Founding Engineer in London

Founding Engineer in London

London Full-Time 80000 - 100000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
Tekton Dynamics

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Join our team to design and develop cutting-edge AI-powered robotic systems.
  • Company: Be part of Tekton Dynamics, backed by top investors and industry leaders.
  • Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, private health insurance, free lunch, and a curiosity allowance.
  • Other info: Exciting opportunity to grow with a dynamic founding team in a collaborative environment.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in robotics and AI while working hands-on in our lab.
  • Qualifications: 3+ years in software development with a passion for robotics and AI.

The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.

Location: Our industrial lab near London Bridge, in person 5 days/week, occasional travel to industry partners across the UK, Europe, and the US.

Competitive salary: GBP 100-150K + bonus + meaningful equity.

About Tekton Dynamics: At Tekton Dynamics, we are on a mission to empower every manufacturer, no matter their scale, to invent and build anything using intelligent robots. We are building the AI-powered control layer for industrial robots — starting with welding.

We are:

  • Backed by Y Combinator and founders of PayPal, Affirm, Slack – with a $6M seed round.
  • Scout investments by Sequoia, a16z, Accel, and Kleiner Perkins.
  • Founding team of AI PhDs and previous startup CTOs – everyone has a founder/CTO background.
  • Building with real industry partners from the start – focused on shipping robotic solutions for real-world deployment in record time.

Your Role: As Tekton Dynamic’s Founding Engineer, you’ll operate as a core member of our multi-disciplinary product engineering team. You'll be researching, planning, and developing systems and software across our entire engineering stack. This is not a typical “Software Engineer” role. You’ll design, build, and maintain core systems that fuse software, hardware and networks. You’ll be both in the weeds with deeply technical subject matter across software, robotics, and AI — and hands-on installing vision sensors, industrial robots, and welding equipment in our R&D lab and our customers’ production facilities.

We value “T-shaped” engineers who:

  • Dive into subject matter they are unfamiliar with
  • Apply first principles to solve technical problems
  • Index on solving the right problems over finding the perfect solution
  • Debate with data and logic, and then commit fully to executing team decisions
  • Appreciate that delivering customer value requires communicating and building trust with our customers

Must-haves:

  • 3+ years shipping software in highly technical startup environments
  • “T-shaped” systems and software generalist
  • Designed, built and deployed software as part of an engineering team
  • Comfortable and confident in debugging messy reality: edge networks, hardware calibration, sim-to-real gap
  • Proven team player, clear communicator; you think from first principles, you identify assumptions and test them methodically, you question the ‘why’ behind every decision

Nice-to-haves:

  • Familiarity with training and evaluating machine learning pipelines
  • Experience in harsh industrial settings (welding/fabrication/heavy industry)
  • Experience as a Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE)
  • Robotics and/or computer vision experience
  • Edge compute deployments, latency optimization and reliability monitoring

Example areas you’d be involved in:

  • Industrial workflows: Process 3D CAD models into efficient data structures
  • Create declarative representations of complex industrial processes
  • Perception: Install, calibrate, and optimize vision sensor capture and fusion pipelines
  • Train and deploy computer vision models for processing 2D/3D images
  • Robot Control and Command: Tune and optimize our robot motion planning and collision avoidance stack
  • Build and train AI/machine learning based systems to handle real-world welding scenarios
  • Systems, hardware, and integration: Design and construct sensor enclosures to protect sensors and edge devices
  • Design robust network architectures with redundancy to ensure always-on and secure access to edge devices
  • Engage external vendors and integrators to plan and install robotic cells

Benefits: Private health insurance + pension contributions, Free lunch, Curiosity allowance (books, learning, memberships)

A note on our in-office culture: Our team works in our industrial lab near London Bridge five days a week. In our opinion, it’s a core requirement for building physical AI - and we love it. Please only apply if this excites you too.

Join us as our founding engineer and employee #4!

