Robotics

Cerebel Robotics — Founding Engineers (AI / Embedded SW) | Part-Time → Full-Time | Frisco, TX

Early-stage startup building autonomous mobile manipulators for real warehouse pick-and-place operations.

Deep Dive

Cerebel Robotics, an early-stage startup, is recruiting its first two technical hires to build autonomous mobile manipulators for warehouse pick-and-place operations. The company has developed a physical robot platform consisting of a mobile base with a 7-degree-of-freedom arm and gripper, established a simulation environment using NVIDIA's Isaac Sim, and secured a pilot warehouse partner. The founding team needs engineers to transition the system from teleoperation to full autonomy, focusing on real-world deployment rather than demo videos. The hiring process begins with part-time engagement in April, converting to full-time positions by August, with compensation starting at $30 per hour plus founding equity.

The two critical roles are an AI/Robotics Engineer and an Embedded Software Engineer. The AI engineer will own the perception-to-action pipeline, involving fine-tuning vision-language-action models like NVIDIA's GR00T or DeepSeek's pi0, imitation learning, sim-to-real transfer, and integrating SLAM navigation (Nav2) with ZED 2i stereo cameras. The embedded engineer will manage the low-level interface between AI decisions and physical actuators, handling CAN bus communication, motor control for wheels and the arm, teleoperation systems, and safety protocols to ensure 8+ hours of reliable operation. The tech stack includes ROS2, PyTorch, C/C++, and embedded Linux. These on-site roles in Frisco, Texas, emphasize hands-on work with existing hardware, offering engineers #1 and #2 positions with significant ownership and no bureaucratic overhead.

Key Points
  • Company has physical robot (mobile base + 7-DOF arm), Isaac Sim simulation, and pilot warehouse partner ready for deployment
  • Roles start part-time (~20 hrs/week) in April at $30/hr with founding equity, targeting full-time conversion by August 2026
  • AI Engineer focuses on VLA fine-tuning (GR00T/pi0) and sim-to-real; Embedded Engineer handles CAN bus, motor control, and 8+ hour reliability

Why It Matters

Represents a tangible move from AI demos to real-world autonomous robotics in logistics, a multi-billion dollar industry facing labor shortages.