Job Summary

Reporting to the Director of Automation, the Staff Robotics Engineer will provide technical leadership for the design, integration, validation, and deployment of robotic automation systems for data center operations. This role will work closely with internal Graphcore teams, SoftBank Robotics, SoftBank Group affiliates, and external technology partners to turn R&D concepts into scalable, production-ready robotic capabilities. Example systems may include robotic manipulation, material transport, inspection, rack/server handling, autonomous mobile robots, or other automation solutions for data center operations. This role is based in Austin and may require periodic travel to partner, manufacturing, lab, or deployment sites, including occasional collaboration across APAC time zones.

The Team

The automation team is responsible for helping the vision of Softbank Group to automate data center, working with internal Graphcore teams and Softbank Group affiliates. The team works closely with Softbank Robotics and its partners and other third parties to solve complex solutions for data center operations. Our focus is on delivering robust, production-quality systems that bridge cutting-edge research and real-world deployment.

Responsibilities and Duties

• This role is expected to operate with high autonomy, define technical direction for ambiguous robotics automation problems, influence partner roadmaps, and establish engineering standards for scalable deployment.
• Align robotics, data center, internal engineering, SoftBank Group, and third-party partner teams to provide scalable autonomy capabilities.
• Guide and mentor Softbank Group engineers and third-party partners without direct people management responsibilities, elevating technical judgment and Mechatronics best practices.
• Contribute to technical planning, estimation and delivery of key project milestones.
• Experience establishing or executing verification and validation processes, including simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, FAT/SAT, site validation, or field deployment.
• Support troubleshooting and root-cause analysis across software, controls, mechanical, and electrical systems.
• Iterate on end effectors, hardware interfaces, and robotic subsystems with partners.
• Help build scalable software infrastructure, device management systems, and fleet coordination protocols by collaborating with Softbank Group affiliates and third-party partners.
• Lead the transition of R&D feasibility studies into production-ready integrated systems.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, tools and methodologies to improve robotics capabilities and engineering productivity.
• Produce clear technical documentation and communicate engineering decisions effectively to a range of stakeholders.

Candidate Profile
Essential

• 8+ years of experience in automation or equipment engineering, with a focus on mechatronic subsystems and modular machine design.
• Experience taking robotic or automated systems from prototype/R&D into production or field deployment.
• Experience with material handling systems, automated equipment, or productionized robotic solutions.
• Familiarity with 3D localization or VLM-based object detection (e.g., perception/ segmentation).
• Experience conducting FAT/SAT validation and managing technical deliverables with partners and manufacturers.
• Proven ability to debug the "full-stack": PLC logic, high-level code (C# or Python), and complex mechanical/electrical hardware.
• Experience with robotics frameworks and middleware such as ROS/ROS 2 and IsaacSIM for modeling robotic interactions and path planning.
• Strong understanding of robotics fundamentals including perception, localization, mapping, planning or control.
• Ability to lead technical initiatives and influence engineering direction through expertise and collaboration.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Degree in Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, Mathematics, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.

Desirable

• Experience applying machine learning or AI techniques within robotics systems.
• Experience with simulation environments and digital twin technologies.
• Knowledge of computer vision, sensor fusion or reinforcement learning techniques.
• Experience deploying robotics applications to cloud, edge or embedded environments.
• Familiarity with GPU acceleration, high-performance computing or AI infrastructure.
• Experience contributing to open-source robotics projects or technical communities.
• Experience working in research-intensive or advanced technology environments.

Benefits

In addition to a competitive salary, Graphcore offers flexible working and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, wellbeing and financial future. Our benefits include medical, dental and vision coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), disability and life insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, commuter benefits, wellness services and an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). We welcome people of different backgrounds and experiences; we're committed to building an inclusive work environment that makes Graphcore a great home for everyone. We offer an equal opportunity process and understand that there are visible and invisible differences in all of us. We can provide a flexible approach to interview and encourage you to chat to us if you require any reasonable adjustments.