Engineering Manager - Robotics & Software
Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India (On-site / Hybrid possible, with strong preference for in-person collaboration at our Pashan-Sus R&D center)
Job Type: Full-Time
Reports to: CTO
Team size managed: 10–25 engineers (direct + indirect reports across robotics hardware/firmware, embedded systems, software backend/frontend, perception, navigation, and fleet management)
About Us
Peppermint Robotics is an autonomous robotics company based out of Pune, India. Started in 2019 at SINE IIT Bombay, we have grown into a leader in commercial cleaning and industrial material handling robots, with operations in six countries. With offices in Pune, Dubai, and Austin, we are a passionate, engineering-driven team tackling hard robotics problems.
Our Mission: At Peppermint Robotics, our mission is to build intelligent robots that automate repetitive and mundane tasks, freeing humans to focus on higher-value work and unlocking greater human potential.
Role Overview
As Engineering Manager for Robotics & Software, you will lead end-to-end engineering delivery for our autonomous mobile robots—from perception and SLAM/navigation stacks to embedded firmware, cloud connectivity, fleet management dashboards, and AI-driven features. Working directly with the CTO, you will scale high-performing teams, drive technical excellence, ensure reliable real-world deployments, and align engineering efforts with product and business goals in a fast-paced startup environment.
This is a high-impact, hands-on leadership role ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of robotics, software, and real-world hardware deployment—staying technically involved by contributing directly to key projects while building and scaling the team. Particularly suited for leaders experienced in both early-stage creation (0 to 1) and structured scaling (10 to 100).
Key Responsibilities
People & Team Leadership (~40%)
Build, mentor, and grow a world-class team of robotics engineers, embedded/software developers, perception/AI specialists, and full-stack engineers
Conduct regular 1:1s, career growth discussions, performance reviews, promotions, and compensation planning
Foster a culture of ownership, psychological safety, rapid iteration, and ethical engineering
Hire top talent in Pune and potentially remote (India-focused initially)
Promote team well-being and sustainable pace to sustain long-term velocity
Delivery & Execution (~40%)
Own reliable, on-time delivery of robot features, firmware updates, software releases, and field performance improvements
Collaborate closely with Product, Operations, and Field Deployment teams to prioritize roadmap items
Manage cross-functional dependencies (mechanical, electrical, production, QA, customer success)
Remove blockers, protect the team from scope creep, and ensure sustainable pace
Technical Leadership & Strategy (~20%)
Guide architecture decisions across the full robotics stack: ROS/ROS2, embedded C/C++, computer vision (SLAM, object detection), path planning, fleet orchestration, cloud backend (data pipelines, analytics), and UI/UX for operators
Remain hands-on by contributing directly to high-impact projects, prototypes, critical fixes, or architectural spikes as needed to maintain deep system understanding and lead by example
Drive reduction of technical debt, improve system robustness for harsh industrial environments, and ensure safety certifications
Participate in design reviews, code/architecture reviews, and critical debugging (especially field issues)
Champion best practices: CI/CD for robots, simulation testing, versioned hardware/software integration
Collaboration & Impact
Partner directly with CTO on engineering vision, tech roadmap, hiring bar, and scaling strategy
Work with global teams (USA, Europe) and support international deployments
Contribute to company OKRs around product reliability, customer satisfaction, and innovation velocity
Requirements
Must-Have
8–12+ years of experience in software/embedded engineering, with 3–6+ years in people leadership (Engineering Manager, Tech Lead Manager, or equivalent)
Proven track record leading robotics, autonomous systems, embedded software, or complex hardware-software products
Deep hands-on experience in at least one of: ROS/ROS2, C++/Python, computer vision/SLAM, navigation/path planning, embedded Linux, real-time systems, cloud (AWS/GCP/Azure), fleet management
Experience shipping production robotics or IoT products to real customers
Strong people leadership: hiring, coaching senior engineers, resolving conflicts, building inclusive teams
Comfortable in startup ambiguity with ability to define structure and processes while staying technically involved
Excellent communication across technical and non-technical stakeholders
Nice-to-Have
Prior experience in commercial/service robotics, cleaning/warehouse automation, or mobile manipulation
Familiarity with safety standards (IEC 60335, IEC 3691-4, or similar)
Exposure to AI/ML integration in robotics (perception, predictive maintenance)
Experience in the 0 to 1 journey (building/scaling engineering from early-stage/scratch through initial product validation and early growth)
Proven experience managing and scaling engineering teams of 15+ members (ideally through 10–100 growth phases)
Background in manufacturing-adjacent domains (industrial automation)
What We Offer
Opportunity to shape the future of commercial robotics in a mission-driven company
Direct collaboration with CTO and founders in a high-trust environment
Competitive compensation
Work on real-world impact: robots deployed globally in high-profile facilities
Modern Pune office with strong engineering culture (“Get things done – ethically, transparently, and fast!”)
Health benefits, and excellent leave policy
How to Apply
If you're passionate about scaling robotics teams—through both the scrappy 0 to 1 creation phase and structured 10 to 100 growth—while staying hands-on and contributing to critical projects to deliver autonomous systems that solve real problems, we'd love to hear from you. Please send your resume and a brief note on your most relevant leadership experience in robotics/software
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