---
title: 'Platform Engineer for Embedded Development at ART Lab at Cox Exponential'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/platform-engineer-for-embedded-development-at-art-lab-cox-exponential-san-mateo-4pf4zr261h8f'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-12'
---

# Platform Engineer for Embedded Development at ART Lab at Cox Exponential

- **Company:** Cox Exponential
- **Location:** San Mateo, CA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-10-09
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-12
- **Apply:** https://jobs.gem.com/cox-exponential/am9icG9zdDrlVFXym87n5o4FCE39csii

## Job description

## About Us

ART Lab (AI Robot Technology) is building novel and unexpected endpoints for AI in everyday spaces. We believe that in the AI revolution, we won't only be accessing intelligence through glass screens on our desks and in our pockets. ART Lab has invented a new type of AI model called VLIs - vision-language-interaction models - that can be used to power human-robot interactions across a range of robots. The team has backgrounds at Amazon (robotics), Apple, Logitech, Google (AI and robotics) and Humans since 1982. The company is advised by leaders from Stanford, LEGO, Nike, and Google.

## The Role

We're seeking a Platform Engineer to build and own the embedded software platform that powers our AI-enabled robots. You'll work at the critical intersection of hardware and software, customizing Linux systems on NVIDIA Jetson platforms and building the infrastructure that enables our robots to reliably run AI models, control hardware, and update seamlessly in the field.

This is a foundational role where you'll make architectural decisions that affect every part of our product. You'll collaborate closely with our electrical engineering team to optimize the full hardware-software stack, and with our robotics and AI teams to ensure the platform can handle real-time perception, control, and inference workloads. If you love working close to the metal and want to build production-grade embedded systems for consumer robotics, this is the role for you.

## What You'll Do

- Linux Platform Development: Customize and optimize Linux distributions for our NVIDIA Jetson-based compute platforms, tuning for performance, power efficiency, and reliability
- Jetson System Integration: Configure, customize, and optimize Jetson developer kits to meet our exact hardware and software requirements—from bootloaders to kernel modules
- OTA Update Infrastructure: Design and implement robust over-the-air software update systems for deployed robots, including rollback mechanisms, delta updates, and failure recovery
- Hardware-Software Co-design: Work directly with electrical engineers to optimize board bring-up, driver integration, and system-level performance
- System Reliability: hardware-in-the-loop test automations, on-device logging and diagnostics, fleet health monitoring to ensure product performance and reliability.
- Developer Experience: Create tooling and workflows that make it easy for AI and robotics engineers to develop, build, test, and deploy on the platform
- Security and Hardening: Implement security measures including secure boot, device authentication, and software lockdown to prevent unauthorized access and protect against penetration

## Who You Are

Required:

- 3-5+ years of experience in embedded Linux development or platform engineering
- Deep expertise in Linux system internals: kernel configuration, device drivers, boot processes, and system services
- Strong C/C++ and Python skills
- Experience with embedded hardware platforms and working close to hardware
- Excellent debugging skills across the full stack—from bootloader to application layer
- Self-directed and comfortable with ambiguity—you can take ownership of complex problems and drive them to completion
- Based in or willing to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area

Preferred:

- Experience with NVIDIA Jetson platforms (Nano, Xavier, Orin)—a big plus if you've customized Jetson systems for production
- Built OTA update systems or worked on remote device management
- Background in consumer electronics, robotics, or IoT devices
- Experience with containerization (Docker), orchestration, or edge computing frameworks
- Familiarity with real-time systems, RTOS, or low-latency requirements
- Shipped a product that required custom Linux distributions or BSP development
- Understanding of power management, thermal considerations, and hardware constraints

This Role Might Not Be For You If:

- You prefer application-level software development over systems programming
- You're not comfortable working directly with hardware teams and debugging across electrical/software boundaries
- You need fully defined requirements and established infrastructure
- You're looking for a remote-only position

## About Cox Exponential

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Cox Exponential (CX2) is the early-stage AI venture vehicle for Cox Enterprises, partnering with exceptional entrepreneurs to build breakthrough AI/ML companies.
- **Entity Type**: Private (venture capital / accelerator; part of Cox Enterprises)
- **Headquarters**: Silicon Valley, California, United States (with remote presence and an international outlook)
- **Founded**: 2025
- **Founders**: Founded by technologists with decades of experience leading startups and building AI/ML products; key executives include Managing Partner Radu B. Rusu, General Partners Pantelis Kalogiros, Yukiko Jenkins, and others.

