---
title: 'Hardware R&D Tech Lead at Diligent Robotics'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/hardware-r-d-tech-lead-diligent-robotics-austin-50e7gw5ew62m'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-28'
---

# Hardware R&D Tech Lead at Diligent Robotics

- **Company:** Diligent Robotics
- **Location:** Austin, TX
- **Posted:** 2026-10-21
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-28
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/diligentrobotics/jobs/8040887003

## Job description

The Hardware R&D Technical Lead runs the HQ team that keeps Moxi robots in hospitals working. The team provisions, builds, tests, quality-checks and ships what the field needs.

Diligent Robotics deploys Moxi, a mobile service robot, in hospitals across the US. The operating fleet is growing from about 70 robots today to about 200 by the end of 2027, mostly next-generation Moxi units at new hospital sites. This role makes sure HQ keeps pace.

The team's mission is the same as all of Service Operations: 95% overall monthly robot uptime, timely delivery of assigned objectives, and continuous improvement mindset for all systems and processes.

## Responsibilities

Lead and develop the team

- Hold weekly 1:1s and give every role written expectations and clear measures.
- Coach, give direct feedback, run performance reviews, and address performance issues early, with HR.
- Cross-train the team so no task depends on one person.
- Build a culture of ownership: confirm work is done, close every loop, and hand off in writing.

Keep staffing matched to the fleet

- Track workload across provisioning, builds, QC, refurbishment and parts shipping, and spot capacity gaps before they cause delays.
- Forecast headcount with the Head of Service Operations as the fleet grows, then hire and onboard to plan.
- Plan coverage for time off, on-call rotations and build surges.

Keep the team aligned on priorities

- Own the team's charter and intake for requests from field service, engineering and manufacturing.
- Keep a single prioritized backlog and make trade-offs visible early.
- Join the daily field service stand-up, and publish a weekly status: done, in progress, blocked, decisions needed.

Coordinate testing with engineering

- Plan and run hardware tests and validation with the hardware, software and reliability engineering teams, such as docking, charging, battery, thermal and endurance testing.
- Schedule HQ test robots, make sure results are recorded and shared, and pilot retrofits before they go to the fleet.
- Support root-cause analysis on repeat field failures.

Run depot operations

- Oversee robot and base provisioning, builds, refurbishment and returns.
- Own the QC gate so parts and robots ship complete to hospital sites and to manufacturing.
- Make sure parts ship the same day, and keep work instructions and repair procedures current.

## Qualifications

- 5+ years of hands-on work with electromechanical or robotics hardware, such as building, repairing, testing or field service.
- 2+ years leading technicians directly, including hiring, coaching and managing performance.
- Strong electrical troubleshooting on low-voltage DC systems, batteries, chargers and wiring harnesses, using a multimeter and reading schematics.
- Experience running a test, QC or build process with written procedures and recorded results.
- Clear, direct written and verbal communication with technicians, engineers and leadership.
- Able to balance competing priorities and say what will slip and why.

What Makes You Stand Out

- Familiarity with MaintainX or a similar maintenance management system (CMMS).
- Experience working with contract manufacturers on builds, quality issues and returns.
- Background with mobile robots, AMRs or other autonomous machines.
- Experience with lithium battery systems and charging, LiFePO4 in particular.
- Lean or 5S shop practices, or experience in a regulated environment such as healthcare.

Working conditions

- Full-time and on-site at our Austin, TX headquarters, working in a hardware shop and office setting.
- Up to 10% travel to hospital sites and manufacturing partners.
- Regularly lift and move components up to 50 lb, and stand for long periods during builds and testing.
- Occasional after-hours support when robots are down.

## About Diligent Robotics

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Diligent Robotics builds AI-powered robot assistants, like Moxi, that work alongside healthcare teams to handle routine logistical tasks, freeing up clinicians to focus on patient care.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Acquired by Serve Robotics in January 2026)
- **Headquarters**: Austin, Texas, United States
- **Founded**: 2017
- **Founders**: Andrea Thomaz (CEO & Co-Founder) and Vivian Chu (Chief Innovation Officer & Co-Founder)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Healthcare Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Human-Robot Interaction
- **Target customers**: Hospitals and healthcare systems (B2B/Enterprise)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: To restore focus to patient care in hospitals by deploying robot teammates that handle non-patient-facing tasks, enabling clinical staff to dedicate more time to patients.

