CTO & Co-founder (Robotics automation)

Stage: Early-stage startup Product: Robotics automation About the role We are looking for a CTO & Co-founder to co-build a startup focused on developing a cutting-edge automation platform driven by physical AI and robotics. Together with your co-founder (commercial profile), you will form the core leadership team. This is a highly hands-on founder role, not a corporate executive position. As our resident technical robotics expert, you will be the primary builder in the early days, focusing heavily on designing, sourcing, and adapting the hardware required to unlock physical AI automation. You will play a pivotal role in transforming a bold vision into a functional, scalable product while shaping the company's hardware and technical strategy from the ground up. Working closely with our Lead Physical AI/Machine Learning Engineer, you will seamlessly integrate intelligent software with your hardware solutions to shape the final product. Your mission is to bridge complex robotics engineering and commercial viability, laying the foundation for a high-performing hardware and engineering culture as the company scales. Your responsibilities Co-managing the company with the commercial co-founder and aligning technical strategy with business goals, Hands-on development & hardware prototyping: Architecting, assembling, wiring, and commissioning physical solutions—integrating Physical AI intelligence directly with custom and off-the-shelf robotics hardware, End-to-end physical integration & execution: Acting as a hybrid engineer/architect who can build, power up, debug, and program system prototypes from scratch, ensuring seamless communication between sensors, actuators, and controllers, Conducting real-world validation, field testing, and hands-on commissioning of robotic systems in operational client environments, Leveraging Physical AI models to drive process automation, optimizing operational efficiency in real-world, hardware-driven environments, Utilizing 3D simulation frameworks and Digital Twin technologies to accelerate offline testing, path planning, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation before physical deployment, Defining the tech stack, software/hardware architecture, and product scalability roadmap, Monitoring robotics, AI, and automation trends to maintain a competitive technological edge, Recruiting, leading, and mentoring a small, agile team of top-tier robotics engineering specialists (including mechanical engineers, mechatronics experts, and control systems engineers). Translating customer feedback and market needs into robust technical requirements, Creating an internal culture focused on code quality, ownership, rapid iteration, and high execution standards, Establishing rigorous hardware-software co-development workflows, CI/CD pipelines tailored for robotics (encompassing firmware, ROS/ROS2, and physical AI model deployment), simulation-to-real testing frameworks, and robust safety and data compliance standards. Who we are looking for (must-have) Proven leadership & technical depth: At least 3+ years of leadership experience in robotics companies (e.g., Lead Robotics Engineer, Hardware Lead, Tech Lead, or CTO) or deep-tech startups, Multi-disciplinary hands-on expertise: 3+ years of practical, "hands-on" experience blending the mindsets of an electrician, assembler, mechanical/hardware designer, and field robotics engineer. You don't just delegate—you know exactly how every harness, wire, sensor, and mechanism works, Strong mechanical and electrical manual skills—ability to assemble components, connect wiring harnesses, power up systems safely, and troubleshoot physical hardware issues on the fly, Deep experience in robotics engineering, including designing, prototyping, sourcing, and adapting hardware (mechatronics, kinematics, sensor integration, embedded systems, low-level control systems, and communication protocols), Experience with modern simulation tools and Digital Twin architecture for sim-to-real model deployment and virtual commissioning, Strong track record in building scalable physical automation solutions that meet real customer needs and crafting deep-tech architectures from scratch, Entrepreneurial mindset: You understand that pragmatic execution, rapid physical prototyping, and shipping fast beat perfect, over-engineered systems in an early-stage setup, Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a knack for operating effectively in fast-paced, high-uncertainty environments, Fluent Polish and English (spoken and written). Nice to have Electrical & Automation fundamentals: Solid grasp of industrial electrical basics, wiring schematics, cabinet assembly, safety circuits, and industrial automation/PLC programming, Understanding of Physical AI / Embodied AI: Specifically the hardware requirements and challenges of bridging the gap between digital ML models and physical execution, Full-stack AI/ML pipeline experience: Familiarity with data collection, model training, fine-tuning, and edge deployment for robotics applications, Startup experience: Background in deep-tech, AI, or engineering-driven startups. What we offer Co-founder role with real, equal influence over company direction and technical ownership, Opportunity to build and lead a robotics startup from scratch, Remuneration: at least PLN 17 000 net B2B + VAT, A package of shares in the co-created start-up, Support from an experienced startup studio and capital group, Access to industry experts and startup-building know-how, Fast decision-making and a high-impact environment. Red Sky is conducting this recruitment process. The cooperation concerns a newly established start-up. Recruitment process Interview with HR (45 min) Tech Interview ( 60 min.) Technical task Interview with the Investor (~45 min) Agreeing on the terms of cooperation (remuneration)