Robotics Software Engineer

What're we trying to solve? Openshelf is building an open-source system to automate physical inventory—combining hardware and software to handle storage, retrieval, and real-time tracking.

• The Problem: Managing physical inventory is messy. Manual processes are slow, error-prone, and don't scale. It's hard to know what you have, where it is, or how much space it's taking up.
• What We're Doing: We're developing a small-scale AS/RS system that captures weight, dimensions, and location data every time something moves. Our stack runs Python on the backend (FastAPI, hardware orchestration, event-driven robot control) and a SvelteKit frontend, all containerized and deployed on dedicated hardware. We're designing it to be flexible and open so others can adapt, improve, and deploy it across all kinds of environments—not just warehouses with big budgets. The goal is accurate, real-time visibility into physical inventory, made as accessible as possible.

What you'll be doing:

• Maintaining, debugging, and improving the existing Python backend and hardware control layer under the guidance of senior engineers.
• Writing clean, testable Python code that interfaces with physical hardware (motors, scales, barcode scanners, sensors) over serial, Modbus, and GPIO.
• Building and maintaining internal tools and dashboards that let the team monitor, configure, and debug production devices.
• Working with AI coding agents to accelerate development—we already use them daily and expect you to as well.
• Collaborating on software design decisions: API structure, data modeling, error handling, and state management.
• Participating in code review, testing, and deployment to real devices in our lab and in the field.
• Contributing to the full development cycle from concept through iteration—whether that's a new sensor integration, a performance fix, or an internal utility that saves everyone time.

Who are you?

• You're passionate about software and excited to work on systems that interact with the physical world.
• You have a solid foundation in Python and a genuine curiosity about how the full stack fits together—even if you haven't worked with hardware before.
• You're resourceful and have high agency. When you hit something you don't know, you dig in and figure it out rather than waiting for someone to hand you the answer.
• You're comfortable navigating uncertainty and working on problems where the requirements aren't fully settled.
• You communicate clearly and collaborate well. You're happy to ask questions when you're stuck, and you take feedback as a way to get better.
• You're excited to work in-person alongside a small, focused team where your contributions have direct impact on the product and the company.

Requirements:

• Proficiency in Python—you can write readable, well-structured code and understand common patterns (async, I/O, error handling, testing).
• A baseline of good software engineering practices: version control (git), debugging, reading documentation, and breaking down ambiguous tasks.
• Interest in or experience with AI-assisted development (Codex, Claude Code, or similar coding agents).
• Willingness to work with physical hardware and debug real-world systems—motors that don't move, sensors that return garbage data, serial ports that disappear.
• Ability to work on-site in midtown Manhattan full-time.
• Previous experience with FastAPI, Docker, or automation/robotics is a plus, but not required.

Practical Details:

• You'll get a competitive salary and stock options—you'll own part of the company.
• We're based in midtown Manhattan, and this is an on-site, in-person role. We believe building the best product is the result of continuous collaboration and short feedback loops.
• You'll work directly with senior engineers who will guide your work, review your code, and help you grow.

Benefits:

• Fully covered health, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible PTO
• Team lunches and off-sites