ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Field Robotics Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Pivotal

Autonomy Engineer II - Robotics

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

Collaborate with hardware and flight operations teams to support deployment and field testing. Education * Bachelor's degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical ...

OffWorld

Robotics Test Engineer

Pasadena, CA · On-site

Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, robotics, or software / electrical / mechanical engineering, or a related field. * 2+ years of engineering experience in (mobile and/or manipulator ...

B. Braun Group

Staff Robotics Engineer

Goleta, CA · On-site

We are looking for talented engineers to help define and drive our robotics roadmap to maintain our technological advantage in the field of digital surgical microscopy. ESSENTIAL DUTIES ...

previous page

Showing results 41-60

All JobsField Robotics Engineer JobsField Robotics Engineer Jobs in California

Field Robotics Engineer information

See California salary details

$15

$33

$53

How much do field robotics engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 15, 2026, the average hourly pay for field robotics engineer in California is $33.65, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $23.70 and $40.34 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a field robotics engineer?

Field robotics engineers are professionals who design, develop, test, and deploy robotic systems that operate in complex, unstructured environments outside of traditional factory settings. These environments can include agriculture fields, construction sites, oceans, mines, or disaster areas. Field robotics engineers integrate hardware and software to create robust, autonomous or semi-autonomous robots capable of navigating and performing tasks in challenging real-world conditions. Their work often involves multidisciplinary knowledge in mechanical, electrical, and software engineering, as well as a strong understanding of sensors, actuators, and control systems.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a field robotics engineer?

To thrive as a Field Robotics Engineer, you need a solid grasp of robotics fundamentals, programming (such as C++ or Python), and systems integration, often backed by a degree in robotics, electrical engineering, or a related field. Familiarity with ROS (Robot Operating System), sensor technologies, and hands-on experience with embedded systems or mechatronics is typically required. Strong problem-solving skills, adaptability, and effective teamwork are essential soft skills for handling dynamic field environments and unexpected technical challenges. These skills ensure reliable robot deployment, efficient troubleshooting, and successful collaboration in diverse and often unpredictable real-world settings.

What are some common challenges faced by field robotics engineers when deploying robots in real-world environments?

Field Robotics Engineers often encounter unpredictable conditions such as harsh weather, variable terrain, and unexpected obstacles during deployments. These factors can affect robot performance and require quick problem-solving and on-the-spot adaptations. Collaboration with interdisciplinary teams—including software developers, hardware specialists, and field operators—is essential to troubleshoot issues and ensure smooth operations. The role also involves continuous testing, data collection, and iterative improvements to adapt robots for reliable and safe field use.

What is the difference between Field Robotics Engineer vs Robotics Technician?

AspectField Robotics EngineerRobotics Technician
Required CredentialsBachelor's or higher in robotics, engineering, or related fields; certifications like FANUC or ABB are commonAssociate's degree or technical certification in robotics or electronics
Work EnvironmentDesign, develop, and test robotic systems in the field or lab settingsMaintain, troubleshoot, and repair robotic systems on-site or in workshops
Industry UsageUsed across manufacturing, agriculture, and exploration industriesPrimarily in manufacturing and industrial settings

While both roles involve working with robotic systems, Field Robotics Engineers focus on designing and developing new robotic solutions, whereas Robotics Technicians handle installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of existing systems. The roles often overlap but differ mainly in scope and responsibilities.

Is robotics a high paying field?

Field Robotics Engineers typically earn competitive salaries due to the specialized skills required, such as programming, sensor integration, and automation systems. Salaries can vary based on experience, location, and industry, but overall, robotics is considered a well-paying field with strong growth prospects.

What cities in California are hiring for Field Robotics Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Field Robotics Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Field Robotics Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 74% In-person, and 26% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $69,982 per year, or $33.6 per hour.

Staff Robotics Software Engineer, Robot Behaviors

Fremont, CA • Hybrid

Agility Robotics
Industrial Automation Equipment Manufacturing • 51 - 200 employees
Learn more about Agility Roboticsexternal

$190K - $296K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 5 days ago

Job description

Agility's commercially deployed humanoids operate alongside teams in warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers—tackling physically demanding and repetitive tasks while enabling workers to focus on higher-value work. With industry-leading safety standards and years of proven deployment data, we're pioneering a new era of automation that enhances human potential.

