Senior Software Engineer, Generalist
San Francisco
Engineering – Software /
Full Time /
On-site
About Our Team
Chef Robotics is on a mission to accelerate the advent of intelligent machines in the physical world. As the rise of LLMs like ChatGPT has shown, AI has the potential to drive immense change. However, we believe AI’s biggest impact will be in the physical world, given industries like manufacturing, food, and transportation represent 90% of global GDP. We're starting with food, with a goal to put an intelligent robot in every commercial kitchen in the world. We have signed multiple multi-year contracts with various large food companies and we are growing fast. We're backed by investors like Kleiner Perkins, Construct, Bloomberg BETA and Promus Ventures. We have a great team, where you will be surrounded by talented engineers and tech leaders from companies like Cruise, Zoox, Google, Verb Surgical, Tesla, Nuro, Vicarious, Amazon Robotics, Strateos, Built Robotics, Facebook, Plenty, Yelp, and Microsoft.
About the Role
As a Senior Software Engineer, Generalist at Chef Robotics, you'll play a pivotal role in the design, development, and implementation of software systems across our entire robotics platform. You'll work closely with cross-functional teams including robotics engineers, hardware engineers, and specialists across the tech stack to ensure seamless integration of software components into our food automation systems. This role requires versatility and deep expertise across multiple technical domains, with the ability to contribute to all phases of the software development lifecycle and build comprehensive solutions that power our intelligent food preparation robots.
Cross-Functional Software Development
- Collaborate with robotics engineers, hardware engineers, and other software engineers across the tech stack to design, develop, and deploy software solutions for food automation robots
- Participate in all phases of the software development lifecycle, including requirements gathering, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance
- Develop robust, scalable, and maintainable software systems that meet the unique challenges of commercial food production environments
- Implement algorithms for perception, manipulation, motion planning, and control to enable autonomous food preparation behavior
- Work across frontend dashboards, backend APIs, and cloud infrastructure to build comprehensive solutions that integrate with robotics hardware and AI systems
Database & Data Pipeline Architecture
- Design and optimize database schemas to support robot operations, telemetry, recipe management, and system analytics
- Implement efficient data pipelines between on-device robotics systems and cloud services
- Create data access layers and APIs that enable seamless integration across multiple subsystems
- Develop real-time data processing systems for robotics telemetry and performance monitoring
- Establish data integrity protocols and backup systems across distributed robotics deployments
Software Performance & Reliability
- Optimize software performance and reliability to meet stringent food safety requirements and operational standards
- Implement fault-tolerant systems with high availability requirements for production food preparation environments
- Conduct thorough testing and validation of software components to ensure functionality, accuracy, and safety in commercial kitchens
- Develop comprehensive monitoring, logging, and alerting systems across the entire software stack
- Create diagnostic tools and performance optimization solutions for operational visibility across all system components
Technology Integration & Innovation
- Stay current with emerging technologies and industry trends in autonomous systems, robotics, and food automation technology
- Integrate new sensor data, perception algorithms, and AI/ML components into existing software architecture
- Implement automated deployment pipelines, infrastructure-as-code practices, and modern development workflows
- Develop data pipelines between on-device robotics systems and cloud services for real-time operations
- Contribute to technical architecture decisions and help establish software engineering standards across teams
Required Qualifications - Technical Expertise
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience
- 7+ years of professional experience in software development with demonstrated full-stack capabilities
- Proven experience in software development, with a focus on autonomous systems, robotics, or related fields
- Strong proficiency in programming languages such as Python and JavaScript/TypeScript, with emphasis on object-oriented design and development
- Experience with software development tools and frameworks commonly used in robotics and autonomous systems (e.g., ROS, OpenCV, TensorFlow, etc.)
- Familiarity with sensor fusion techniques, perception algorithms, and other technologies relevant to autonomous robotics operations
- Advanced understanding of cloud infrastructure and deployment (AWS, GCP, or Azure)
- Experience with containerization (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes) technologies
Leadership & Domain Knowledge
- Proven experience leading complex, multi-disciplinary software projects from conception to deployment
- Strong background in system architecture design and cross-functional technical decision-making
- Understanding of real-time systems, robotics integration, and high-performance application requirements
- Experience with CI/CD practices, infrastructure-as-code, and production deployment workflows
- Knowledge of secure system design including authentication, authorization, and data protection
- Familiarity with performance optimization across multiple technology stacks
Personal Attributes
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced startup environment
- Excellent communication skills and ability to clearly articulate technical concepts to cross-functional teams
- Adaptability and comfort working across different technology stacks and problem domains
- Collaborative team player who works effectively with robotics engineers, hardware engineers, and other specialists
- Comfort with working startup-oriented hours and commitment to working onsite five days a week
- Passion for robotics and food automation technology with drive to stay current with emerging technologies
Desired Qualifications
- Experience with robotics systems integration and understanding of ROS or similar frameworks
- Knowledge of real-time communication systems including WebSockets and message queues
- Experience with time-series databases and telemetry data processing
- Background in manufacturing, food production, or industrial automation
- Familiarity with 3D rendering using Three.js or Three Fiber
- Experience with monitoring and observability tools across multiple system components
- Knowledge of AI/ML system integration and deployment workflows
- Startup experience with track record of shipping working products under tight deadlines
- Experience with microservices architecture and distributed systems design
Key Projects You'll Work On
- Contributing to end-to-end features that span robotics hardware, perception systems, cloud services, and user interfaces
- Developing software solutions that enable autonomous food preparation behavior across diverse ingredients and recipes
- Implementing comprehensive testing and validation frameworks for software components across the platform
- Building performance optimization and monitoring systems that ensure reliable operation in commercial food environments
- Collaborating on cross-functional initiatives that integrate multiple engineering disciplines and technology stacks
$150,000 - $240,000 a year
Chef is an early-stage startup where equity is a major part of the compensation package. As the company secures more capital, we will gradually increase salary and cash compensation. The starting salary will depend on seniority.
In addition to salary and early-stage equity, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, commuter benefits, flexible paid time off (PTO), catered lunch, and 401(k) matching.
Equal Opportunity Employer
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizen status, uniform service member and veteran status, marital status, age, pregnancy status, protected medical condition, genetic information, disability, or any other protected status.
Multiple studies have found that a higher percentage of women and BIPOC candidates won't apply if they don't meet every listed qualification. Chef values candidates of all backgrounds. If you find yourself excited by our mission but you don't check every box in the description, we encourage you to apply anyway!
