Robotics engineer with strong Software skills

We are seeking a full time robotics / mechatronics engineer, with strong software skills.

We build assistive robots for the home - social robots to deliver therapy, and robots with arms for domestic tasks for people with disability

Must be willing to travel every 4-6 weeks

About the company

Akin is a Public Benefit AI and Robotics company. We build robots for the home for daily living tasks. Although our technology can be used in any home, we have a focus on supporting people with disability

This is a unique opportunity to apply your skills to a meaningful challenge, creating technology that makes a real difference in people's lives. You will be instrumental in integrating a complex suite of sensors, actuators, and AI software using ROS2. You'll help bring our assistive robots to life, enabling them to perceive, communicate, and interact in a way that provides connection, and meaningful support.

The ideal candidate should bring strong expertise in ROS2 node development and integration, combined with proficiency in Python and C++ for embedded systems. They should understand how to interface with electronics and communication buses, while also being able to connect ROS2 systems to backend databases and cloud services.

Responsibilities

• Whole development lifecycle (design, development, printing, assembly and testing social robots)
• Support junior engineers
• Develop ROS2 Drivers & Nodes: Create and maintain ROS2 packages in C++ and Python to integrate and manage hardware components, including:
• Audio I/O: A multi-channel microphone array and speakers.
• Visuals: A high-resolution camera and an expressive screen to display a variety of emotions and information.
• Interaction & Movement: NFC/RFID readers for secure connectivity and various actuators (servos) for precise physical movement.
• Implement Onboard AI: Work with the NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano to integrate and optimize machine learning models for:
• Speech: Text-to-Speech (TTS) and Speech-to-Text (STT) processing.
• Vision: Real-time image recognition and image processing from the camera feed.
• Cognition: Assist in deploying and interfacing with Language Models
• Integrate with External Services: Connect the robot's software to external APIs using HTTP, REST, GraphQL, and WebSockets to pull data and trigger actions from cloud services.
• Build CI/CD Pipelines: Help design and establish a robust Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipeline using Docker for containerizing applications, enabling automated testing and Over-the-Air (OTA) deployment of the robot's software stack.
• System Integration & Debugging: Collaborate closely with hardware and software engineers to troubleshoot and resolve complex integration issues across the entire robotic system.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in preferred combinations of Mechatronics Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science
• Strong programming proficiency in C++ and Python.
• A genuine passion for using technology to help people.
• Ability to collaborate in multidisciplinary teams, and a great commitment to documentation and continuously learning.
• Experience in system deployment on platforms like Jetson.
• Hands-on experience with ROS2.
• Experience with embedded platforms.
• Experience with containerization and orchestration tools like Docker and Kubernetes.
• Familiarity with web APIs and protocols (REST, GraphQL, WebSockets).
• Previous project work involving sensors (cameras, microphones), actuators (servos), or communication protocols (I2C, SPI, UART).
• An interest in machine learning

What you will gain

This role will provide you with deep, practical tasks, applied to a field with a profound social impact and lot of creativity

• Experience end-to-end deployment from concept to prototype to manufacture
• Gain invaluable experience in edge AI and deploying ML models on embedded systems for real-world applications.
• Systems integration for complex assistive technology.
• Contribute directly to products that make a measurable difference in people's lives

Job Types: Full-time, Graduate

Pay: $71,609.12 – $142,466.08 per year

Education:

• Bachelor Degree (Required)

Experience:

• Robotics: 1 year (Preferred)
• Software: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Authorisation:

• Australia (Preferred)

Work Location: In person