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Robotics Design Engineer Jobs in Washington, DC (NOW HIRING)

Hardware Design Engineer LOCATIONChantilly, VA 20151 CLEARANCETS/SCI Full Poly (Please note this ... Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Systems Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Physics ...

Hardware Design Engineer LOCATIONReston, VA 20190 CLEARANCETS/SCI Full Poly (Please note this ... Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Systems Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Physics ...

Hardware Design Engineer LOCATIONTysons, VA 22182 CLEARANCETS/SCI Full Poly (Please note this ... Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Systems Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Physics ...

Hardware Design Engineer LOCATION Chantilly, VA 20151 CLEARANCE TS/SCI Full Poly (Please note this ... Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Systems Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Physics ...

Hardware Design Engineer LOCATION Tysons, VA 22182 CLEARANCE TS/SCI Full Poly (Please note this ... Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Systems Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Physics ...

Hardware Design Engineer LOCATION Reston, VA 20190 CLEARANCE TS/SCI Full Poly (Please note this ... Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Systems Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Physics ...

Robotics Engineer The Opportunity: Conduct the research, development, integration, deployment, and ... Function at the intersection of software and hardware to design, build, test, and demonstrate new ...

Robotics Engineer

Mclean, VA ยท On-site

$99K - $225K/yr

Function at the intersection of software and hardware to design, build, test, and demonstrate new ... Electrical Engineering, or a Robotics field Nice If You Have: * 3+ years of experience with ...

Robotics Engineer

Mclean, VA ยท On-site

$99K - $225K/yr

Robotics Engineer The Opportunity: Conduct the research, development, integration, deployment, and ... Function at the intersection of software and hardware to design, build, test, and demonstrate new ...

Robotics Engineer

Mclean, VA ยท Hybrid

$99K - $225K/yr

Robotics Engineer The Opportunity: C ond uct the research, development, integration, deployment ... Function at the intersection of sof t war e and hard war e to design, build, test, and demonstrate ...

Robotics Engineer

Mclean, VA ยท Hybrid

$99K - $225K/yr

Robotics Engineer The Opportunity: C ond uct the research, development, integration, deployment ... Function at the intersection of sof t war e and hard war e to design, build, test, and demonstrate ...

Using robotics, computational design, and AI, our systems turn today's e-waste into resilient, data ... As a Robotics Engineer (Path Planning) , you will: * Design and implement motion and path planning ...

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Robotics Design Engineer information

See Washington, DC salary details

$32.8K

$119.6K

$191.4K

How much do robotics design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of May 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for robotics design engineer in Washington, DC is $119,608.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $94,600.00 and $143,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Robotics Design Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Robotics Design Engineer, you need a solid background in mechanical, electrical, or computer engineering, usually with a relevant bachelor's or master's degree. Proficiency in CAD software, programming languages like Python or C++, and experience with robotics platforms such as ROS are commonly required. Strong problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork skills help set candidates apart in this field. These skills ensure the effective design, integration, and troubleshooting of advanced robotic systems for diverse applications.

What are some common challenges faced by Robotics Design Engineers when transitioning prototypes to mass production?

Robotics Design Engineers often encounter challenges when moving from prototype development to mass production, such as ensuring component reliability, optimizing designs for manufacturability, and maintaining cost efficiency without sacrificing performance. They must collaborate closely with manufacturing teams to refine product designs, address supply chain constraints, and ensure that regulatory standards are met. Effective communication and iterative testing are essential to identify and resolve issues early, facilitating a smoother transition to large-scale manufacturing.

What does a Robotics Design Engineer do?

A Robotics Design Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and testing robotic systems and components. They use principles from mechanical, electrical, and software engineering to create robots that can perform specific tasks or functions. Their work involves creating blueprints, modeling designs, selecting appropriate materials, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to ensure the robots meet performance and safety standards. Robotics Design Engineers also troubleshoot and refine prototypes, ensuring their reliability and efficiency before deployment. This role is crucial in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and automation.

What is the difference between Robotics Design Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer?

AspectRobotics Design EngineerMechanical Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Robotics, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering; often certifications in robotics or automationBachelor's in Mechanical Engineering; professional engineering license (PE) optional)
Work EnvironmentDesign labs, robotics development facilities, manufacturing settingsManufacturing plants, design offices, research labs
Industry UsageRobotics companies, automation firms, research institutionsManufacturing, automotive, aerospace, product design
Common Search/ComparisonRobotics Design Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer

Robotics Design Engineers focus on creating robotic systems, integrating sensors, actuators, and control systems, often requiring knowledge of electronics and programming. Mechanical Engineers design and analyze mechanical components and systems, with a broader scope across various industries. While both roles require engineering degrees, Robotics Design Engineers typically have specialized skills in robotics and automation, making them distinct yet overlapping with Mechanical Engineers in certain projects.

