---
title: 'Senior Robotics Control Engineer at Foundry Robotics Inc.'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-robotics-control-engineer-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-h08vzav6496s'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-10'
---

# Senior Robotics Control Engineer at Foundry Robotics Inc.

- **Company:** Foundry Robotics Inc.
- **Location:** San Francisco, CA
- **Compensation:** $150k–$250k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-08-03
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/foundry-robotics/2a99360a-1f90-4d6b-b411-e78b926d14d2

## Job description

## About Us

Foundry Robotics is building an AI-native robotics manufacturing company focused on deploying advanced assembly and production capability for leading robotics companies and national-security-critical hardware. Basically, we’re building robots that build robots. Factory OS is building software that runs factories. Our platform spans cloud backends, on-prem services, and edge devices deployed on the factory floor. The operators, supervisors, and managers who use our tools need interfaces that are fast, reliable, and intuitive—even when network conditions aren’t perfect and the environment is demanding.

## The role

The Senior Robotics Control Engineer will design and develop real-time control systems for advanced robotic manipulators, with a focus on torque control, motion planning, and state estimation. This role involves building optimization-based control algorithms, integrating sensor fusion across multiple sensing modalities, and driving controller performance from simulation through hardware validation. Working closely with the Autonomy, Hardware, and Testing teams, the engineer will develop scalable, high-performance robotics solutions that enable precise, reliable, and intelligent manipulation in real-world environments. Key Responsibilities:

- Design and develop real-time C++ code control of robotic arms, with emphasis on torque control and low impedance.
- Build model-based planning and control components: trajectory optimization, inverse dynamics, and whole-arm motion control.
- Develop state estimation for real-time manipulation, fusing encoders, torque sensors, force-torque sensing, and IMUs.
- Own controller performance end-to-end: simulation validation, hardware bring-up, tuning, and regression testing.
- Design scalable solutions that integrate with Autonomy, Hardware, and Testing systems at Foundry.

## What we're looking for

- 5+ years of experience implementing optimization-based multi-DOF control algorithms (inverse dynamics, trajectory optimization) on real robotic systems
- Experience building state estimation solutions for real-time robotic systems such as (E)KFs, Particle Filters, Factor Graphs, etc.
- Experience with various sensors (encoders, torque sensors, force-torque sensors, IMUs) and sensor fusion
- Deep understanding of spatial kinematics, dynamics, and related mathematical concepts
- A proven track record iterating on complex multi-DOF systems, with emphasis on torque control and low impedance
- Fluency in modern C++ and Python

Additional Qualifications:

- MPC / receding-horizon control on real systems
- Contact-rich manipulation, grasping, or force-controlled assembly
- Rigid-body dynamics libraries (Pinocchio, Drake, MuJoCo) and optimization solvers
- ROS 2 and real-time Linux
- Experience with Machine Learning as it relates to control or state estimation (learned dynamics models, residual policies, imitation learning)

Why Join Us? This is one of the only places where world-class manufacturing operators, mechanical engineers, robotics researchers, and software engineers sit in the same room — building production systems together. We are committed to being deeply embedded in the U.S. industrial base. Our focus is simple: build adaptive robotic assembly systems that make American manufacturing scalable, resilient, and competitive again. The base salary range for this full-time position, based in San Francisco, is: $150,000—$250,000 USD Compensation packages at Foundry Robotics for eligible roles include base salary, equity, and benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position, determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, interview performance, and relevant education or training. Foundry Robotics employees in eligible roles are also granted equity based compensation, subject to Board of Director approval. You’ll also receive benefits including, but not limited to: Comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, and generous PTO.

Foundry Robotics is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.

## About Foundry Robotics Inc.

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Foundry Robotics is an AI-first, assembly-focused robotics company rebuilding American manufacturing with advanced automation and production systems.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed stage)
- **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2026
- **Founders**: Adarsh Kulkarni

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Robotics Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing, Defense & Dual-Use Contract Manufacturing
- **Target customers**: B2B, primarily defense contractors, hardware startups, and industrial companies needing flexible, small-to-medium scale assembly
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "AI-first, assembly-focused robotics that rebuilds American manufacturing—faster, more flexible, and ready for what’s next."

