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Have you made robots drive themselves? We have a rover that needs a brain.
Welcome to Ghost Founder, the "Start-Up Grind For Hire" that's looking to hire!
We're looking for an experienced robotics engineer who has already built autonomous machines and knows what it takes to make them navigate the real world.
Rovers, autonomous vehicles, mobile robots, drones, robotic lawnmowers, Roombas. We don't particularly care which one you've worked on.
We care that you've actually done it.
This is a hands-on contract opportunity for someone who loves robotics, enjoys solving hard problems, and wants to make major technical decisions while building something exciting with a talented team.
Who Is Ghost Founder?
At Ghost Founder, our brand promise is BREAKTHROUGHS, FAST!
We turn ambitious ideas into working prototypes and real-world products.
We hire talented, independent engineers, give them difficult problems, and create an environment where they can spend their days designing, experimenting, building, and solving them.
We move quickly. We trust our people. And we believe that a working prototype is worth a thousand PowerPoint slides.
If you thrive when you're given a challenging objective, the tools to tackle it, and the freedom to figure out the best approach, you'll feel right at home.
The Mission: Give Our Rover a Brain
We're developing a mid-sized autonomous ground rover.
The mechanical platform is taking shape. Now we need to make it smart enough to navigate and operate autonomously.
And we need someone who knows how to get us there.
We're not looking for someone to spend three months researching what autonomous navigation might look like.
We're looking for someone who has done this before and is ready to build.
The rover needs to understand where it is, perceive its surroundings, identify obstacles, make navigation decisions, and execute those decisions reliably.
RTK/GNSS will be part of the solution, but it won't be the whole solution. (Basic navigation based on GNSS already works.)
We're interested in LiDAR, stereo cameras, visual odometry, IMUs, sensor fusion, SLAM, and whatever other technologies make sense.
You will help us determine the right architecture, select the hardware and software stack, integrate the sensors, and bring the system to life.
Our immediate goal is reliable autonomous operation in real-world environments.
Our stretch goal is autonomous navigation in GNSS-denied environments.
That challenge shouldn't scare you. Ideally, you've already encountered it.
Who We're Looking For
You're a robotics engineer who understands both the hardware and software sides of autonomous machines.
You know how something like a Roomba actually works.
Not just the high-level concept. You understand the sensors, localization, mapping, perception, planning, control loops, and the software architecture that ties everything together.
You've dealt with noisy sensor data, localization drift, unexpected obstacles, and robots that behave perfectly in simulation but completely differently in the real world.
You know the difference between an impressive demo and a reliable autonomous system.
Most importantly, you've built something that actually navigates autonomously.
Requirements
An engineering or computer science degree is welcome, but demonstrated experience building autonomous machines matters much more.
Bonus Abilities
We're not expecting you to have mastered every technology on this list.
We are expecting you to know enough to choose the right tools for the job and recognize the challenges ahead.
How You Work
You love building robots. Not just talking about robotics, watching YouTube videos about robotics, or adding "Physical AI" to your LinkedIn profile.
You've actually made machines move intelligently through the world, and you want to do more of it.
You have strong technical opinions, loosely held. You've seen enough to know which approaches tend to work, but you're willing to adapt when reality disagrees.
You don't need a detailed playbook. You can take a broad objective, break it into achievable milestones, and start making progress.
You're comfortable with responsibility. You'll have meaningful influence over the system architecture, hardware selection, and software approach.
You're transparent. You can show clients and teammates what you've accomplished, explain failures without excuses, and communicate technical challenges honestly.
You document your work daily. We use a short, structured internal reporting format to keep everyone aligned. Clear progress, clear problems, clear next steps.
You move quickly. This is a short engagement with ambitious goals. We want someone who knows how to use existing tools and proven solutions to accelerate development.
A Typical Day at Ghost Founder
You'll start with a quick team huddle to align on priorities.
Then you'll get to work.
Maybe you're integrating a new LiDAR sensor, tuning a localization algorithm, testing autonomous waypoint navigation, or figuring out why the rover thinks a bush is a concrete wall.
You'll work alongside talented engineers who are developing the mechanical and electrical systems.
You'll make important design decisions, build and test solutions, and watch your work come to life in the real world.
You'll have the freedom to do what you do best, without layers of management getting in the way.
And yes, you'll probably spend a fair amount of time outside chasing a robot around.
The Engagement
This is a contract position for several months, focused on achieving specific autonomous navigation capabilities.
We're looking for someone who can contribute immediately, take technical ownership, and help us reach meaningful milestones quickly.
You'll work closely with our engineering team, with substantial freedom to shape the technical solution.
Join The Grind
If you've made robots drive, fly, navigate, or otherwise think for themselves, we want to see your work.
Apply with examples of autonomous systems you've built or helped develop.
Videos are particularly welcome. So are GitHub repositories, system diagrams, technical write-ups, and pictures of your robots doing interesting things.
Tell us:
You can include your rsum, but we're much more interested in what you've made work in the real world.
Generic applications and buzzword-filled rsums won't impress us.
Show us your robots.
Who Is Ghost Founder
At Ghost Founder, we believe in the power of speed, innovation, and partnership. Our brand promise is BREAKTHROUGHS, FAST! Our mission is to help visionary leaders in Fortune 500 companies turn their boldest ideas into reality, with speed, accuracy, and creativity. We are the proof-of-concept prototyping experts, the ones who can bring your wildest ideas to life, in record time.
We know that the road from idea to execution can be long, winding, and treacherous. That's why we have assembled a team of seasoned engineers, designers, and problem-solvers who thrive on challenge, ambiguity, and complexity. We don't just build prototypes, we solve problems. We don't just create assets, we inspire action. We don't just work for our clients, we work with them, as trusted partners and advisors.