Staff Robotics Engineer

ABOUT TAILOS

TAILOS is at the forefront of redefining the landscape of commercial cleaning by harnessing the prowess of robotics and groundbreaking automation. Rosie, our flagship industrial housekeeping robot, epitomizes this transformation by tackling tedious, grimy, and hazardous tasks. As demand soars, TAILOS, with its pioneering edge, has forged alliances with some of the titans in hospitality & commercial cleaning sectors. Beyond our significant inroads into the hospitality domain, our focus is also on refining and augmenting our diverse software suite, from intuitive customer applications to cutting-edge electronics. Our Austin HQ is a hive of innovation, with 3D printers, laser cutters, canine companions, and a burgeoning fleet of robots.

ABOUT YOU

You love the challenge of tackling new problems that arise. You should be able to communicate high level priorities with the C-Suite and be willing to get in the weeds to help a team member who needs technical help. You are a self-starter who understands how to prioritize and accomplish tasks, and deliver on schedule. You will be on a team working to scale existing robot products, improve functionality, and create new solutions using our current stack as a foundation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Leadership

• ​​Lead and guide a team of software and mechanical engineers in the development of ROS2-based software solutions for our robotic systems.
• Oversee the design, development, and deployment of cloud-based applications to enhance the capabilities of our robotic platforms.
• Drive the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into our robotics software, ensuring seamless and intelligent robotic operations.
• Be a partner with the leader of Hardware Engineering, providing consultation on the platform and software support to address the needs of manufacturing, diagnostics, and troubleshooting.

Staffing & Team Development

• Recruit, onboard, and mentor a high-performing team of software and mechanical engineers
• Foster a collaborative and innovative culture within the team, promoting continuous learning and professional growth.
• Ensure the team is equipped with the necessary skills and resources to meet project goals.
• Stay up to date on the latest advancements in robotics software and AI.
• Continue to build out a low-blame, highly collaborative culture. Build trust across the company and ensure communication between teams stays productive.

Process & Tools Management

• Define and implement efficient development processes to streamline software delivery and enhance team productivity.
• Evaluate and implement cutting-edge tools and technologies to optimize the software development lifecycle.
• Continuously assess and improve development methodologies to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving robotics industry.

Strategic Decision Making

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align software development strategies with overall company objectives.
• Make strategic decisions related to technology adoption, project timelines, and resource allocation to meet business goals.
• Provide insight and recommendations to senior leadership regarding software engineering initiatives.
• Support the growth of the company by providing the software engineering perspective to the executive team and aligning technical roadmap to market demand.

Planning, Budgeting, and Financial Oversight

• Collaborate with the finance team to create and manage budgets for software development projects.
• Monitor project expenses and ensure they align with approved budgets.
• Implement cost-saving measures without compromising the quality and efficiency of software development processes.

Plus other duties and responsibilities that may be assigned to you.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Good knowledge of networking, cloud and security
• Strong experience with Agile project management aspects
• Strong experience with use of JIRA, Confluence and collaboration tools.
• Good knowledge in version control and branching concepts (git, mercurial)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong People management skills.
• Proven experience leading leads
• 10+ years experience of writing code for customer-facing products, ideally in mission-critical environments
• Strong software engineering skills and fundamentals
• Experience guiding teams to create well-tested, resilient applications
• An excellent reputation of being a team player and creative thinker, balanced with a bias for smart action, open and respectful debate with active solicitation from all critical stakeholders
• A respectful and collaborative team leader who can coach a team to success

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in a related field of study
• Experience developing and commercializing robotics products
• Familiarity with computer vision, machine learning and/or artificial intelligence systems
• Passion and empathy for the customer; relentless focus on executing on the most impactful positive change for our users
• Comfortable working on early-stage startup projects in an environment of ambiguity and change