Senior Applications Engineer

Job description

At Rhoda AI, we’re building the next generation of generalist intelligent robots. We own the full robotics stack from high-performance hardware and robot systems to the infrastructure and state-of-the-art foundation world models that control our robots. Our robots are designed to be generalists capable of operating in complex, real-world environments and handling long-tail edge cases, made possible by our cutting edge research and end-to-end system design. We've raised over $450M and are investing aggressively in model research, infrastructure, hardware development, and manufacturing scale-up to make generalist robotics a reality. Rhoda AI Europe GmbH is the company's first international entity, established to own strategic partner relationships across Europe and drive deployment of RaaS (Robotics as a Service). We're looking for a Senior Robotics Application Engineer to translate real-world customer use cases into robust intelligent robot deployments. You will design, prototype, and refine novel automation solutions — and develop efficient strategies for robot learning, data collection, and deployment into real world environments — working at the intersection of robotics, AI, hardware, and deployment operations. THE ROLE As Senior Application Engineer, you are the technical core of Rhoda AI's European team. You will own Proof-of-Principle (POP) and POC engagements and RaaS deployments end-to-end - from requirements scoping with the partner, through system setup, validation, and executive reporting - and serve as the primary technical bridge between our European strategic partners and Rhoda's engineering organization in Silicon Valley. You will own the feedback loop that turns field findings into product improvements, ensuring insights from the field shape the roadmap. You will drive functional safety compliance for European deployments, set the technical bar for the Application Engineering team, and mentor junior colleagues. This is a high-ownership, high-visibility role. Partners will look to you as Rhoda's technical authority on the ground. HQ Engineering will rely on your field intelligence to prioritize fixes and features. WHAT YOU'LL DO PROOF OF PRINCIPLE (POP)/PROOF OF CONCEPT (POC) / RAAS SOLUTION DESIGN & PROJECT LEADERSHIP - Own POP, POC, and RaaS engagements end-to-end: scope requirements & design solutions with partners, plan test programmes, execute system bring-up and validation, author the final technical report - Decompose partner system-level requirements into testable specifications flowing to Rhoda Engineering and partner technical teams - Design and operate hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test setups for repeatable system-level verification at partner sites ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS & FIELD ISSUE RESOLUTION - Lead RCA for issues surfaced during deployments — cross-layer troubleshooting across hardware, firmware, and software until the real cause is found - Design fault-injection and negative-path tests; author and execute FMEAs; validate mitigations and document findings - Own the field issue feedback loop: translate partner-reported problems into prioritised, actionable input for Rhoda HQ Engineering FUNCTIONAL SAFETY & EU COMPLIANCE - Ensure all European deployments meet applicable functional safety standards (ISO 26262, IEC 61508, ISO 10218, EN ISO 13849) and EU regulatory requirements (CE marking, EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230) - Maintain awareness of the EU AI Act and its implications for AI-enabled robotic systems; advise partners on compliance pathways - Act as the in-house functional safety authority for the European team TEAM & PARTNER COLLABORATION - Mentor and guide Junior Application Engineers — review designs & test plans, debrief field sessions, develop technical depth - Partner closely with Rhoda HQ Systems & Integration Engineering on escalated issues and product gap analysis - Collaborate with the commercial team to translate technical outcomes into commercial milestones - Author and present clear, non-technical executive summaries of technical findings to partner leadership WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR MUST-HAVE - Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, or a related field - 8+ years of hands-on experience in robotics software engineering, systems integration, automation, or field application engineering - Experience supporting real-world deployments or field installations of robotic systems - scoping timelines, managing deliverables, and coordinating across teams - Proven track record conducting RCA on complex systems spanning hardware, firmware, and software - Hands-on experience with EU functional safety standards: ISO 26262 or IEC 61508 (required); ISO 10218 / EN ISO 13849 (strongly preferred) - Experience with sensor integration and calibration (cameras, LiDAR, IMUs, depth sensors) - Industrial communication protocols: EtherCAT or CAN (TwinCAT, CANalyzer/CANoe, or equivalent) - Python proficiency for test automation, data analysis and tooling; C or Rust for onboard software work - Strong written and verbal communication; English fluency required, German at working level minimum - Willingness and ability to travel ~40% across Europe NICE-TO-HAVE - Practical familiarity with robot policy training, model adaptation, or operational implementation - Exposure to teleoperation architecture or remote robot management workflows - Previous background in client-facing capacities at robotics OEMs, system integrators, or corporate automation departments - Deep CAD expertise using SolidWorks, OnShape, or comparable design platforms - Applied prototyping skills, including 3D printing, precision machining, and mechanical integration - Working knowledge of industrial networking: EtherCAT, CAN (TwinCAT, Vector toolsets), and OPC UA - Technical experience with ROS/ROS2, real-time operating systems, and embedded Linux environments - CE marking process experience and familiarity with EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 - MATLAB/Simulink for control-system modelling and simulation - Exposure to requirements management tooling (Jama, DOORS, Polarion) WHY RHODA AI EUROPE - Your work has real impact — you will be responsible for ushering forward the future of robotics & AI - Rhoda AI is work on real customer problems and not just demos for the lab — our robots are ready for field deployment directly after a successful POC - You will have the opportunity to build and lead a new team at the most impactful startup in AI robotics - Direct line to HQ Engineering — your field intelligence shapes the product roadmap - Small, high-ownership team: you work with the Managing Director and Commercial Lead as peers from day one