Peppermint Robotics

Engineering Manager - Robotics &amp; Software
Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India (On-site / Hybrid possible, with strong preference for in-person collaboration at our Pashan-Sus R&amp;D center)
Job Type: Full-Time
Reports to: CTO
Team size managed: 10–25 engineers (direct + indirect reports across robotics hardware/firmware, embedded systems, software backend/frontend, perception, navigation, and fleet management)
About Us
Peppermint Robotics is an autonomous robotics company based out of Pune, India. Started in 2019 at SINE IIT Bombay, we have grown into a leader in commercial cleaning and industrial material handling robots, with operations in six countries. With offices in Pune, Dubai, and Austin, we are a passionate, engineering-driven team tackling hard robotics problems.
Our Mission: At Peppermint Robotics, our mission is to build intelligent robots that automate repetitive and mundane tasks, freeing humans to focus on higher-value work and unlocking greater human potential.
Role Overview
As Engineering Manager for Robotics &amp; Software, you will lead end-to-end engineering delivery for our autonomous mobile robots—from perception and SLAM/navigation stacks to embedded firmware, cloud connectivity, fleet management dashboards, and AI-driven features. Working directly with the CTO, you will scale high-performing teams, drive technical excellence, ensure reliable real-world deployments, and align engineering efforts with product and business goals in a fast-paced startup environment.
This is a high-impact, hands-on leadership role ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of robotics, software, and real-world hardware deployment—staying technically involved by contributing directly to key projects while building and scaling the team. Particularly suited for leaders experienced in both early-stage creation (0 to 1) and structured scaling (10 to 100).
Key Responsibilities
People &amp; Team Leadership (~40%)
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Build, mentor, and grow a world-class team of robotics engineers, embedded/software developers, perception/AI specialists, and full-stack engineers
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Conduct regular 1:1s, career growth discussions, performance reviews, promotions, and compensation planning
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Foster a culture of ownership, psychological safety, rapid iteration, and ethical engineering
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Hire top talent in Pune and potentially remote (India-focused initially)
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Promote team well-being and sustainable pace to sustain long-term velocity
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Delivery &amp; Execution (~40%)
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Own reliable, on-time delivery of robot features, firmware updates, software releases, and field performance improvements
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Collaborate closely with Product, Operations, and Field Deployment teams to prioritize roadmap items
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Manage cross-functional dependencies (mechanical, electrical, production, QA, customer success)
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Remove blockers, protect the team from scope creep, and ensure sustainable pace
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Technical Leadership &amp; Strategy (~20%)
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Guide architecture decisions across the full robotics stack: ROS/ROS2, embedded C/C++, computer vision (SLAM, object detection), path planning, fleet orchestration, cloud backend (data pipelines, analytics), and UI/UX for operators
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Remain hands-on by contributing directly to high-impact projects, prototypes, critical fixes, or architectural spikes as needed to maintain deep system understanding and lead by example
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Drive reduction of technical debt, improve system robustness for harsh industrial environments, and ensure safety certifications
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Participate in design reviews, code/architecture reviews, and critical debugging (especially field issues)
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Champion best practices: CI/CD for robots, simulation testing, versioned hardware/software integration
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Collaboration &amp; Impact
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Partner directly with CTO on engineering vision, tech roadmap, hiring bar, and scaling strategy
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Work with global teams (USA, Europe) and support international deployments
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Contribute to company OKRs around product reliability, customer satisfaction, and innovation velocity
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Requirements
Must-Have
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8–12+ years of experience in software/embedded engineering, with 3–6+ years in people leadership (Engineering Manager, Tech Lead Manager, or equivalent)
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Proven track record leading robotics, autonomous systems, embedded software, or complex hardware-software products
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Deep hands-on experience in at least one of: ROS/ROS2, C++/Python, computer vision/SLAM, navigation/path planning, embedded Linux, real-time systems, cloud (AWS/GCP/Azure), fleet management
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Experience shipping production robotics or IoT products to real customers
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Strong people leadership: hiring, coaching senior engineers, resolving conflicts, building inclusive teams
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Comfortable in startup ambiguity with ability to define structure and processes while staying technically involved
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Excellent communication across technical and non-technical stakeholders
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Nice-to-Have
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Prior experience in commercial/service robotics, cleaning/warehouse automation, or mobile manipulation
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Familiarity with safety standards (IEC 60335, IEC 3691-4, or similar)
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Exposure to AI/ML integration in robotics (perception, predictive maintenance)
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Experience in the 0 to 1 journey (building/scaling engineering from early-stage/scratch through initial product validation and early growth)
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Proven experience managing and scaling engineering teams of 15+ members (ideally through 10–100 growth phases)
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Background in manufacturing-adjacent domains (industrial automation)
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What We Offer
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Opportunity to shape the future of commercial robotics in a mission-driven company
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Direct collaboration with CTO and founders in a high-trust environment
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Competitive compensation
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Work on real-world impact: robots deployed globally in high-profile facilities
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Modern Pune office with strong engineering culture (“Get things done – ethically, transparently, and fast!”)
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Health benefits, and excellent leave policy
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How to Apply
If you're passionate about scaling robotics teams—through both the scrappy 0 to 1 creation phase and structured 10 to 100 growth—while staying hands-on and contributing to critical projects to deliver autonomous systems that solve real problems, we'd love to hear from you. Please send your resume and a brief note on your most relevant leadership experience in robotics/software