## Products & Services
- **[Moxi]**: A social robot designed for hospitals that autonomously performs secure, 24/7 deliveries of medications, labs, and other supplies. Moxi integrates with clinical programs like Meds-to-Beds and uses mobile manipulation, social intelligence, and human-guided learning to navigate dynamic hospital environments.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Acquired by Serve Robotics in January 2026 at a valuation between $29 million and $34.4 million [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/diligent-robotics).
- **Total Funding**: Raised a total of $125.76M prior to acquisition [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/diligent-robotics).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: True Ventures, DNX Ventures, Serve Robotics, AgeTech Collaborative, Physical AI Fellowship, and over 20 other investors [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/diligent-robotics).
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Moxi has delivered 9,900+ labs at UTMB Angleton Danbury [diligentrobots.com](https://www.diligentrobots.com/).
  - Returned 595+ days worth of time to nurses at Mary Washington Healthcare [diligentrobots.com](https://www.diligentrobots.com/).
  - Saved the Pharmacy department at Shannon Health 6,350 hours [diligentrobots.com](https://www.diligentrobots.com/).

## Competitive Advantages
- **Pioneer in Social Robotics**: Founders are leading experts in human-robot interaction, with research roots at MIT, Georgia Tech, and the University of Texas at Austin.
- **Proven Clinical Impact**: Moxi is already deployed in live hospital environments with measurable outcomes (thousands of hours returned to staff, thousands of deliveries completed).
- **Human-Guided Learning**: Unlike simple autonomous vehicles, Moxi uses AI to learn and adapt to dynamic, human-filled hospital settings, making it a true teammate rather than a tool.
- **Acquisition by Serve Robotics**: The acquisition provides a larger platform and resources for scaling, while validating the technology and market fit.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scaling hospital deployments**: Expanding Moxi’s presence in healthcare systems across the U.S., with active roles in Columbus, OH; Chicago, IL; and Rochester, NY [greenhouse.io](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/diligentrobotics).
- **Deepening clinical integration**: Working with clinical and operations experts to streamline processes, reduce costs, and initiate new revenue opportunities such as centralized telemetry and supply chain.
- **Advancing AI and manipulation**: Continuing to improve mobile manipulation, autonomous navigation, and social intelligence capabilities through R&D.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven culture**: Employees directly contribute to reducing burnout in healthcare by giving nurses and clinicians more time with patients.
- **Cutting-edge technology**: Work on state-of-the-art AI, robotics, and human-robot interaction in a fast-paced startup environment where your work goes live in hospitals today, not years in the future.
- **Collaborative team**: Join a venture-backed, mission-driven team with leading experts in the field.
- **Remote-friendly**: Many roles (e.g., Founding Sr. Data Engineer, ML Engineer, Sr. ML Engineer) are open to candidates anywhere in the US [greenhouse.io](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/diligentrobotics). On-site roles available in Austin, TX, and field operations roles in various cities.
- **Competitive compensation**: Offers competitive salary, equity, and health plan coverage for individuals and dependents.
- **Diversity & inclusion**: An equal opportunity employer that values diversity and does not discriminate on any basis.

## Sources
1. [diligentrobots.com](https://www.diligentrobots.com/)
2. [diligentrobots.com - About](https://www.diligentrobots.com/about)
3. [diligentrobots.com - Careers](https://www.diligentrobots.com/join-our-team-1)
4. [greenhouse.io - Jobs](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/diligentrobotics)
5. [cbinsights.com - Diligent Robotics](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/diligent-robotics)

## Other roles at Diligent Robotics

- [Maintenance Coordination](https://feeny.ai/job/maintenance-coordination-diligent-robotics-austin-fc3ydtjamrzw) — Austin, TX
- [(Part-time) Field Service Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/part-time-field-service-technician-diligent-robotics-los-angeles-10dr59qzpcky) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Lead Clinical Robot Associate - Memphis, TN (On-Site)](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-clinical-robot-associate-memphis-tn-on-site-diligent-robotics-memphis-5crptm8xdk97) — Memphis, TN
- [Part Time - Clinical Robot Associate - Los Angeles, CA (on-site)](https://feeny.ai/job/part-time-clinical-robot-associate-los-angeles-ca-on-site-diligent-robotics-los-9y8gpjcw9062) — Los Angeles, CA
- [(Part-time) Field Service Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/part-time-field-service-technician-diligent-robotics-chicago-1r5nh1takd0e) — Chicago, IL
- [Part Time - Clinical Robot Associate - Rochester, NY (on-site)](https://feeny.ai/job/part-time-clinical-robot-associate-rochester-ny-on-site-diligent-robotics-xbhg4xpc9vr8) — Rochester, NY
- [Lead Engineer, Issue Management & Triage](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-engineer-issue-management-triage-diligent-robotics-austin-k2np9b297sxa) — Austin, TX
- [Manufacturing Reliability Engineer (Austin, TX; 50% travel to Milwaukee, WI)](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-reliability-engineer-austin-tx-50-travel-to-milwaukee-wi-diligent-txhv59vxypmp) — Austin, TX
- [ML Engineer, Manipulation](https://feeny.ai/job/ml-engineer-manipulation-diligent-robotics-in-the-106gz35yek1q) — IN the, United States