At Rhoda AI, we're building the full-stack foundation for the next generation of humanoid robots — from high-performance, software-defined hardware to the foundational models and video world models that control it. Our robots are designed to be generalists capable of operating in complex, real-world environments and handling scenarios unseen in training. We work at the intersection of large-scale learning, robotics, and systems, with a research team that includes researchers from Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard, and beyond. We're not building a feature; we're building a new computing platform for physical work — and with over $400M raised, we're investing aggressively in the R&D, hardware development, and manufacturing scale-up to make that a reality.
We're looking for a senior leader to build and lead our on-robot software organization. The Head of On-Robot Software will own the full software stack that runs on the robot — from real-time control to system integration, sensor interfaces, teleoperation, networking, safety systems, and cloud connectivity. This role is ideal for someone who has led robotics software teams, shipped mature, multi-subsystem robotic products, and is comfortable owning everything that makes the robot actually work.
What You'll Do
Technical Leadership
Own the complete on-robot software architecture, including: real-time control (low-level, whole-body, model-based + learned), system services and middleware (ROS2 or equivalent), sensor fusion, calibration, and time synchronization, actuator drivers & hardware abstraction layers, safety systems, watchdogs, and fault recovery, networking, teleoperation, cloud interfaces, and data logging & telemetry architecture
Define the robot's modular software architecture to enable AI control, scalable development, and reliable production operation
Ensure real-time performance, stability, and safety across all robot subsystems
Oversee integration of AI models into the robot stack, including runtime execution, APIs, and failover systems
Cross-Functional Ownership
Collaborate with the hardware team on sensors, actuators, embedded firmware, and system reliability
Work with the AI team on API surfaces for learned controllers, high-level planners, and data collection pipelines
Partner with product and operations teams to ensure the software supports manufacturing, testing, fleet ops, and customer deployments
Lead on-robot bring-up for new hardware revisions and new platforms
Team Leadership & Execution
Build and lead a multidisciplinary robot software team (controls, systems, drivers, real-time, networking)
Establish engineering culture, coding standards, testing frameworks, simulation processes, and release pipelines
Own hiring, performance management, and budgets for the robot software group
Drive execution toward reliable, production-ready releases
Delivery & System Reliability
Deliver consistent, high-quality robot control and behavior in real environments
Build fleet-ready infrastructure: over-the-air updates, telemetry, remote debugging, and log streaming
Ensure all on-robot components are scalable, debuggable, and maintainable
Implement real-time testing frameworks, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and end-to-end validation
What We're Looking For
10+ years of experience in robotics software or real-time systems; 5+ years in engineering leadership
Shipped one or more production-grade robotic systems (e.g., arms, AMRs, industrial robots, humanoids)
Deep experience with: robot operating systems (ROS2 or similar), real-time control & estimation, sensor fusion and hardware drivers, distributed systems on-robot, networking, APIs, and systems integration
Strong C and Python skills
Experience leading large teams and coordinating across hardware, AI, and product
Strong intuition for safety, reliability, debuggability, and operational excellence
Nice to Have (But Not Required)
Experience integrating learned controllers or AI-driven behavior
Background in humanoid robots, mobile manipulators, or high-DoF systems
Experience with firmware, embedded systems, or custom electronics
Familiarity with cloud robotics, fleet ops, teleop systems, and OTA update frameworks
Why This Role
Own the entire software layer that makes our humanoids move, perceive, and operate in the real world — one of the most technically complex and consequential roles in physical AI
Build and lead a team from the ground up, with direct influence over architecture, culture, and the engineering foundation the company will scale on
Work at the intersection of cutting-edge AI and production robotics, where the software you ship gets deployed on real humanoids in real environments