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Venture Capital & Private Equity (AI-focused early-stage investing)
- **Target customers**: B2B – exceptional entrepreneurs and early-stage AI companies seeking capital, mentorship, and access to the Cox family of businesses.
- **Mission**: Develop breakthrough technology that helps people flourish and bring firsts to market.

## Products & Services
Cox Exponential does not sell a product; it operates as an investment vehicle. Its main “offering” is its accelerator program and venture partnership:
- **AI Accelerator & Venture Program**: Provides capital, technical mentorship, business planning, code/prototype development, and connection to the Cox Enterprises ecosystem.
- **Portfolio Support**: Invests in and supports portfolio companies such as Spacer Robotics (autonomous rebar-tying robot), TrustMind, TrustFoundry.ai, and others.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Funding**: Not publicly disclosed (backed by Cox Enterprises, a large private conglomerate).
- **Key Metric**: Total employees ~20 (as of mid-2026); headcount grew ~144% year-over-year since founding in 2025.
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: Cox Enterprises (parent); key executives from Scale Venture Partners, Fyusion, AGI House, etc.
- **Growth Signals**: Rapid team expansion, active hiring for senior engineering roles (AI infra, robotics, efficient ML), multiple open remote positions.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Cox Enterprises Backing**: Access to the breadth of a Fortune 500 company’s resources, industry connections, and potential pilot customers.
- **Founder-Led by Technologists**: The team comprises experienced AI/ML startup builders, offering hands-on technical guidance to portfolio companies.
- **Global Outlook**: Based in Silicon Valley with an international perspective, attracting talent from the US and Portugal.
- **Early-Stage Focus**: Dedicated to pre-seed and seed AI startups, differentiating from larger, less specialized corporate venture arms.

## Strategic Focus
- **Current priorities**: Scaling the accelerator, expanding portfolio companies, and building in-house AI infrastructure talent to support portfolio needs.
- **Direction for growth**: Deepening ties with Cox business units, investing in frontier AI (LLMs, multimodal models, agentic RL, robotics), and hiring top-tier engineers to work on internal AI platforms and portfolio support.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Early-stage, high-autonomy environment within a stable corporate parent. Employees work on cutting-edge AI challenges across multiple portfolio companies.
- **Remote/Hybrid**: Fully remote workspaces for many roles; some positions require in-office presence in San Francisco (e.g., robotics roles). The company has 8 locations but emphasizes remote flexibility.
- **Notable Perks**: Opportunity to work on diverse AI/ML projects (LLMs, robotics, efficient ML systems), exposure to multiple startups, and a flat hierarchy with direct access to experienced partners.
- **Engineering Culture**: Strong emphasis on technical excellence, with open roles for Founding Engineer (AI Infra), Research Scientist (Efficient ML), Robotics Software Engineer, and Systems Engineer.

## Sources
1. [LinkedIn – Exponential by Cox](https://linkedin.com/company/exponential-by-cox)
2. [Built In – Cox Exponential](https://builtin.com/company/cox-exponential)
3. [Built In – Cox Exponential Jobs](https://builtin.com/company/cox-exponential/jobs)
4. [The Org – Cox Exponential (CX2)](https://theorg.com/org/cox-exponential-cx2)
5. [RemoteFront – Remote Jobs at Cox Exponential](https://www.remotefront.com/companies/Cox%20Exponential)

## Other roles at Cox Exponential

- [Technical Program Manager at ART Lab](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-program-manager-at-art-lab-cox-exponential-san-mateo-t8dxrg1z17te) — San Mateo, CA
- [Founding Engineer, AI Infra](https://feeny.ai/job/founding-engineer-ai-infra-cox-exponential-san-francisco-bay-area-fx5arytyxdwv) — San Francisco Bay Area, CA
- [Phenix Space, Space Systems Engineer (Electronics & Embedded)](https://feeny.ai/job/phenix-space-space-systems-engineer-electronics-embedded-cox-exponential-san-pj8qc42zgbs5) — San Francisco, CA