Senior AI / Robotics Engineer (gn) @ Next-Gen Autonomous Vehicle Venture, Valencia

This is a FoodLabs  portfolio venture. Find out more about us and other opportunities in the portfolio here.

About the venture 

We are a VC-backed, pre-seed stage startup, building the next generation of autonomous electric vehicles. Our mission is to enhance Europe's food security and defence through a modular hardware and software platform approach. We're assembling a lean and highly capable team, optimising for deep domain expertise and autonomy.

You will work closely with the founders and be involved in every stage of product development—from understanding customer needs to prototyping, manufacturing, and market adoption.

If you are driven by curiosity, enjoy solving complex problems with like-minded peers, and are focused on creating a lasting impact, this is the place for you.

This position requires you to be based in Valencia. We are happy to support with relocation.

What you'll work on 

You’ll design and implement automated systems from initial concept to integration and testing. You will ensure our automation solutions are practical and effective. More concretely, you will:

• Design, develop and implement the core control system: 
  • Control unit (ECU/PLC), programmed with CodeSysor or a similar functionally safe programming environment.
  • I/O system for RC input, linear actuators, electric motors and peripherals.
  • Remote control terminal and data interface for tele-operations.
  • Infrastructure for remote software updates.

• Design, develop and implement (components for) the autonomous system: 
  • Control unit (ECU/CPU) , running ROS2 or similar.
  • Sensory array and sensor fusion.
  • Interface to the core system.
  • End-to-end data pipeline (incl. pre-processing, cleaning, and labelling).
  • Machine Learning models for autonomous navigation, image recognition, and predictive analytics.

• Conduct bench testing to ensure reliability, performance, and safety. 
• Participate in field testing, both to ensure software quality and customer satisfaction 

About you

We are looking for a motivated software generalist that has: 

• Computer or Software Engineering degree, or self-taught coding experience.
• Prior experience with robotics, functional safety, software interfaces, autonomous systems, and cloud infrastructure.
• Proficiency in programming languages (Python, Codesys/C++, or alternatives) and experience with cloud platforms (GCP or AWS).
• Understanding of communication protocols (CAN, UART) and control interfaces (I2C/SPI, PWM()
• Background in Machine Learning techniques, such as SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), Reinforcement Learning, and CNNs.
•  Experience with both rapid prototyping and clean productisation.
• Creative problem-solving skills to independently overcome challenges.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with team members across different disciplines (electrical, mechanical and mechatronic engineers).
•  Startup mindset

If you only fit a subset, but are eager to learn on the job, we encourage you to still apply.

What we offer

We're building out team in Valencia - consistently voted as one of Europe’s top places to live based on its low cost of living, excellent climate, and vibrant historic centre. We offer competitive compensation in the form of salary and stock, and aid in relocation. Most importantly, we want to offer perks that are important to you. We'd love to hear what you value!