Senior Robotics Software Engineer, Test

Chef Robotics is accelerating the deployment of intelligent machines in the physical world, starting with food production—a sector facing the largest labor shortage in the U.S., with 1.14M unfilled jobs today and 3.1M projected by 2030. These roles cannot be offshored, making robotics essential to keeping production onshore and strengthening America’s manufacturing base. Backed by investors like Kleiner Perkins, Construct, Bloomberg Beta, and Promus Ventures, and supported by a world-class team from companies such as Cruise, Zoox, Google, Tesla, and Amazon Robotics, Chef is rapidly scaling with multiple multi-year contracts and a mission to put an intelligent robot in every commercial kitchen.
About The Role
As a Senior Robotics Software Engineer, Test at Chef Robotics, you'll develop comprehensive testing frameworks and methodologies to validate our robotic control algorithms, motion planning, safety systems, perception pipelines, and hardware-software integrations. You'll work across our entire robotics platform, with primary focus on robotics systems validation and significant emphasis on perception system testing. This role requires deep technical expertise in both robotics and perception software testing, with the ability to architect robust validation frameworks that ensure our robots perform consistently and safely in real-world food production environments while accurately perceiving and responding to their environment.
Robotics Test Framework Development

Design and implement automated testing frameworks for robot motion planning and control systems
Develop advanced evaluation frameworks for core robot behaviors over hundreds of scenarios
Develop advanced validation frameworks for real-time control loop performance and stability across diverse operational conditions
Build sophisticated test harnesses for hardware-software integration validation
Architect simulation environments for testing robotic behavior without physical hardware dependencies

Perception System Testing & Validation

Design and implement comprehensive testing frameworks for computer vision algorithms and perception pipelines
Create automated test suites for object detection, segmentation, and classification in food production environments
Develop validation systems for camera calibration and depth estimation accuracy
Build test frameworks for lighting condition variations and visual robustness testing
Implement automated testing for ingredient recognition and food property estimation algorithms
Create test scenarios for perception system performance under varying environmental conditions

Advanced Mechanical-Software Integration Testing

Develop test methodologies for validating actuator performance and precision position accuracy
Create automated test systems for calibration procedures and joint-space accuracy validation
Design and implement test fixtures that measure and validate force control and compliance behaviors
Develop comprehensive test cases for evaluating system performance under varying payload and environmental conditions
Create comprehensive test suites for safety-critical protective stop mechanisms and collision detection systems
Implement sophisticated tests for conveyor tracking and synchronization with moving production components
Build validation systems for mechanical system reliability and performance optimization

Robotics-Perception Integration Testing

Create complex test scenarios that validate robot controller consumption and response to perception data
Develop comprehensive test harnesses for end-to-end validation of vision-guided manipulation tasks
Build automated testing systems for calibration between robot coordinate frames and vision systems
Design advanced test cases that stress-test robot behavior under perception uncertainty and edge conditions
Implement robust validation frameworks for real-time coordination between perception and motion planning systems
Create testing protocols for multi-sensor integration and sensor fusion validation

Test Infrastructure & Automation Development

Develop CI/CD pipelines specifically optimized for robotics and perception system testing
Architect hardware-in-the-loop testing infrastructure for comprehensive component validation
Create sophisticated data collection and analysis systems to capture performance metrics and trends
Design scalable test environments that simulate various operational and environmental conditions
Implement advanced automated test reporting, visualization, and analytics systems
Build testing frameworks that support both simulated and real-world validation scenarios

Required Qualifications - Technical Expertise

Bachelor's degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Computer Vision, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field
7+ years of professional experience in robotics software development, perception systems, or testing
Expert-level programming skills in Python with advanced software engineering capabilities
Extensive experience with robotics simulation environments (Gazebo, PyBullet, MuJoCo, or similar)
Strong background in computer vision and perception system development and testing
Deep familiarity with robot control systems, motion planning, and real-time robotics software
Proven experience with CI/CD pipeline development and test automation frameworks
Advanced understanding of test automation principles, methodologies, and best practices

Domain Knowledge

Deep understanding of robotics kinematics, dynamics, and control systems with practical testing experience
Extensive experience with computer vision algorithms, image processing, and perception pipeline testing
Strong background with industrial robotics, collaborative robots, or similar automation systems
Advanced knowledge of safety systems in robotics applications and validation methodologies
Comprehensive understanding of hardware-software integration testing for robotics systems
Experience with camera systems, calibration procedures, and vision-based measurement validation
Knowledge of machine learning model testing and validation in production environments

Personal Attributes

Exceptional problem-solving skills with systematic approach to identifying edge cases and failure modes
Excellence in technical communication and documentation of complex test methodologies and results
Proactive mindset in identifying potential issues and implementing preventive testing solutions
Collaborative approach working effectively with cross-functional development teams
Comfort with working in a fast-paced startup environment with startup-oriented hours
Commitment to working onsite five days a week to contribute to positive in-office culture
Passion for creating robust, reliable robotics and perception systems

Desired Qualifications

Experience with ROS (Robot Operating System) and its comprehensive testing frameworks
Advanced knowledge of real-time systems testing and validation methodologies
Experience with OpenCV, PCL (Point Cloud Library), and other computer vision libraries
Familiarity with deep learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch) for perception model testing
Experience with force/torque sensing, control, and testing
Experience with industrial automation or manufacturing systems testing in production environments
Background in food processing equipment testing or production line automation validation
Experience with 3D vision systems, point cloud processing, and spatial understanding
Familiarity with lighting systems and structured light for industrial vision applications
Startup experience with track record of establishing testing frameworks under tight deadlines
Experience with automated testing of AI/ML components in robotics and perception systems

Key Projects You'll Work On

Developing comprehensive robotics and perception testing frameworks for production deployment validation
Building advanced hardware-in-the-loop testing infrastructure for integrated robotics-perception systems
Creating sophisticated simulation environments for comprehensive behavior validation
Implementing automated testing pipelines for continuous integration of robotics and perception software
Designing validation systems for vision-guided manipulation in food production environments

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
Chef is an early-stage startup where equity is a major part of the compensation package. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position. Within the range, individual pay is determined by additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
In addition to salary and early-stage equity, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, commuter benefits, flexible paid time off (PTO), catered lunch, and 401(k) matching.