Founding Engineer in London employer: Tekton Dynamics

At Tekton Dynamics, we pride ourselves on being an innovative employer that fosters a collaborative and dynamic work environment. Located in our industrial lab near London Bridge, we offer competitive salaries, private health insurance, and a unique culture that encourages curiosity and hands-on learning. As a founding engineer, you'll have the opportunity to work alongside a talented team of AI PhDs and startup veterans, contributing to groundbreaking projects while enjoying significant growth potential and meaningful equity.

Tekton Dynamics

Contact Details:

Tekton Dynamics Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Founding Engineer in London

Dive into Robotics Meetups

Get yourself out there and connect with others in the robotics-automation field by attending local meetups and industry events. These gatherings are where the magic happens, and you might just rub shoulders with someone from Tekton Dynamics or get insider tips on upcoming vacancies.

Showcase Your Projects

Create a portfolio that highlights your robotics projects, whether they're personal, academic, or freelance. Share this on platforms like GitHub or your personal website, as it shows potential employers, like Tekton Dynamics, what you're made of and your hands-on experience in the field.

Utilise University Resources

If you're fresh out of university or still connected, don't underestimate your career services. They often have exclusive access to job fairs and employer networking events in technical fields like ours, so make sure you tap into those resources to discover openings at companies like Tekton Dynamics.

Engage in Online Communities

Join online communities that focus on robotics and automation, such as forums or LinkedIn groups. Engage in conversations, ask questions, and share insights. This not only builds your visibility but could also lead to direct connections at firms like Tekton Dynamics, which might have the full-time role you're after.

We think you need these skills to ace Founding Engineer in London

Software Development
Robotics
AI and Machine Learning
Systems Engineering
Hardware Integration
Debugging
3D CAD Modelling

Some tips for your application 🫡

Showcase Your Technical Skills:In the robotics and automation field, it's crucial to highlight your technical skills on your CV. Include specific programming languages, software platforms, and any relevant robotics experience. Don’t forget to mention any projects or systems you've developed – this info can really make you stand out!

Portfolio Perfection:Having a polished portfolio can speak volumes for a role in robotics. Include any relevant case studies, designs, or prototypes you've worked on. If you've participated in competitions or hackathons, showcase these achievements as well – they show initiative and problem-solving skills!

Tailored Cover Letter Magic:In your cover letter, don’t just tell us that you love robotics—tell us why you’re passionate about automation specifically! Explain how your skills can contribute to Tekton Dynamics’s projects and remember to connect your past experiences to what you'll be doing in this role.

Certifications Matter:If you’ve got any relevant certifications, such as in robotic process automation or machine learning, make sure they’re front and centre on your CV. These credentials show you're dedicated to your field and keep you up to date with industry standards – we love to see that!

How to prepare for a job interview at Tekton Dynamics

Showcase Your Technical Wizardry

For a role in robotics and automation at Tekton Dynamics, it's crucial to demonstrate your technical skills. Be prepared to dive into specifics about the programming languages and tools you’ve used, like Python or ROS (Robot Operating System). Brush up on your knowledge of algorithms and control systems, as these might come up during technical questions.

Bring Your Projects to Life

With a full-time position in robotics, you should have a portfolio of your projects ready to show. Whether it's a robot you built for a competition or a simple automation script, make sure you can discuss the challenges you faced and how you solved them. This hands-on experience is gold and shows you can apply theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios.

Think Like an Engineer

Expect some problem-solving scenarios during your interview. You might be asked to design a basic automation solution on the spot or troubleshoot a robotic system. Practising these types of technical questions can really set you apart, as they require critical thinking and a systematic approach to tackle problems.

Culture Fit Is Key!

Don’t underestimate the importance of cultural fit at Tekton Dynamics. They might ask about your teamwork experience and how you handle challenges with peers. Be ready to share examples of working in diverse teams, as collaboration is often central to projects in robotics and automation.