Robot Control Lead

About ATI:

Automated Tire (ATI) is on a mission to reinvent tire changing and wheel balancing using cutting-edge robotics. We are transforming a process that hasn’t fundamentally changed in decades into an automated, high-performance system built for the future of automotive service.

Founded by experienced entrepreneurs and backed by leading players across the automotive and tire industries, ATI is building technology that will redefine how cars are serviced. Our team combines deep robotics expertise with real world deployment, moving fast from prototype to production and scaling solutions directly in the field.

If you are excited by hands-on robotics, industrial physical AI, real-world impact, and the challenge of building category-defining technology from the ground up, ATI is the place to do the most meaningful work of your career.

Position Overview:

ATI is looking for a Robot Control Lead to own the control stack that powers our automated tire-changing and wheel-balancing robots. You will lead the design, development, and deployment of the different layers of robot control that let our robots interact safely and precisely with their environment — from real-time force-aware dexterous manipulation to task planning and reasoning with perception and AI models. This is a hands-on leadership role: you will be part of the software team responsible for architecting control systems, writing and reviewing code, and working side by side with mechanical, electrical, and perception teams to take our robots from prototype to reliable field deployment.

Responsibilities:

• Own the architecture and implementation of the robot control stack, from joint space control up to whole-body Cartesian based control.
• Design and implement impedance control, force control, and compliant manipulation strategies using Force-Torque sensor feedback for complex dexterous manipulations.
• Develop and tune real-time control loops that meet the timing, safety, and reliability requirements of an industrial robotic system operating in the field.
• Design robot motion and trajectory generation strategies that balance speed, precision, and safety in dynamic, real-world environments.
• Build and maintain simulation environments (e.g., IsaacSim, MuJoCo, or similar) to develop, validate, and regression-test control algorithms before deployment on hardware.
• Develop controllers and control logic using tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, and translate models into production-grade real-time code.
• Lead the industrialization of control software — hardening prototypes into robust, maintainable, and deployable systems for field operation at scale.
• Collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, perception, and product teams to define system requirements and resolve cross-disciplinary technical challenges.
• Mentor and guide other engineers on the software controls team, setting technical direction and best practices.
• Support on-site commissioning, testing, and troubleshooting of deployed robotic systems as needed.

Requirements

• Expertise in robotics and control theory, with a strong track record of designing and deploying control systems for physical robots.
• Expertise in low-level control, including impedance control and force control using Force-Torque sensors.
• Expertise in robot motion planning and trajectory/motion control.
• Expertise in real-time control systems, including their design, implementation, and performance constraints.
• Experience with ROS/ROS2 in production robotic systems.
• Hands-on experience with robot simulation tools such as IsaacSim, MuJoCo, or similar platforms.
• Experience with robot controller development environments such as MATLAB/Simulink.
• Experience with real-time vision systems and modern perception models, including VLM and VLA approaches.
• Demonstrated experience taking robotic applications from prototype through industrialization and field deployment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Experience with force/torque-sensitive manipulation in industrial or automotive applications.
• Prior experience in a startup or fast-paced environment, taking products from prototype to production.
• Familiarity with functional safety standards and practices for industrial robotics.
• Track record of technical leadership, mentoring, and cross-functional collaboration.