--- title: 'Robotic Operations Technician at Rugged Robotics' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/robotic-operations-technician-rugged-robotics-houston-7jqk53bkspvm' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-16' --- # Robotic Operations Technician at Rugged Robotics - **Company:** Rugged Robotics - **Location:** Houston, TX - **Posted:** 2022-04-08 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-16 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/ruggedrobotics/jobs/4009766005 ## Job description Robotic Operations Technician ## About Rugged Robotics At Rugged Robotics, we’re on a mission to modernize commercial construction with innovative, reliable solutions that transform how projects are built. Through automation and precision, we empower crews to deliver work faster, safer, and smarter. Joining our team means more than just building and operating robots; it’s an opportunity to help reshape an industry that touches every community. We’re looking for curious builders and problem-solvers who are ready to embrace responsibility, tackle challenges directly, and grow as part of a collaborative, multidisciplinary team. ## Role Overview The operations team is the face of Rugged Robotics in the field. They bring our mission to life by deploying our robots and supporting customers hands-on to deliver a consistent, precise, and reliable layout. As a Robotic Operations Technician, your primary responsibility will be operating robots at customers’ job sites, dynamically blending technology, teamwork, and a solution-oriented mindset to have a direct impact on how projects get built. When not in the field, you’ll work from our Houston HQ in East Downtown, preparing for the next project while sharing insights from the field that inform our engineering roadmap and sales process. ## What You’ll Do - Travel frequently (up to 90%) across the United States to deploy and operate our robot on active construction sites - Use a tablet to operate and monitor robotic systems - Troubleshoot technical issues (mechanical, electrical, or software-related) on the spot - Collaborate with the engineering team to report field insights and propose product improvements - Become an expert in our system to deliver accurate layouts to customers - Represent Rugged Robotics professionally and confidently while on-site with clients You Are - Energized by extensive travel (up to 90%) and hands-on work with customers in the field - An effective communicator who builds trust with stakeholders both on-site and at HQ - Motivated to deliver exceptional service that consistently exceeds customer expectations - Thrive on learning new technologies and expanding your knowledge of robotic systems across software, mechanical, and electrical disciplines - Proactive about improving tools, processes, and customer experiences through initiative and problem-solving ## Requirements - Authorized to work in the U.S. - Based in (or willing to relocate to) Houston, TX - Hold a valid U.S. driver’s license - Willing to frequently travel on domestic U.S. airlines (up to 90% of the time) - Able to transport robots and equipment as needed - Comfortable working outdoors in all weather conditions on active construction sites - Capable of navigating uneven ground, scaffolding, ladders, and stairs - Prepared to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) for extended periods - Physically capable of performing essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation Great to Have - Strong communication and customer service instincts - Exposure to mechanical design, assembly, scripting, or electrical wiring - Previous experience with robotics, automation, or complex machinery - Past field experience in construction or other technical environments - Prior exposure to mechanical design, assembly, software scripting (Python a plus), and electrical wiring ## Perks - Full-time, Competitive Salary with equity - Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance - Flexible Paid Vacation from day one - Paid Parental Leave - Life Insurance - 401k Plan available Join Our Talent Community Interested in Rugged Robotics but don't tick all the boxes? Don't see a role that meets your skills? Reach out, let us know how you think you can contribute to the team, and define your own position. Rugged Robotics is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we value diversity at our company. All qualified candidates will receive consideration regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, identity, age, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or other protected legal status. ## About Rugged Robotics ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Rugged Robotics provides a robot-powered layout service for construction projects, printing detailed interior layouts directly onto concrete floors with pinpoint precision. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series A) - **Headquarters**: Houston, Texas, United States - **Founded**: 2018 - **Founders**: Logan Farrell (Co-Founder & CTO); additional co-founders not publicly named ## Core Business - Primary industry: Construction technology (construction robotics) - Target customers: B2B – general contractors, concrete contractors, and construction firms that need fast, accurate floor layouts for framing, MEP, and finishes. - Mission or purpose statement: “Empower the construction industry to build better by innovating new approaches to tough problems using automation.” (from Greenhouse careers page) ## Products & Services - **Robot-Powered Layout Service**: A fully self-contained robotic system that parses digital design data (CAD models) and prints life-size layouts onto concrete slabs. Delivered as a service – the company deploys its robots and operators to job sites, replacing manual chalk lines and total stations. Faster, more accurate, and information-rich (e.g., includes annotations for penetrations, column lines, etc.). ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed - **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue $2.3M (as per LinkedIn); Total Funding $11.9M - **Funding History**: - Pre-Seed (2018, amount undisclosed, 1 investor) - Seed ($2.5M, 2019‑09‑10, 2 investors) - Series A ($9.4M, 2022‑03‑23, led by Brick & Mortar Ventures and Bold Capital Partners, 9 investors) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Brick & Mortar Ventures, Bold Capital Partners - **Growth Signals**: - Headcount grew 43.8% YoY (to 39 employees) - LinkedIn followers grew 31.5% in the past year - Open roles in engineering, operations, and business development indicate scaling beyond initial deployment ## Competitive Advantages - **First mover in robotic layout**: World’s first fully self-contained robotic system for printing construction layouts on concrete; replaces error-prone manual methods. - **Speed and precision**: Pinpoint accuracy (no total‑station sight constraints) and faster results than chalk lines – reduces rework and installation time. - **Digital‑to‑physical workflow**: Parses CAD models directly, eliminating hand‑measured marking and data transcription errors. - **Full‑service model**: Company operates the robots, so customers don’t need to invest in or maintain hardware, lowering adoption barriers. ## Strategic Focus - Scaling the layout service to more projects and regions, likely expanding the fleet and hiring field operations roles. - Deepening integration with construction workflows (BIM, VDC) to provide richer data on layouts. - Building a robust engineering team to further automate and improve the platform (see open roles for robotics software, electrical/computer engineering, and manufacturing engineering). ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Fast‑paced startup where employees “take on many roles and wear many hats” (Greenhouse careers page). Mission‑driven to solve real construction pain points. - **Team**: 39 employees, 52% in technical roles, with alumni from NASA, Lockheed Martin, Turner Construction, Rice University – a mix of robotics, aerospace, and construction expertise. - **Work style**: Office/hybrid likely in Houston (multiple Houston locations). Field roles (Robotic Operations Technician, Field Surveyor) involve on‑site work. - **Perks & environment**: Chance to design, build, and deploy hardware and software that goes directly to live construction sites. Tech stack includes Python, TypeScript, Django, React, Kubernetes, MySQL, and more – modern engineering tools. - **Growth**: 43% headcount growth in the past year; opportunity to shape the company as it scales. ## Sources 1. [rugged-robotics.com – Home](https://rugged-robotics.com/) 2. [rugged-robotics.com – About](https://rugged-robotics.com/about/) 3. [rugged-robotics.com – Careers](https://rugged-robotics.com/about/careers/) 4. [LinkedIn – Rugged Robotics](https://www.linkedin.com/company/rugged-robotics) 5. [Greenhouse – Jobs at Rugged Robotics](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/ruggedrobotics) ## Other roles at Rugged Robotics - [Robotic Software Intern/Co-op (Spring or Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/robotic-software-intern-co-op-spring-or-summer-2027-rugged-robotics-houston-an8ng850yr8z) — Houston, TX - [Mechanical Engineering Intern/Co-op (Spring or Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineering-intern-co-op-spring-or-summer-2027-rugged-robotics-d3n5e10bg0mq) — Houston, TX - [Electrical Engineering Intern/Co-op (Spring or Summer '27)](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineering-intern-co-op-spring-or-summer-27-rugged-robotics-houston-6t6qb2fy85p1) — Houston, TX