## Products & Services
- **Battery Pack Assembly**: Small to medium-scale battery pack assembly that streamlines the path from prototype to full-scale production, enabling faster iteration and secure domestic manufacturing.
- **Advanced Hardware Sub-Assemblies**: Rapid construction of complex mechanical assemblies for next-generation and legacy hardware using AI-driven robotic cells, eliminating the need for bespoke factories.
- **Defense & Dual-Use Robotics**: Modular robotic cells for defense and dual-use applications that enable rapid assembly of critical infrastructure through secure and resilient American supply chains.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding — $19M in seed funding (announced April 2026)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Khosla Ventures, Hanabi Capital, Red Glass Ventures, Zero Shot Fund
- **Growth Signals**: The company has grown from 14 employees to over 20 builders in a short period, with a monthly headcount growth rate of +26.7%. It opened its San Francisco HQ in May 2026, just 21 days after the space was still being opened with a sledgehammer. Website traffic is growing +128.4% month-over-month.

## Competitive Advantages
- **AI-first, assembly-focused approach**: Unlike traditional contract manufacturers that require bespoke factories, Foundry uses modular, AI-driven robotic cells that can be rapidly reconfigured for different products.
- **Dual-use capability**: Serving both defense and commercial applications, which opens up a large addressable market and provides mission-driven work.
- **Speed of iteration**: The company can go from prototype to full-scale production faster than traditional manufacturers, as demonstrated by opening its HQ in under a month.
- **Team pedigree**: The founding team includes talent from Tesla, Blue Origin, Scale AI, Google DeepMind, and the UPenn GRASP Lab.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scaling the engineering and manufacturing platform**: The company is actively hiring across robotics, AI, software, operations, and quality engineering roles to scale its platform.
- **Rebuilding American manufacturing**: Foundry is focused on creating a domestic, secure, and resilient supply chain for critical infrastructure, particularly for defense and dual-use applications.
- **Rapid iteration and deployment**: The company prioritizes speed, moving from concept to production floor in weeks, not years.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven work**: Employees directly contribute to rebuilding American manufacturing and strengthening national security through advanced robotics.
- **High-caliber team**: The team includes builders from Tesla, Blue Origin, Scale AI, Google DeepMind, and the UPenn GRASP Lab, offering a steep learning curve and exposure to cutting-edge technology.
- **Hybrid workspace**: The company operates a hybrid model with a strong in-office presence at its San Francisco HQ, which includes a factory floor where robots are built and deployed.
- **Early-stage impact**: As a seed-stage company, employees have significant ownership and influence over the product, culture, and direction of the company.
- **Rapid growth environment**: With a 26.7% monthly headcount growth rate and a focus on scaling, the company offers fast-paced career growth opportunities.

## Sources
1. [foundryrobotics.ai](https://foundryrobotics.ai/)
2. [LinkedIn - Foundry Robotics](https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundry-robotics)
3. [Built In - Foundry Robotics](https://builtin.com/company/foundry-robotics)
4. [Remix Reality - Foundry Robotics Raises $19 Million](https://www.remixreality.com/foundry-robotics-raises-19-million-to-build-ai-first-robotics-for-manufacturing/)
5. [Ashby - Foundry Robotics Careers](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/foundry-robotics)

## Other roles at Foundry Robotics Inc.

- [Founding Marketing Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/founding-marketing-lead-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-72p3hewtt90m) — San Francisco, CA
- [Network Engineer, Autonomous Factory](https://feeny.ai/job/network-engineer-autonomous-factory-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-d0q4ta3kfnwv) — San Francisco, CA
- [Infrastructure Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/infrastructure-engineer-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-jhhav7qbccvg) — San Francisco, CA
- [Physical AI Deployment Strategist](https://feeny.ai/job/physical-ai-deployment-strategist-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-zze5bv4das57) — San Francisco, CA
- [Head of Security](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-security-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-352vqv4gk28v) — San Francisco, CA
- [Head of Talent](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-talent-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-terq8j6fpkkw) — San Francisco, CA
- [Lead Robotics Platform Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-robotics-platform-engineer-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-xzw9gcg2b008) — San Francisco, CA
- [Staff Full-Stack Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-full-stack-software-engineer-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-zaamfcr5f34y) — San Francisco, CA
- [Senior Quality Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-quality-engineer-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-r3bjndngc4xy) — San Francisco, CA
- [Head of Supply Chain](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-supply-chain-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-01ct9d3hjbtt) — San Francisco, CA