Senior Robotic Systems Engineer

About the Role This is a foundational senior engineering hire at an ambitious early-stage robotics startup in Munich. You will own the core robotics software stack for a fully flexible, intelligent industrial robotic work cell designed to automate some of the most demanding manual tasks in industry — surface finishing, welding, and coating . This is a high-ownership, high-impact role where you will shape architecture decisions and drive the system from prototype to real-world production deployment. This role is on-site in Munich . Candidates must already be eligible to work in Germany — no visa sponsorship is available. What You'll Do Own the core robotics software stack of the industrial robotic work cell end-to-end Develop and optimize motion planning, trajectory generation, and robot control algorithms Integrate perception systems — cameras, force/torque sensors, LiDAR — into real-time control loops Implement industrial safety concepts and fail-safe behaviors to production standards Lead on-site testing, calibration, and commissioning of the physical system Drive software architecture decisions and establish engineering best practices for the team What We're Looking For Required: 5+ years of hands-on experience in robotics engineering, including real-world production or industrial environments (not simulation-only) Proven experience with motion planning and trajectory generation for industrial robot arms (e.g. KUKA, ABB, Fanuc, Universal Robots) Strong proficiency in C++ and/or Python Experience with ROS 2 for robot software development Hands-on integration of perception hardware: force/torque sensors, cameras, and/or LiDAR into closed-loop control Familiarity with 3D CAD tools such as SolidWorks or CATIA Knowledge of industrial communication protocols (e.g. EtherCAT, OPC-UA) Currently based in Munich or willing to relocate — this role is on-site only Nice to Have: Background in surface finishing, welding, or industrial coating applications Experience with kinematics, dynamics, and advanced control theory German language skills (not required) Compensation & Benefits Base salary: €75,000 – €110,000 per year (depending on experience) Equity participation: Meaningful equity stake — a genuine differentiator at this stage High ownership and direct influence on product and engineering direction Small, focused team pushing the frontier of industrial robotics Location Munich, Bavaria, Germany — on-site only. Candidates must already hold the right to work in Germany. No remote or hybrid option is available for this role. German language skills are a plus but not a requirement.