What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Robotics Engineer position at Real Time Recruitment Solutions (RTRS)?
Senior Robotics Engineer (Bio-Inspired Amphibious Systems)
Location: Brooklyn, NY (On-site at the Navy Yard) Basis: Full-Time / Salaried
Citizenship Requirement: US Citizen or US Permanent Resident (Green Card) — Strictly required due to Department of Defense (DoD) and Navy contracts.
The Mission
We are move beyond the "rotary world." While the rest of the industry relies on propellers that break, tangle, and shatter, we develop bio-inspired, undulating ribbon-fin propulsion systems. Our robots are amphibious, navigating everything from deep-sea currents to surf zones and marshlands with sea-otter agility.
As a Senior Robotics Engineer, you will transition our record-breaking prototypes into productized, commercial-ready autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). You will be joining a lean, elite team of eight, taking direct ownership of hardware-software integration for our next-generation four-finned platforms.
The Role & Responsibilities
- Full-Stack Robotics Development: Lead the design and implementation of control algorithms for non-traditional, multi-fin undulating propulsion.
- Hardware-Software Integration: Bridge the gap between mechanical design, embedded electronics, and high-level autonomy.
- Sensor Fusion: Integrate and calibrate complex sensor suites, including Magnetometers, Sonar, Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), GPS, and topographical logs.
- Persistent Presence Systems: Develop "tether and recharge" capabilities to allow robots to harvest energy from flow environments (tidal/ocean currents).
- Field Deployment: Lead testing and demonstrations in challenging environments—shallow water, surf zones, and soft ground—to detect submerged objects.
Technical Requirements
- Experience: 5 years in Robotics Engineering, ideally within Marine, AUV, or UAV sectors.
- Software Proficiency: Expert-level C/C and Python for embedded systems. Deep familiarity with ROS/ROS2 and autonomous navigation stacks.
- Electrical Engineering: Strong hands-on capability in PCB layout, soldering, and troubleshooting complex electrical assemblies.
- Mechanical Intuition: While this is a software/electrical-heavy role, you must understand the mechanics of "compliant" or flexible structures (non-rigid body dynamics).
- Academic Background: Advanced degree (Bachelors, Master’s or PhD) in Robotics, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
What Makes You a Fit
- The "Startup Mindset": You thrive in an environment where you might be architecting an autonomy stack in the morning and troubleshooting a hardware glitch in the afternoon.
- Problem Solver: You prefer "yielding to the environment" over "brute-forcing" it.
- Local Focus: You are either already based in NYC or have a pre-existing commitment to move to Brooklyn.