each 

• Engineering standards and best practices, and evaluation of vendors, partners, and new technologies, including learning-based approaches 

• Helping hire and mentor the engineers who join as the team grows 

What you'll bring to the team:  

Required:  

• Hands-on experience designing, building, and deploying robotic systems at a robotics company, automation integrator, or manufacturer running robotics in production, including systems where you were the technical lead 

• A track record of moving quickly: rapid prototyping, testing on real hardware, and iterating to reliable results 

• Experience programming industrial or collaborative robot arms (e.g., UR, FANUC, ABB, KUKA), including motion planning, calibration, and safety 

• Hands-on experience with perception and controls on real robots, from sensing and machine vision to closing the loop 

• Hands-on exposure to learning-based robotics (e.g., imitation learning, robot foundation models, sim-to-real), whether in production, research, or your own projects 

• Strong Python and C++, fluency with core robotics tools (e.g., ROS 2, motion planning, perception libraries, and simulation such as MuJoCo or Isaac Sim), and production software habits: tested code others can maintain and build on 

• Mechanical design skills: you can design fixtures and end effectors in CAD, get them built, and iterate quickly 

• Self-starter who takes ownership of a technical area end to end, partners well with other senior engineers, and communicates clearly with technicians, engineers, and leadership 

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, robotics, or computer engineering, or equivalent hands-on experience 

• Must be a U.S. Person as defined under ITAR (see ITAR requirements below) 

Preferred:  

• Experience shipping learning-based perception or manipulation into production 

• Experience bringing automation onto a running production line and handing it to the team that operates it 

• Taking a cell design from one unit to many, across lines or sites 

• Industrial engineering or process improvement background 

• Experience in wire harness, cable assembly, or other high-mix assembly 

• Knowledge of machine safety standards (e.g., ISO 10218, ISO/TS 15066) 

• Aerospace, defense, or AS9100 manufacturing experience 

• Startup or high-growth company experience 

• Experience mentoring engineers or helping build a team 

Success in This Role Looks Like (6-12 Months):  

• At least one robotic cell you built is running on our line and has been handed to our industrial engineering team: reliable, repeatable, stable software, documented 

• Your cells are removing measured labor hours from the line, tracked in our factory software 

• At least one learned capability from our robot learning work is running in one of your cells, and production data from your cells is feeding training 

• You've scoped the next cells and capabilities, with technical and business cases that inform where we invest next 

• You've helped shape the technical roadmap with our Head of AI & Robotics and helped hire the next engineers on the team 

We're also hiring a Senior Robotics Engineer, Robot Learning, and a Senior Engineer, Data & Perception. If your background sits between roles, apply to any of them and tell us. 

Compensation:  

• Pay depends on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors 

• Salary Range: $180,000-$220,000 

• Meaningful equity: as one of the first hires building this program from zero, the offer is weighted toward equity 

• This is an onsite role based at our Cypress, CA facility, with regular time at our Redondo Beach, CA facility 

Benefits:  

• The chance to make a real impact with a friendly, mission-driven team 

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability coverage 

• Health and dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSAs) 

• 20 vacation days and 12 paid company holidays per year 

• 401(k) retirement plan 

• A vinyl record of your choice added to the office collection 

• $50 monthly DoorDash credit 

• Up to $100 per month toward a gym membership 

• Stocked kitchen with snacks and drinks 

• Team events, team lunches, and occasional breakfast treats 

• Open office with shared spaces and free parking 

• Easy access to transit, freeways, and restaurants 

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other status protected by law. For questions, contact [email protected]. 

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:  

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. 

Pay range

$180,000—$220,000 USD