Robotics Deployment and Support Engineer - Contract

Simbe Robotics is a leading retail robotics company providing in-store intelligence solutions that help retailers optimize operations, improve shelf execution, and deliver valuable data insights. Our autonomous robots and multi-modal data collection systems are transforming how retailers manage inventory and make data-driven decisions.

Position Overview

Simbe is seeking a Robotics Deployment & Support Engineer to own the full deployment lifecycle for new retail locations, from physical installation and network setup through digital configuration and early operational health. This role consolidates responsibilities previously split across physical deployment support and digital onboarding, reducing handoffs and giving a single owner accountability over deployment quality and speed. This is a contract position with an anticipated end date of February 2027.

This is a technical IC role that requires strong troubleshooting instincts, comfort with automation and tooling, and the ability to operate with high autonomy across multiple concurrent deployments. We are looking to hire approximately two people into this role to support near-term rollout volume.

At Simbe, we expect team members to use automation, scripting, and AI tooling to multiply their impact, not just execute tasks manually. This role is an opportunity to build tooling and workflows that make deployments faster and more reliable at scale.

Responsibilities

• End-to-End Deployment Ownership Manage the full deployment lifecycle for assigned retail locations: pre-deployment verification, physical installation coordination, network configuration, digital setup, and handoff to operations. Own quality and timeline for each deployment.

• Pre-Deployment Preparation Confirm all site requirements are met prior to deployment - including network credentials, docking locations, traversal area definitions, and hardware readiness. Identify and resolve blockers early to protect deployment timelines.

• Physical Deployment Coordination Coordinate remote contractors via chat and voice through the physical installation process. Provide timely, clear support to field teams and ensure deployment procedures are followed consistently.

• Digital Configuration and Onboarding Configure robots for new sites including traversal pattern setup, schedule management, and route mapping. Validate initial performance against quality thresholds across decode accuracy, OOS detection, price verification, location coverage, and upload speed.

• Troubleshooting and Issue Resolution Diagnose and resolve issues across network connectivity, hardware, and software encountered during deployment. Triage root causes systematically and escalate with clear documentation when needed.

• Automation and Tooling Build scripts, workflow automations, or lightweight internal tools to reduce manual effort in the deployment process - including pre-deployment checklists, status tracking, configuration validation, and reporting. Use AI-assisted development to accelerate tooling where applicable.

• Quality Assurance Develop and maintain QA checks for deployment readiness and early operational performance. Identify patterns in deployment failures and build detection or prevention mechanisms.

• Documentation and Knowledge Management Maintain accurate records of deployments, issues, and resolutions in Jira and Confluence. Contribute to deployment playbooks and continuously improve procedures based on field learnings.

Qualifications

• Experience in a technical operations, deployment, or field support role in robotics, retail technology, IoT, or similar

• Strong troubleshooting skills across network, software, and hardware issues

• Ability to manage multiple concurrent deployments and deadlines in a fast-paced environment

• Demonstrated experience using scripting (Python, bash, or similar) or automation tools to reduce manual operational work

• Proficiency with Linux-based systems and basic networking (TCP/IP, Wi-Fi, VPN)

• Experience using AI tools to accelerate investigation, analysis, or workflow automation

• Strong written and verbal communication for coordinating remote field teams and stakeholders

• Familiarity with Atlassian tools (Jira, Confluence, Opsgenie)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with chat support or field coordination platforms (Front, Zendesk, Hiver, or similar)

• Knowledge of ROS or other robotics frameworks

• Familiarity with QA processes, performance reporting, and Excel/Google Sheets-based data analysis

• Experience building internal tooling or workflow automation for operational processes

• Retail technology background (POS, inventory, WMS)

What We’re Looking For

Candidates who are genuinely excited to automate away repetitive work, not just execute it. You should be comfortable building a small Python script or workflow automation when a manual process starts to recur, and expect to use AI tools as a core part of how you work.