---
title: 'Robotics Engineer, Autonomy at Contoro Inc.'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-engineer-autonomy-contoro-inc-austin-07tcy2s2jy6x'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Robotics Engineer, Autonomy at Contoro Inc.

- **Company:** Contoro Inc.
- **Location:** Austin, TX
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-06-08
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/contoro/e360304c-38c7-449b-96b0-cb8486e44d3b

## Job description

JOIN CONTORO ROBOTICS – REVOLUTIONIZING WAREHOUSE AUTOMATION WITH CUTTING-EDGE ROBOTICS

At Contoro Robotics, we're on a mission to solve labor challenges through advanced robotic solutions. Headquartered in Austin, TX, our fast-growing startup is transforming the supply chain industry with our flagship warehouse automation technology. Our team is made up of top-tier experts in robotics, AI, and logistics, working together to push the boundaries of automation.

We’re looking for talented and ambitious individuals to join us on this journey—helping shape the future of robotics while growing alongside a world-class team. If you're passionate about innovation, problem-solving, and making a real-world impact, we want to hear from you!

## ABOUT CONTORO

Contoro Robotics is an Austin based startup focused on warehouse automation. We design a state-of-the-art autonomous truck unloading system capable of lifting boxes over 60 lbs.

## THE ROLE

We are hiring a robotics software engineer to contribute to the motion planning and autonomous behavior systems on our unloading robot. You will work with senior engineers to advance specific autonomy modules - including grasp planning, trajectory execution, collision avoidance, and behavior logic. These systems run in production across a fleet of active robots. You will partner closely with perception, hardware, and operations engineers to deliver reliable picks across a wide range of box configurations.

## RESPONSIBILITIES

- Contribute and advance specific motion planning modules, including grasp planning, trajectory generation, and collision avoidance
- Contribute to the behavior tree that governs the robot's autonomous unloading cycle, including pick selection, drop verification, and error recovery
- Improve pick success rate and cycle time through software changes
- Debug and resolve production issues through remote log analysis and telemetry
- Write and maintain automated tests for motion planning and behavior logic
- Collaborate with perception, hardware, and trajectory optimization engineers on cross-system integration
- Participate in design reviews and contribute to module-level technical decisions

## QUALIFICATIONS

- B.S. or M.S. in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
- 3+ years of professional experience developing software for deployed robotic systems
- Proficiency in C++ and Python in production robotics environments
- Experience with ROS and motion planning frameworks (e.g., MoveIt)
- Working knowledge of kinematics, inverse kinematics, and collision avoidance for manipulators
- Experience with behavior trees or state machines for robot autonomy
- Strong debugging skills and the ability to diagnose issues in production systems
- Familiarity with Linux-based development environments

## PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Experience with industrial manipulators (KUKA, ABB, Fanuc, UR, or similar)
- Familiarity with grasp planning and manipulation under occlusion
- Familiarity with occupancy mapping for collision avoidance
- Experience with Docker-based deployment and cloud-based logging/monitoring
- Prior work in warehouse automation, surgical robotics, logistics, or pick-and-place applications

*Recruitment Agencies: Please do not contact our employees regarding this role. We partner with a select group of approved recruiting firms and do not accept unsolicited outreach or candidate submissions.

## About Contoro Inc.

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Contoro provides an AI-powered, human-in-the-loop robotics service to autonomously unload floor-loaded trailers and shipping containers for the logistics industry.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A)
- **Headquarters**: Austin, Texas, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Youngmok "Mok" Yun (CEO)

## Core Business
- **Primary Industry**: Robotics Engineering / Industrial Automation / Logistics
- **Target Customers**: B2B (warehouses, distribution centers, freight companies, and supply chain operators)
- **Mission**: To transform the future of work by delivering reliable, affordable, and safe robotics solutions, starting with the most physically demanding task in the supply chain – unloading non-palletized boxes from trucks and containers.

