---
title: 'Software Engineer - Humanoid Sim-to-Real at Apptronik'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-humanoid-sim-to-real-apptronik-austin-834f751nrapv'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-10'
---

# Software Engineer - Humanoid Sim-to-Real at Apptronik

- **Company:** Apptronik
- **Location:** Austin, TX
- **Posted:** 2026-11-03
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-10
- **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/apptronik/jobs/6240627004?gh_jid=6240627004

## Job description

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Our flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is built to collaborate thoughtfully with people, starting with critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond.

We operate at the cutting edge of Applied AI, applying our expertise across the full robotics stack to solve some of society's most important problems. You will join a team dedicated to bringing Apollo to market at scale, tackling the complex challenges like safety, commercialization, and mass production to change the world for the better.

## JOB SUMMARY

Apptronik is building robots for the real world — to improve human quality of life and help solve the ever-increasing labor shortage. As a Controls Engineer – Actuation on our Controls team, you will own both the actuator models that make our simulation trustworthy and the actuator-level control that runs on real hardware — closing the loop from bench characterization and system identification, through simulator integration, to controller design, tuning, and deployment. You will pair deep motor electromechanics and system-identification skill with strong C++/Python engineering, working hand in hand with our Controls, Firmware, and Simulation teams so that both model fidelity and control performance are driven by how they are actually used on the robot.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

- Develop and maintain high-fidelity actuator models in simulation, capturing the physical behaviors (friction, compliance, thermal, torque and current limits) that meaningfully affect real-world performance.
- Design, tune, and deploy actuator-level control — closed-loop torque and current control and the low-level control that turns commands into reliable joint behavior on hardware.
- Design and run hardware test campaigns to characterize actuator behavior and extract the parameters that keep both the models and the controllers accurate.
- Apply system identification to extract trustworthy physical models from experimental data, and use those models to inform controller design and gain selection.
- Quantitatively validate sim-to-real fidelity — for both the models and the controllers — using appropriate comparison metrics, and understand the limitations of each.
- Build and maintain robust Python/C++ tooling for experiment automation, model extraction, controller tuning, and simulator integration.
- Partner with the Controls team throughout — aligning on the fidelity and control performance actually needed, how model and controller choices ripple into training and policy performance, and where the actuator layer is the root cause of a sim-to-real gap.
- Support hardware bring-up and deployment, translating validated models and controllers into real robot configuration.

## SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

- Strong C++, including comfort extending a simulator or physics-engine codebase — not just consuming one through a Python interface.
- Deep grounding in motor electromechanics and classical control — closed-loop torque/current control, controller design and tuning, and frequency-domain analysis (e.g. Bode plots, stability margins).
- Hands-on actuator or servo control on real hardware: designing, tuning, and validating low-level controllers, informed by system identification.
- Hands-on system identification and modeling: structured experiment design and model fitting from real data that feeds both simulation and control.
- Proficiency in Python (test automation, data analysis, tooling) and a track record shipping maintainable code under Git in a fast-moving R&D environment.
- Comfortable working cross-functionally with controls engineers — focused on how your models and controllers get used, not just whether they fit the data.
- Preferred: experience with dynamometers, motor test stands, and lab instrumentation; motor thermal modeling and gearbox efficiency / backlash characterization; real-time actuator communication protocols and embedded / firmware control; a modern robotics simulator (MuJoCo, Isaac Sim/Lab, Brax) and sim-to-real validation workflows; and Docker with GPU/cloud experiment infrastructure.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

- BS in Robotics, ME, EE, CS, or a related field + 4 years of relevant experience; MS in a related field + 2 years of relevant experience; or a PhD in a related field.
- Prior humanoid or legged-robot experience is strongly preferred.

## PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
- Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
- Hearing and speech to communicate

*This is a direct hire.  Please, no outside Agency solicitations.

Apptronik provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

## About Apptronik

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Apptronik builds advanced humanoid robots for real-world industrial applications, starting with manufacturing and warehousing, to address labor shortages and improve human productivity.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Funding Stage: Series A)
- **Headquarters**: Austin, Texas, United States
- **Founded**: 2016
- **Founders**: Founded as a spinout from the Human Centered Robotics Lab at the University of Texas at Austin; leadership includes CEO Jeff Cardenas and CTO Nicholas Paine

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Robot Manufacturing, Humanoid Robotics, Industrial Automation, Artificial Intelligence
- Target customers: B2B / Enterprise — manufacturing facilities, warehousing and logistics operators, supply chain organizations
- Mission or purpose statement: “It is not Man vs. Machine, but Man + Machine” — building robots that empower humans to live to their fullest potential by solving labor shortages and reducing physical strain.

