As a Controls Engineer, you will develop embedded software for robotic systems, integrate hardware and software, and ensure compliance and performance throughout the product lifecycle.
About Dexterity
At Dexterity, we believe robots can positively transform the world. Our breakthrough technology frees people to do the creative, inspiring, problem-solving jobs that humans do best by enabling robots to handle repetitive and physically difficult work.
We’re starting with warehouse automation, where the need for smarter, more resilient supply chains impacts millions of lives and businesses around the world. Dexterity's full-stack robotics systems pick, move, pack, and collaborate with human-like skill, awareness, and learning capabilities. Our systems are software-driven and hardware-agnostic and have already picked over 15 million goods in production. And did we mention we’re customer-obsessed? Every decision, large and small, is driven by one question – how can we empower our customers with robots to do more than they thought was possible?
Dexterity is one of the fastest-growing companies in robotics, backed by world-class investors such as Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Obvious Ventures. We’re a diverse and multidisciplinary team with a culture built on passion, trust, and dedication. Come join Dexterity and help make intelligent robots a reality!
About the Role
You will join as a Controls Engineer within Dexterity’s Product Engineering Team, contributing to the development of embedded systems that power our robotic platforms. This role sits at the intersection of hardware, software, firmware, motion control, and system-level integration. You will collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical and software engineers to help bring robots from prototype to production and support the architecture for motion, safety, and communications. The ideal candidate brings strong mechatronics fundamentals, hands-on controls experience, and a system-level understanding of embedded hardware and software integration in the context of robotics.
Responsibilities:
- Develop and maintain embedded software and firmware solutions for rover control systems, motion controllers, and safety subsystems.
- Design, implement, and tune motion‑control systems and associated hardware and software interfaces in our mobile robotic platforms.
- Debug complex electromechanical systems, analyze hardware‑software interaction, power systems, communications, and perform system diagnostics.
- Bridge hardware and software teams, supporting embedded software, industrial controller logic, and ensure smooth integration between hardware and software.
- Define and execute commissioning processes: factory bring‑up of embedded systems, field deployment procedures, and over‑the‑air update architectures.
- Support product development lifecycle from early prototypes through production and scaling, with attention to reliability, performance, safety, and regulatory compliance.
- Document system architectures, control algorithms, communications protocols, and troubleshooting results, collaborating across disciplines to ensure clarity and alignment.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related discipline.
- Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in controls engineering, embedded systems, mechatronics, or a related field.
- Strong fundamentals in electrical and mechanical engineering applied to robotics and motion systems.
- Hands-on experience with motion control systems, feedback loops, servo drives, motors, and associated hardware.
- Proficiency in embedded software development and familiarity with industrial controller environments.
- Familiarity with communications protocols commonly used in mechatronics and robotic systems (EtherCAT, CAN bus, etc.).
- Capability to debug system‑level issues spanning hardware, firmware, and control logic
- Ability to read electrical schematics and mechanical drawings and able to engage with electrical and mechanical subsystem teams in depth.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with functional safety, and safety‑critical systems.
- Prior work on autonomous mobile robots, warehouse automation, or large‑scale robotic deployments.
- Familiarity with over‑the‑air software update systems, remote diagnostics, field‑deployed robotic systems, and firmware in deployed hardware.
- Experience with commissioning, manufacturing bring-up, system testing, production scaling, or test‑fixture development.
- Knowledge of motion‑related software stacks, distributed real‑time systems, and industrial system architecture.
- Familiarity with robotic kinematics, and control algorithms used in mobile or manipulator robotics
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
Dexterity Palo Alto, California, USA Office
Palo Alto, CA, United States
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