---
title: 'VP Engineering at Lightspeed'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/vp-engineering-lightspeed-northbrook-asdjbkqf4h5g'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-03'
---

# VP Engineering at Lightspeed

- **Company:** Lightspeed
- **Location:** Northbrook, IL
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-07-23
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-03
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/lightspeed/855de84e-0350-49ec-84f8-ff2b5ec909ab

## Job description

## ABOUT LIGHTSPEED

LightSpeed Build Technologies is revolutionizing the construction industry through AI-powered robotics. Our flagship systems—BRUTE for automated wall panel manufacturing and DEX for on-site collaborative construction—are addressing the global housing crisis by delivering unprecedented speed, precision, and affordability in homebuilding.

## POSITION OVERVIEW

As Vice President of Engineering, you will lead LightSpeed’s engineering organization and own the execution of our robotics platform from development through production deployment. This is a hands-on technical leadership role, not a strategy-only position. You will write and review code, make real-time architecture decisions, debug production systems, and directly manage a team of robotics, AI/ML, computer vision, and hardware engineers. You will be responsible for shipping reliable, high-performance robotic systems as we scale from 3 deployed cells to 100+ over the next 18 months.

The ideal candidate has deep personal experience in industrial robotics (ROS2, MoveIt2, motion planning), a track record of building and leading engineering teams in hardware-intensive environments, and the drive to operate as a player-coach at a fast-moving startup.

## WHAT YOU'LL WORK ON:

Engineering Execution & Technical Leadership

- Own the full robotics software stack: ROS2-based control, motion planning (MoveIt2), multi-robot coordination, sensor integration, and deployment tooling
- Make hands-on architecture and design decisions for real-time control systems, robot coordination, and production infrastructure
- Write and review code in Python and C++ for robotics applications, control loops, and system integration
- Debug complex production issues across software, hardware, and networking layers in deployed robotic cells
- Drive technical standards for code quality, testing, CI/CD, and release management across the engineering org
- Evaluate and select technology platforms, tools, and frameworks for robotics, AI/ML, and infrastructure

## Team Building & Management

- Directly manage and mentor a multidisciplinary engineering team (currently ~10 engineers across robotics, AI/ML, computer vision, and hardware)
- Hire, onboard, and develop engineers as the team scales to support 100+ cell deployments
- Establish engineering processes, sprint cadences, and development workflows that balance speed with reliability
- Foster a high-accountability, low-bureaucracy engineering culture focused on shipping production-ready systems
- Conduct regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and technical growth planning for direct reports

Production Robotics & Scaling

- Ensure deployed LPDC cells meet uptime, precision, and throughput targets in production environments
- Lead the transition from monolithic application architecture to scalable, multi-cell systems supporting 100+ deployments
- Develop monitoring, alerting, and diagnostic tooling for remote management of distributed robotic cells
- Collaborate with Operations on cell deployment, commissioning, and field support processes
- Drive continuous improvement in robot cycle times, position accuracy, and system reliability

Cross-Functional Collaboration

- Partner with the CEO and executive team on technical feasibility, timelines, and resource planning
- Coordinate with Operations and Project Management on deployment schedules and customer requirements
- Support sales with technical due diligence, customer demos, and integration planning
- Provide engineering input to fundraising materials and investor conversations as needed

## REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Robotics & Technical Expertise

- 8+ years of hands-on robotics engineering, with direct experience programming and deploying industrial or collaborative robot systems
- Deep proficiency with ROS2 architecture, MoveIt2/MoveIt Pro for motion planning, and real-time robot control
- Strong programming skills in Python and C++ for robotics applications
- Experience with industrial robot platforms (Hyundai, FANUC, ABB, KUKA, Universal Robots, or similar)
- Understanding of DDS middleware, real-time communication, and industrial networking protocols (EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP)
- Hands-on experience with robotics simulation tools (MuJoCo, IsaacSIM, Gazebo) and sim-to-real deployment
- Working knowledge of sensor integration: LIDAR, depth cameras, force/torque sensors, encoders

Leadership & Team Management

- 3+ years leading or managing engineering teams (10+ engineers), including hiring, performance management, and mentorship
- Track record of shipping production systems in hardware-intensive, real-time environments
- Experience scaling engineering teams and processes through rapid growth phases
- Ability to context-switch between hands-on technical work and people management without losing effectiveness in either
- Strong communication skills for translating technical status and risk to non-technical stakeholders

## PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

- Experience with multi-robot coordination and distributed robotic systems
- Background in automated manufacturing, industrial automation, or construction technology
- Familiarity with AI/ML integration in robotics (computer vision, reinforcement learning, predictive maintenance)
- Experience with production monitoring, DevOps, and CI/CD for robotics deployments
- Contributions to open-source robotics projects (ROS2, MoveIt, or related)
- Startup or high-growth company experience where you built engineering processes from scratch
- MS or PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field

## WHY JOIN LIGHTSPEED:

- Lead a high-caliber engineering team building robots that address the global housing crisis
- Hands-on technical leadership: this role stays close to the metal, not trapped in meetings
- Direct impact on scaling from 3 to 1,000 deployed robotic cells
- Work with production robots, sensors, and real manufacturing environments daily
- Competitive compensation including salary, equity participation, and comprehensive benefits

## EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP

This position is at-will, meaning either you or the Company may terminate employment at any time, with or without cause or notice.

## EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

LightSpeed Build Technologies is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and experiences.

## About Lightspeed

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Lightspeed uses robotics and AI to manufacture precision-engineered panels and components for residential construction, aiming to build homes faster, smarter, and more affordably.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Startup)
- **Headquarters**: Northbrook, Illinois, United States
- **Founded**: Not publicly available (likely 2023-2024 based on current operations)
- **Founders**: Biju Kulathakal (serial entrepreneur behind Redbox and Halo Investing)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Construction Technology (Contech), Robotics, AI-Powered Manufacturing
- **Target customers**: Homebuilders, real estate developers, construction firms (B2B)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "Housing for All" — building homes smarter, faster, and more affordable with robotics and AI.

## Products & Services
- **BRUTE Robotic System**: A robotic system designed for heavy-duty construction tasks, targeting a 50% reduction in build time versus traditional methods.
- **DEX Robotic System**: A precision robotic system for detailed assembly and finishing work.
- **AI-Powered Design & Engineering**: Proprietary AI algorithms that analyze architectural drawings to automatically generate optimized construction sequences, material lists, and robotic instructions.
- **Precision-Engineered Panels**: Prefabricated wall and floor panels manufactured to tight tolerances, enabling faster on-site assembly and reduced errors.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Not publicly available (likely pre-revenue or early-stage; funding status unknown)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Founder Biju Kulathakal previously founded Redbox and Halo Investing, suggesting strong investor connections, but no specific investors are named for Lightspeed.
- **Growth Signals**: The company is actively hiring (careers page on Ashby), signaling growth. They claim to target 70% reduction in construction errors, 20-30% labor cost savings, and 25% reduction in material waste.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Robotic Precision**: Claims tolerances "impossible with manual framing" — a significant differentiator in an industry where quality varies widely.
- **Founder Credibility**: Biju Kulathakal has a proven track record building Redbox (a massive kiosk network) and Halo Investing (a fintech platform), suggesting ability to scale.
- **Integrated AI-to-Robotics Pipeline**: Full vertical integration from architectural drawing analysis to robotic manufacturing, reducing human error and rework.
- **Sustainability Angle**: Precision manufacturing reduces construction waste by ~25%, aligning with ESG trends in real estate.

## Strategic Focus
- **Offsite Construction**: The company is riding the McKinsey-predicted trend that 20% of homes will be built offsite in the US by 2030.
- **Speed & Labor Reduction**: Core value prop is cutting build time in half and reducing labor dependency — critical as construction labor shortages worsen.
- **Scaling Manufacturing**: Likely focused on expanding production capacity at their Northbrook facility and proving the technology with initial clients.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven**: "Housing for All" offers a tangible social impact — helping solve the housing affordability crisis through technology.
- **Founder Led**: Working directly with a serial entrepreneur who has scaled companies to national prominence.
- **Cutting-Edge Tech**: Hands-on work with robotics, computer vision, AI, and advanced manufacturing — appealing for engineers and operators.
- **Early-Stage Impact**: As a likely early-stage company, employees can wear multiple hats and shape the product and culture from the ground up.
- **Location**: Northbrook, IL (northern suburb of Chicago) offers a suburban office environment with access to Chicago's talent pool.
- **Work Policy**: Not explicitly stated, but the nature of robotics manufacturing suggests a strong on-site presence for hardware roles.

**Note**: There is a separate, publicly traded company called Lightspeed Commerce (NYSE: LSPD, TSX: LSPD) that provides POS and e-commerce software. This profile is for Lightspeed (lightspeed.build), the robotics construction startup. Do not confuse the two.

## Sources
1. [lightspeed.build](https://lightspeed.build/)
2. [lightspeed.build/about-us](https://lightspeed.build/about-us)
3. [lightspeed.build/contact-us](https://lightspeed.build/contact-us)
4. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/lightspeed](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/lightspeed)

## Other roles at Lightspeed

- [AI & Machine Learning Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/ai-machine-learning-engineer-lightspeed-northbrook-1y6qs3f9075m) — Northbrook, IL
- [Robotics Integration/Controls Engineer (Full-Stack Capable)](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-integration-controls-engineer-full-stack-capable-lightspeed-northbrook-9pkdhtn08thn) — Northbrook, IL
- [Senior Robotics Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-robotics-engineer-lightspeed-northbrook-4zwg9dftn47c) — Northbrook, IL
- [VP Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/vp-engineering-quantexa-london-8t6s20x4sfk6) — London, United Kingdom
- [VP Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/vp-engineering-delphi-san-francisco-z94veanpyfem) — San Francisco, CA