Robot System Testing Engineer at Maven Robotics (San Francisco Bay Area California, United States)

Maven Robotics· San Francisco Bay Area California, United States·3d ago

Job description

We are looking to recruit an exceptional Robot System Testing Engineer to lead our efforts in testing and validating our robotic systems.

In this role you will:

Define test strategy including what needs to be tested at the full system vs unit level.
Execute tests in simulation and on robot, and report results back to the design teams.
Distribute test cases between simulation and real robot environments.
Work with the Simulation team to standup requiring capabilities in sim.
Develop testing and reporting utilities.
Define and manage the SW version approval pipeline for our field deployment

You will be working closely with Controls, Autonomy, and Integration teams

Must-have:

Bachelors of Science (B.S.) in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
Familiarity with operating robotic systems in safety critical environments.
Deep experience defining system level validation plans.
Proficiency with C++/Python programming languages and familiarity with ROS2 and Linux-based development and debugging environments.
Working knowledge of common robotics networking and communication protocols (e.g., CANOpen, EtherCAT, UART).
Familiarity with robotics simulation tools like Gazebo and IsaacSim.

Nice-to-have:

Masters of Science (B.S.) in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
Experience with Hardware in the Loop (HIL) simulators and simulation environments
Experience defining and executing test plans for general purpose robotics solutions in a production context.

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