Lead Robotics Engineer

An early-stage defence technology company is developing ruggedised, field-deployable charging infrastructure for unmanned systems (UxS), enabling autonomous systems to operate, recover and recharge with minimal human intervention.

They are seeking a Lead Robotics Engineer to take end-to-end ownership of the robotics and autonomy stack. This is a hands-on technical leadership position for an engineer who wants to solve complex real-world robotics challenges, establish system architecture and drive development from initial concept through to field deployment.

Responsibilities:

• Own the architecture and development of the robotics and autonomy stack.
• Design and implement 6DOF robotic manipulation systems, including kinematics, motion planning and grasping.
• Develop perception, computer vision and autonomous control capabilities.
• Integrate robotics software with mechanical, electrical and embedded systems.
• Lead simulation, testing, validation and real-world deployment.
• Establish engineering standards, guide technical decisions and mentor a small team of engineers.

Key Requirements

• Strong experience developing and deploying 6DOF robotic manipulation systems.
• Solid understanding of kinematics, motion planning and grasping.
• Experience with robotics software and frameworks such as C++, Python, ROS/ROS 2, MoveIt or OMPL.
• Experience integrating robotic systems across software and physical hardware.
• Ability to own technical architecture and lead engineering development from prototype to deployment.

Competitive base salary and meaningful equity. Relocation support to Cookeville, Tennessee.