Modeling and Simulation Engineer at Maven Robotics (San Francisco Bay Area California, United States)

Maven Robotics· San Francisco Bay Area California, United States·4d ago

Job description

We are looking to recruit an exceptional Modeling & Simulation Engineer to work on our robot models, environment models, and simulation pipeline.

In this role you will:

Define simulation requirements
Develop performant, cutting-edge mathematical models of robots, manipulators and the scenes in which they operate
Strike the perfect balance between fidelity and computational complexity
Integrate simulation-based assessment into CI/CD pipelines in a way that scales
Make simulation an indispensable part of our entire design, development and deployment process

You will be working closely with the Simulation, Motion Planning & Controls, Field Operations and Intelligence teams.

Must-have:

MS or PhD in engineering, mathematics, computer science or a related discipline
Experience in mathematical modeling of complex dynamic systems
Ability to take ownership of a large, strategically important development project and drive its success
Willingness to step in and support other teams when we have tight deadlines and problems to solve

Nice-to-have:

Culture: Described as a small team of engineers and scientists with "bold ambition, relentless curiosity, and belief in unlocking human potential through intelligent robotics." Emphasis on inventing, creating, and innovating from Silicon Valley.
Work model: On-site or in-office workspace at the Santa Clara, CA headquarters. BuiltIn lists offices as "In-Office or Remote" but also states employees work from physical offices; typical time on-site is not specified. The careers page implies hands-on hardware/software work that likely requires presence. [builtin.com]
Notable perks/engineering culture: Deep technical challenges across AI, perception, controls, embedded, mechanical, and electrical engineering. The team includes world-class experts from Apple, Tesla, Ford, etc. Opportunities to shape a product from prototype to deployment. Open roles include robotic AI, ML engineering, motion planning, embedded software, and hardware engineering.
Growth trajectory: Rapidly growing startup (52% YoY headcount increase) with strong investor interest and a clear industrial go-to-market strategy.

One-liner: Maven Robotics is building the world's leading general-purpose AI robots, starting with an industrial robot that combines strength, dexterity, mobility, and reliable physical AI to unlock productivity across manufacturing and logistics.
Entity Type: Private (Seed round raised in September 2024 with 3 investors)
Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, United States (with presence in Germany)
Founded: 2024
Founders: Hamza Derbas (Co-Founder & CEO)

Primary industry: Robotics Engineering / Industrial Automation / AI Robotics
Target customers: Large global manufacturing and logistics organizations, with a cost-efficient design that also makes automation accessible to businesses of every scale (SMB to Enterprise).
Mission: "We believe the future of technology holds incredible promise, with many kinds of robots unlocking productivity, enhancing creativity, and improving life for humans everywhere. Our first step is to tackle real-world industry challenges, proving value and scalability to establish the foundation for a truly brighter future."

General-purpose industrial robot (prototype): A hardware/software/AI system purpose-built for industry, combining strength, adaptive dexterity, fluid mobility, and the most reliable physical AI to work safely alongside people. Designed to be cost-efficient for businesses of all scales.

Valuation/Market Cap: Not disclosed
Key Metric: Total funding amount not publicly available (Seed round with 3 investors, September 2024)
Notable Investors/Partners: Not named in available sources; the company states they are "working with some of the largest global manufacturing and logistics organizations."
Growth Signals:
- Headcount grew 52.4% year-over-year to 28 employees (as of mid-2025) [linkedin.com]
- High-profile talent sourcing: alumni from Apple (9), Tesla (1), Ford, Aptiv, Caterpillar, and others [linkedin.com]
- Active hiring across 14+ roles as of July 2025: robotic AI, ML perception, manipulation, motion planning, embedded software, mechanical and electrical engineering, Data Collection Operator [mavenrobotics.ai]

First-principles, customer-focused approach – the company prioritizes solving real industrial pain points before generalizing, ensuring near-term traction
Small, elite team – composed of engineers and scientists with deep experience from top tech and robotics companies (Apple, Tesla, Ford, Intuitive Surgical, etc.)
Cost-efficiency – the robot is designed to be affordable enough for SMBs, not just large enterprises, widening the addressable market
Full-stack robotics – in-house capabilities in hardware design (actuators, mechanisms), embedded systems, AI/ML (perception, manipulation, foundation models), motion planning, and simulation

Near-term: Prove value and scalability in industrial manufacturing and logistics through customer deployments; ship the first generation robot
Long-term: Use the industrial foundation to build general-purpose robots that can tackle diverse real-world challenges, ultimately "unlocking human potential through intelligent robotics"

Sources