About the Role

We are looking for a Staff Robotics Software Engineer (Tech Lead) to lead the design and development of robot behaviors that expand and generalize our humanoid robot's capabilities. In this role, you will own behavior design end-to-end, from high-level task logic and system design down to on-robot validation and deployment. You will work at the intersection of behavior planning, motion planning, object perception, and manipulation, developing new autonomy capabilities and pushing the robot into new classes of tasks. We are looking for a hands-on technical leader who can set technical direction and wants to stay close to the robot: writing code, running experiments, debugging logs, working with hardware, and mentoring other engineers by building alongside them.

Key Responsibilities

  • Own the design, implementation, and validation of complex humanoid robot behaviors.
  • Lead behavior planning and execution design, including task decomposition, control flow, recovery, and failure handling.
  • Build new autonomy capabilities that expand what the robot can reliably do in the real world.
  • Develop and evaluate manipulation strategies for new tasks, objects, workflows, and customer environments.
  • Integrate robot behaviors with motion planning, controls, object perception, estimation, and hardware systems.
  • Train, evaluate, and integrate learned policies into hybrid learned/classical execution workflows.
  • Integrate new end effectors, tools, sensors, and other hardware capabilities into the behavior stack.
  • Debug complex system-level failures using logs, replay, metrics, simulation, and on-robot experimentation.
  • Mentor engineers through design reviews, code reviews, debugging, and hands-on technical guidance.
  • Help set technical direction and best practices for building robust, composable, reusable, and generalizable robot behaviors.

About You

  • B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Robotics, Computer Science, or a related engineering field.
  • 8+ years of professional experience developing robotics software, autonomy systems, robot behaviors, or related real-world robotic capabilities.
  • Demonstrated experience as a tech lead or senior technical owner for complex robotics projects.
  • Proficient in Python and C++, and comfortable contributing to large, long-lived codebases.
  • Experience with behavior trees, state machines, task planners, hierarchical planning, or similar behavior-planning frameworks.
  • Strong system-level understanding of how motion planning, object perception, controls, estimation, and hardware interact on real robots.
  • Experience working with complex algorithms and data pipelines, with an ability to optimize for performance, robustness, and scalability.
  • Experience collaborating closely with perception, planning, controls, hardware, product, or field teams.
  • Strong ownership mindset with a focus on robustness, generalization, and real-world reliability.

Bonus Qualifications

  • Experience developing manipulation strategies for complex or unstructured environments.
  • Experience with learned robot skills, including imitation learning, reinforcement learning, or hybrid learned/classical execution strategies.
  • Experience deploying and supporting autonomous robots in real customer environments.

This is a hybrid role based out of one of our Salem, OR, Pittsburgh, PA, or Fremont, CA offices.

The final salary offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on several factors that may include but are not limited to: market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. This range may change based on geographical location and may be modified in the future.

Anticipated Salary Range
$190,000—$296,000 USD

In addition to base pay, our competitive total rewards package consists of the following for full-time employees:

  • 401(k) Plan: Includes a 6% company match.
  • Equity: Company stock options.
  • Insurance Coverage: 100% company-paid medical, dental, vision, and short/long-term disability insurance for employees.
  • Benefit Start Date: Eligible for benefits on your first day of employment.
  • Well-Being Support: Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
  • Time Off:
    • Exempt Employees: Flexible, unlimited PTO and 12 company holidays, including a winter shutdown.
    • Non-Exempt Employees: 10 vacation days, paid sick leave, and 12 company holidays, including a winter shutdown, annually.
  • On-Site Perks: Catered lunches four times a week and a variety of healthy snacks and refreshments at our Salem and Pittsburgh locations.
  • Parental Leave: Generous paid parental leave programs.
  • Work Environment: A culture that supports flexible work arrangements.
  • Growth Opportunities: Professional development and tuition reimbursement programs.
  • Relocation Assistance: Provided for eligible roles.
  • Annual Discretionary Bonus: Provided for eligible roles.

All of our roles are U.S.-based. Applicants must have current authorization to work in the United States.

Agility Robotics is committed to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each individual has the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits unlawful discriminatory practices, including harassment. Therefore, it is the policy of Agility Robotics to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Agility Robotics prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.

Agility Robotics does not accept unsolicited referrals from third-party recruiting agencies.  We prioritize direct applicants and encourage all qualified candidates to apply directly through our careers page.  If you are represented by a third party, your application may not be considered.  To ensure full consideration, please apply directly.