What are popular job titles related to Robotics Design Engineer jobs in Washington, DC? For Robotics Design Engineer jobs in Washington, DC, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Robotics Design Engineer jobs in Washington, DC look for? The top searched job categories for Robotics Design Engineer jobs in Washington, DC are:

Synthesis/Computational Design Engineer

Molg

Sterling, VA โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Posted 29 days ago


Job description

ABOUT US

Hey! Weโ€™re Molg ๐Ÿ‘‹ Weโ€™re building robotic systems that make electronics manufacturing circular. We work with hyperscalers and leading electronics manufacturers to automate how hardware is designed, manufactured, disassembled, repaired, reused, and recovered. Using robotics, computational design, and AI, our systems turn todayโ€™s e-waste into resilient, data-driven supply chainsโ€”and change how electronics are made in the first place.

A core part of what makes Molg's systems work is spatial intelligence: the ability to understand, model, and reason about complex physical environmentsโ€”down to the geometry, tolerances, and dynamics of individual components. Our synthesis and computational design platform sits at the intersection of geometry, algorithms, and physical reasoning, and is central to how we automate the design and execution of manufacturing and disassembly processes at scale.

IN THIS ROLE YOU WILL:

Join a talented cross-functional team of robotics, software, mechanical, and electrical engineers to develop Molg's computational design and spatial intelligence platform. As a Synthesis / Computational Design Engineer, you will:

  • Design and implement algorithms for geometric reasoning, spatial analysis, and computational synthesisโ€”enabling Molg's systems to automatically understand and operate on complex physical assemblies.

  • Build the computational backbone for automated process planning: translating 3D representations of electronics into actionable, robot-executable sequences for assembly, disassembly, repair, and recovery.

  • Develop tools and pipelines for working with 3D geometryโ€”including mesh processing, point cloud analysis, CAD interoperability, and physics-informed simulationโ€”to support perception, planning, and verification workflows.

  • Collaborate with robotics and controls engineers to close the loop between spatial models and physical executionโ€”ensuring that synthesized plans are feasible, robust, and safe.

  • Contribute to the design and evolution of Molg's internal data models for representing products, components, processes, and spatial relationships across the manufacturing lifecycle.

  • Prototype and evaluate new approaches to geometric search, constraint solving, and design space explorationโ€”drawing from fields like computational geometry, CAD/CAM, and generative design.

  • Build scalable, production-grade software that integrates computational design capabilities into Molg's broader robotics and microfactory platform.

  • Participate in design reviews and technical discussions, bringing rigorous geometric and algorithmic thinking to cross-functional problems.

  • Stay current with advances in computational design, geometry processing, and spatial AIโ€”identifying and applying relevant techniques to Molg's challenges.

You'll have the opportunity to build alongside an incredible team, develop innovative solutions, and grow in a fast-paced environment that values autonomy and impact.

WHO YOU ARE:

We're looking for someone who combines strong algorithmic and geometric instincts with the engineering rigor to build reliable, production-quality systems. The ideal candidate has:

  • 5+ years of experience in computational geometry, geometric computing, computational design, CAD/CAM software development, or a closely related field.

  • Proficiency in Python and/or C++, with experience writing performance-sensitive geometric or numerical code.

  • Deep familiarity with 3D geometry representationsโ€”meshes, point clouds, solid models (B-rep), voxel grids, or implicit surfacesโ€”and the algorithms that operate on them.

  • Experience with one or more geometry processing or computational design tools or libraries (e.g., Open3D, CGAL, libigl, OpenCASCADE, Rhino/Grasshopper, or similar).

  • Strong understanding of linear algebra, computational geometry fundamentals, and numerical methods as applied to 3D problems.

  • Comfort working in a research-to-production context: able to prototype rapidly, then harden and scale solutions for real-world deployment.

  • Experience integrating geometric pipelines with downstream systemsโ€”robotics, simulation, databases, or web services.

  • A track record of shipping complex technical work end-to-end, not just prototyping.

  • Excellent communication skills; able to explain geometric and algorithmic concepts clearly to engineers from different disciplines.

Nice to have:

  • Experience with robotic motion planning, task planning, or manipulationโ€”particularly in the context of geometric reasoning.

  • Familiarity with machine learning approaches to geometry (e.g., 3D neural representations, learned shape descriptors, or spatial transformers).

  • Background in electronics manufacturing, PCB design, or physical product development.

  • Experience with physics simulation (e.g., PyBullet, MuJoCo, Isaac Sim) or tolerance analysis.

  • Contributions to open-source geometry or robotics software.

WHO WE ARE:

We spend our days building robotic systems, developing complex assembly intelligence software, and designing the next generation of circular products for our customers. Given the importance of working hands-on with physical systems, the majority of our team is in-person collaboratively working in our industrial space in Sterling, VA, down the road from the largest data center market in the world. Our facility includes a variety of robots, CNC milling machines, 3D printers, and all the tools needed to build and test our products. It is important to us that anyone on our team that is interested in learning how to use our various pieces of equipment and machinery is taught and can gain the skills and appreciation for making physical things.

THINGS TO KNOW:

  • Weโ€™re a hands on collaborative team with big ambitions, and thereโ€™s a good amount of context-switching. We expect people to be autonomous and drive their own work to completion.

  • We are scrappy and looking to build a great sustainable company for years to come.

  • As a growing company and startup, priorities may shift as customer or business requirements change. We strive to empower individuals with context and decision-making power to meet this need.