Lead Forward Deployed Software Engineer
flink · Zürich ·
- Work mode
- Onsite
- Seniority
- Lead
- Category
- Software engineering
- Experience
- 5+ years
- Visa sponsorship
- No
- Company size
- 11-50
Lead software engineer for a robotics startup deploying autonomous material-handling robots, troubleshooting on-site deployments and optimizing fleet performance in real-world conditions.
Flink Robotics is a fast-paced startup, out of ETH Zürich's Computational Robotics Lab, building autonomous robots that can handle any item - including ones they’ve never seen before. We're revolutionising material handling, from stacking boxes to sorting parcels and unloading goods.
We're looking for a Lead Forward Deployed Software Engineer who loves debugging systems and turning real-world data into working software. You'll be out with our field team at customer sites, owning the adaptation and troubleshooting of our autonomy stack as it meets the conditions of each deployment.
Who you are
Eager to join a VC-backed startup and take real ownership from the start
Passionate about robotics: from perception and motion to autonomy and control
An experienced problem-solver who can make decisions under ambiguity and mentor others as the team grows
Proactive, curious and a clear communicator (fluent English, additional languages are a plus)
Ready to travel around 50% of the time, to get the best performance out of our deployed robots
What you bring
5+ years of professional experience and a degree in maths, computer science, or a related field
Experience deploying C++ code in production
Self motivated, and thriving in entrepreneurial environments (startups, professional services, big tech)
Proven experience diagnosing and resolving complex system issues in short turnaround cycles
Low-ego collaboration; people love working with you
What you'll do
Optimise robot performance after installation and ensure smooth customer handover
Quality control and deploy incremental and major software upgrades across robot fleet
Define and own the remote supervision process
Guide and filter feedback from customers to the product teams
Build out and manage the forward deployed software engineering team
Why join
An ambitious team building a product with huge potential
Cutting-edge robotics problems, with direct, high-stakes customer impact
Competitive salary, equity, and top-tier gear
Based in Zurich, with travel to partners worldwide
Apply now if you're ready to push boundaries and help shape the future of robotics!
Swiss/EU citizen, existing Swiss work permit, or a degree from a Swiss university; able to work in Switzerland without visa sponsorship