Gecko Robotics

Robotics Software Engineer at Gecko Robotics (Pittsburgh, PA)

Gecko Robotics· Pittsburgh, PA·

Role details

Work type
Onsite
Employment
Full-Time

Job description

WHAT WE DO

Gecko Robotics is helping the world’s most important organizations ensure the availability, reliability, and sustainability of critical infrastructure. Gecko's complete and connected solutions combine wall-climbing robots, industry-leading sensors, and an AI-powered data platform to provide customers with a unique window into the current and future health of their physical assets. This enables real-time decision making to increase the efficiency and safety of operations, promote mission readiness, and protect the environment and civilization from the effects of infrastructure failure.

ROLE AT A GLANCE

Gecko Robotics is building production-grade robotic manipulation systems that embed intelligent inspection directly into active manufacturing environments. In this role, you will architect and develop ROS2-based control, perception, and motion planning systems for 6-axis articulated manipulators operating in real-world industrial settings. These robotic systems integrate a wide range of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) methods and sensing and optimize inspection throughput, improve product quality, and enable better downstream manufacturing decisions.

Given the work you'll be doing on some of our impactful government projects, you must also be eligible for a US clearance.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

  • Architect and evolve Gecko’s ROS2-based control framework and planning systems for articulated manipulators
  • Develop perception-driven motion planning using visual and other sensor inputs
  • Design closed-loop inspect → analyze → rework workflows
  • Optimize robotic inspection throughput within active manufacturing lines
  • Own system-level integration between robot control stack, industrial hardware and Gecko’s inspection software
  • Support system deployment and validation in production environments

TECHNOLOGIES WE USE

Our robotic systems are currently built on a ROS2 framework and integrate motion planning from MoveIt for brand agnostic control of 6-axis articulated manipulators.

  • Core stack: ROS2, Python, C++
  • Planning & simulation: MoveIt, RoboDK, Roboguide, RobotStudio
  • Hardware platforms: Fanuc CRX, Yaskawa, ABB industrial manipulators
  • Both off the shelf sensors and custom designed sensing payloads for NDT

REQUIRED SKILLS

  • 5+ years experience developing production robotics software in C++ and/or Python
  • Strong experience with ROS2-based robotic systems
  • Experience with motion planning frameworks (MoveIt2)
  • Experience integrating perception systems (vision, 3D sensors) into robotic workflows
  • Ability to work across software and hardware boundaries in industrial environments

PREFERRED

  • Experience programming industrial 6-axis articulated robots (FANUC, ABB, Yaskawa)
  • Familiarity with PLCs and industrial communication protocols

WHO WE ARE

At Gecko, our people are our greatest investment. In addition to competitive compensation packages, we offer company equity, 401(k) matching, gender-neutral parental leave, full medical, dental, and vision insurance, mental health, ongoing professional development, family planning assistance, and flexible paid time off.

Gecko values collaboration, innovation, and partnership, and we believe we do our best work when we're together in person. We’re an office-first culture but understand that sometimes you may need to work from home. Many people are in the office five days a week, others need a bit more flexibility. Ultimately, we care about the outcomes we achieve - and creating a culture of autonomy and trust that enables that impact.

Gecko is committed to creating a culture of inclusion and belonging, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  We believe it is our collective responsibility to uphold these values and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to join us in our mission to protect today’s infrastructure and give form to tomorrow’s. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law. If you are passionate about what you do and want to use your talents to support our critical mission, we’d love to hear from you.

Why work at Gecko Robotics

  • High-impact work: Engineers and operators work on problems that directly affect national security, energy reliability, and industrial safety. "Your work unlocks solutions at the bedrock of the world’s most critical industries." — Careers Page
  • Culture: Described as "Rust on our boots, dirt under our nails" — hands-on, gritty, real-world engineering. The team is driven by solving complex physical-world problems.
  • Hybrid/Office: Offices in Pittsburgh (HQ), Houston, Boston, New York City, and Abu Dhabi. Field roles are heavily on-site.
  • Engineering culture: Strong emphasis on Forward Deployed Engineers (builders in the field), robotics, software, and 3D visualization. Engineering culture is described as ambitious, autonomous, and impact-focused.
  • Talent sources: Frequent hires from Palantir, Amazon, Meta, Tesla, Carnegie Mellon, Aurora, and US Navy — indicating a culture of high-performance and technical rigor.
  • Notable perks:
    • Company is at the frontier of AI + Robotics with a $1.25B valuation and strong government contracts
    • Opportunities for field deployment to customer sites (power plants, naval bases, oil rigs)
    • Open roles include: Forward Deployed Engineer, Robot Field Operator, Software Engineer (3D Visualization), Product Security Engineer, NDT Specialist — LinkedIn

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