## Products & Services
- **[Apollo Humanoid Robot Platform]**: A full-electric, bipedal humanoid robot designed for industrial use. Combines advanced hardware, embodied AI, and fleet-level management software. Current applications include material handling, line-side tasks, palletizing, case picking, trailer unloading, and inspection. Built as a scalable platform that can extend into healthcare, eldercare, and home environments over time. (Type: Hardware + SaaS Platform)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Annual Revenue**: ~$3.5 million (estimated)
- **Total Funding**: ~$963.8 million (includes a Seed Round of $14.6M in 2022, a Corporate Round in 2025, and an undisclosed Series A round; notable investors include Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Google)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Google, Terex, Humanoid Global
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 98.1% year-over-year to 334 employees (2026 data). Named to the **2026 CNBC Disruptor 50** list. Recognized on the **Best Places to Work** list (2024, 2025). Won the **2025 IEEE Robotics & Automation Product Innovation Award**. Named **Most Innovative** (2025). Active job postings increased 238.5% year-over-year (88 open roles). Acquired Elevate Robotics Inc.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Deep heritage**: Spun out of UT Austin’s Human Centered Robotics Lab; team dates back to the DARPA Robotics Challenge (2015) and includes ex-NASA collaborators.
- **Full-stack vertical integration**: Covers hardware, embodied AI, and fleet-level management software — a complete, scalable platform rather than a one-off robot.
- **Safe, human-centric design**: Built for human environments from the ground up, with a focus on reducing physical strain and complementing human workers, not replacing them.
- **Early enterprise traction**: Active partnerships with major industrial players like Mercedes-Benz and Terex, proving real-world deployment over lab demos.

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling Apollo for manufacturing and warehouse deployment (current core market).
- Expanding into more complex environments: construction, healthcare, eldercare, and the home.
- Continuous hardware and software upgrades (CEO Jeff Cardenas calls humanoid robotics “the space race of our time” and has signaled major upgrades to Apollo).
- Building out fleet-level tools for multi-robot management and learning.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven**: Work on the frontier of humanoid robotics with a stated ethos of “Man + Machine” — robots that improve human quality of life.
- **High-growth environment**: Doubled headcount year-over-year with massive funding and expanding job postings; strong career growth potential.
- **Culture values**: Passion, creativity, collaboration, integrity, curiosity, and humility are explicitly stated as core values.
- **Perks & Benefits**:
  - Flexible PTO (open, unlimited)
  - 401k retirement plan
  - Comprehensive Medical, Dental & Vision coverage
  - Parental leave
  - Flexible work hours
  - Collaborative and innovative work environment
- **Remote/Hybrid Policy**: Not explicitly stated; 77% of workforce is in the United States (majority in Austin HQ). Specific roles may vary, but the company promotes a collaborative environment.
- **Talent sources**: Attracts talent from top robotics and tech companies — SpaceX, Tesla, Fox Robotics, Agility Robotics, Apple, iRobot, Neocis, and top universities (UT Austin).
- **Employee rating**: 3.9/5.0 on employer reviews (Work-Life: 3.5, Career: 3.7).

## Sources
1. [apptronik.com](https://apptronik.com/) — Company homepage
2. [apptronik.com/about-us](https://apptronik.com/about-us) — About Us / History / Mission
3. [apptronik.com/careers](https://apptronik.com/careers?gh_src=B+Capital+job+board) — Careers page / Perks & Culture
4. [apptronik.com/careers/job-listings](https://apptronik.com/careers/job-listings) — Open job listings
5. [linkedin.com/company/apptronik-inc.](https://www.linkedin.com/company/apptronik-inc.) — LinkedIn company profile (revenue, headcount, funding, employee breakdown)

## Other roles at Apptronik

- [Senior HR Business Partner](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-hr-business-partner-apptronik-austin-m10yrn7dektt) — Austin, TX
- [Staff Software Engineer, ML](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-software-engineer-ml-apptronik-sunnyvale-45b09qbzcycm) — Sunnyvale, CA
- [Director of Enterprise Security](https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-enterprise-security-apptronik-austin-rwhpbrezgrhz) — Austin, TX
- [Mechanical Engineer - Actuation](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-actuation-apptronik-austin-g246cp3x7fjz) — Austin, TX
- [Manager, Talent Acquisition Operations](https://feeny.ai/job/manager-talent-acquisition-operations-apptronik-austin-c3bxf2atkzx8) — Austin, TX
- [Senior PCBA Design Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-pcba-design-engineer-apptronik-sunnyvale-0r6crmmx98d4) — Sunnyvale, CA
- [Senior Industrial Designer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-industrial-designer-apptronik-austin-jdgsvz4a1tgr) — Austin, TX
- [Senior / Staff Sim-to-Real Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-staff-sim-to-real-engineer-apptronik-austin-gk7fhwf3907t) — Austin, TX
- [Engineering Manager - Controls](https://feeny.ai/job/engineering-manager-controls-apptronik-austin-xdqepp25s218) — Austin, TX
- [Senior Design Engineer - Electromagnetic (R&D)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-design-engineer-electromagnetic-r-d-apptronik-austin-92q30vmm0nm2) — Austin, TX