## Products & Services
- **Autonomous Container & Trailer Unloading Service**: A robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) offering where a mobile robot autonomously enters a trailer or container, uses a patented articulated gripper (DuoGrasp) and a Kuka industrial arm to unload mixed-SKU boxes (8" to 30" in dimension, up to 65 lbs), and places them onto an onboard conveyor belt. The service is charged per container unloaded, with no upfront capital expense.
- **Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) AI Platform**: A proprietary system that augments the robot's AI with remote human teleoperation for edge cases. This creates a continuous learning loop to improve AI reliability over time, targeting 99%+ success rates required for industrial use.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Total Funding**: USD 22.0 million across 4 rounds:
  - Pre-Seed (2022): USD 1.3M led by Village Global
  - Seed (June 2023): USD 7.2M led by SV Investment Corp
  - Corporate Round: Led by Coupang (amount undisclosed)
  - Series A (April 2025): USD 13.5M led by Doosan Investment
- **Key Metric**: 43 employees (as of mid-2025), with 83.3% year-over-year headcount growth
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Doosan Investment, SV Investment Corp, Coupang, Village Global
- **Growth Signals**: 83.3% YoY headcount growth; active commercial pilot program for qualified customers; presence in the US, South Korea, UAE, and India; 4 active job postings (up 300% YoY).

## Competitive Advantages
- **Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) Reliability**: Contoro's core moat is its ability to handle the "endless edge cases" of trailer unloading (diverse box sizes, containers, and layouts) by combining AI with remote human operators. This guarantees 99%+ reliability in real-world industrial environments, a bar that pure AI solutions struggle to meet.
- **Patented Hardware**: The "DuoGrasp" articulated gripper provides a two-sided box grasp for stability, allowing the robot to handle heavy, multi-dimensional boxes without damage.
- **No-Capex Business Model**: Charging per container unloaded (RaaS) removes the capital barrier for customers, making the service "affordable and predictable" and easy to scale up or down.
- **Rapid Deployment**: The robot's mobile base and built-in connectivity allow it to be moved from dock to dock via remote control or forklift, with "short deployment time & high reliability from day 1."

## Strategic Focus
- **Commercialization & Scaling**: The company is currently accepting qualified customers for a 12-week commercial pilot program, indicating a shift from R&D to market deployment.
- **Vertical Expansion**: While starting with trailer/container unloading, the company's platform is designed to tackle other physically demanding tasks in logistics and beyond.
- **AI Evolution**: Accelerating the AI learning loop through teleoperation data to reduce reliance on human operators over time.

## Why Work Here
- **Cutting-Edge Technology**: Work on real-world AI and robotics problems (perception, motion planning, manipulation) with industrial-grade hardware (Kuka arms).
- **High Growth Trajectory**: A Series A startup with 83% headcount growth and a clear path to commercial scale. The team is small (43 people), offering significant ownership and impact.
- **Culture & Values**: The company emphasizes **Reliability**, **Collaboration**, **Commitment**, **Independent Problem Solving**, and **Contribution**.
- **Benefits**:
  - 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance
  - 401k plan with matching
  - Flexible work hours
  - Pet-friendly office (Austin HQ)
  - Gym membership reimbursement
  - Continuous education support (book purchases, online courses, Lunch & Learns)
  - Employee recognition program with gift card rewards
  - Paid parental and marriage leave
- **Work Model**: Office-based in Austin, Texas with flexible hours. The engineering culture is hands-on, with a focus on building and deploying real hardware.
- **Global Exposure**: Offices in the US, South Korea, UAE, and India.

## Sources
1. [contoro.com](https://contoro.com/)
2. [contoro.com/about-us](https://contoro.com/about-us/)
3. [contoro.com/career](https://contoro.com/career/)
4. [linkedin.com/company/contoro-inc](https://www.linkedin.com/company/contoro-inc)
5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/contoro](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/contoro)

## Other roles at Contoro Inc.

- [Robotics Software Engineer, Autonomy Integration](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-software-engineer-autonomy-integration-contoro-inc-austin-1f0ny694pbcq) — Austin, TX
- [Business Development Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/business-development-manager-contoro-inc-buena-park-st7qdm7tjwmj) — Buena Park, CA
- [Office & People Operations Coordinator](https://feeny.ai/job/office-people-operations-coordinator-contoro-inc-austin-pd6k8ys93tjr) — Austin, TX
- [Robotics Test & Validation Intern](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-test-validation-intern-contoro-inc-austin-nd5td8hgn463) — Austin, TX
- [Sr. Robotics Engineer, Perception](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-robotics-engineer-perception-contoro-inc-austin-w7btpsjbn1qa) — Austin, TX
- [Sr. Robotics Engineer, Motion Planning](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-robotics-engineer-motion-planning-contoro-inc-austin-k7sk7q61jxrg) — Austin, TX
- [Data Engineer, Cloud Platform](https://feeny.ai/job/data-engineer-cloud-platform-contoro-inc-austin-1rh10zprevbv) — Austin, TX
- [Robotics Engineer, Motion Planning](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-engineer-motion-planning-contoro-inc-austin-g1xqjkwb34zj) — Austin, TX