Senior Robotics Engineer

Kaigos is building the autonomy layer for industrial robots, starting with welding, where a robot has to perceive a seam, plan a path, and adapt its parameters in real time against molten metal that doesn't forgive mistakes, literally _steering a controlled explosion_. Hard perception and control problems with immediate physical feedback, where Claude falls short of suggestions. Fast growing, small team, real deployments, and the autonomy stack we're building generalizes well past welding. We're looking for a Senior Robotics Engineer to join our Robotics team and have an active role of the company's perception strategy, from 3D reconstruction of parts to be welded, to real-time tracking during the welding process, through to scene perception for autonomous indoor and outdoor robots. This role demands technical rigor and the ability to ship, not just prototype. ● Part reconstruction and seam detection. Turn a CAD model and a 3D scan of the actual part into accurate, registered geometry, reliably identifying the weld seams, even on parts that arrive deformed or out of tolerance. ● Scene perception and 3D reconstruction. Build environmental perception both for the worksite (reconstructing the parts to be welded and their surroundings) and for the outdoor environments of autonomous robots. It's the same underlying problem, turning sensor data into geometry a robot can act on, under very different conditions. ● Define the sensing strategy. Select the sensors, own calibration and hand-eye, and have an active role in defining the entire team's approach to perception. ● You've deployed robots in production, in any industry. Not just demos, we mean field acceptance testing that met a real customer's requirements. If you’ve gone through it, you know why we are asking! ● You've worked with robots, perception, computer vision and real-time systems. ● You're solid in C++ and Python, and comfortable with Linux and Docker. ● Master's degree in Robotics, Mechatronics, Electronics, or Software Engineering. A PhD in Robotics is a plus, not a requirement. Nice-to-have (not blocking, but plus): you understand in depth any robotics field (such as motion planning and control, embedded programming, full-stack software) _Think you don't meet every requirement? We get it, sometimes a lack of self-confidence keeps us from applying for a job. Here's a little secret: there's no such thing as the "perfect" candidate. Kaigos is a place where everyone can grow. So whoever you are and whatever your background, apply if this is a role that would make you want to come to work on Monday morning._