Head of Applications Engineering

Slip Robotics deploys autonomous loading and unloading robots at customer warehouse and manufacturing sites under a Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model. When a customer signs a contract, someone has to turn that contract into a working installation — site assessed, equipment configured, robots commissioned, customer trained, and system validated. That someone is you.

You will build and lead the Applications Engineering function at Slip. This function does not exist today. New customer deployments are currently handled ad hoc by pulling from Service Engineering and field teams — which degrades support for existing customers every time we onboard a new one. That has to stop. You own the entire implementation lifecycle: from the moment Sales hands you a signed contract to the moment Field Service takes over a fully operational, customer-accepted system. You are the person accountable for every new customer's first experience with Slip — and in a market where references drive future sales, that first experience is everything. This is a build-from-scratch role. You will define the playbook, hire the team, and run implementations yourself in the early months while the team scales underneath you. If you've only managed existing processes at scale and haven't built from zero, this isn't the right fit.

What You'll Own

Implementation pipeline management

• Own the deployment pipeline across all active and upcoming customer implementations
• Manage concurrent projects (target: 2-3 simultaneous implementations as the team scales)
• Drive the implementation timeline backward from the customer's go-live date through production, quality inspection, and logistics — you own the schedule, not the COO

Solution design and site readiness

• Conduct site assessments: dock configuration, floor conditions, network infrastructure, workflow integration requirements
• Translate site-specific requirements into a deployment configuration sheet that specifies exactly what equipment, firmware, peripherals, and controllers each customer needs
• That configuration sheet flows to Quality for verification before shipment — you define the recipe, quality follows it

Installation and commissioning

• Lead on-site installation: physical setup, network configuration, software deployment, peripheral integration

• Commission the system and validate performance against contract specifications

• Train customer operations teams on day-to-day use, basic troubleshooting, and escalation procedures

Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) and hypercare

• Define and execute SAT criteria — the formal gate that proves the system meets contract specifications

• Own the 2-4 week hypercare period post-SAT where your team remains primary support while the customer stabilizes

• No handoff to Field Service occurs until all gate criteria are met: SAT passed, customer signed off, maintenance plan loaded, Field Service tech trained on site-specific configuration, Account Manager formally introduced

Deployment logistics coordination

• Work with Quality and the Logistics Coordinator to ensure the right equipment ships to the right site on time
• Coordinate with Production on build schedules aligned to your implementation timeline
• For international deployments, partner with Supply Chain on customs and freight logistics

Playbook and process development

• Build the standardized implementation playbook: site assessment templates, configuration sheet process, installation checklists, SAT criteria, handoff gate checklist, hypercare protocols

• Every implementation should be more efficient than the last — capture lessons learned and feed them back into the process
• Define the metrics that measure implementation quality: time to SAT, first-pass SAT rate, punch list items at handoff, customer satisfaction at go-live

Team build

• Hire Applications Engineers / Project Leads who can independently run implementations end-to-end
• Scale the team to match implementation volume — at 2+ implementations per month, you need at least 2-3 people who can lead projects independently
• Develop the team's technical depth across Slip's product line so they can handle site- specific configuration challenges without escalating to Service Engineering

Requirements

• 8+ years leading technology deployment, implementation, or field installation programs across multiple sites and geographies

• Demonstrated experience managing concurrent deployment projects with defined timelines and customer acceptance criteria
• Track record of building deployment processes and playbooks from scratch — not just operating within existing frameworks
• Experience deploying into customer-managed facilities (not just internal operations) where the customer has contractual acceptance standards
• Strong project management discipline: timeline management, dependency tracking, risk identification, stakeholder communication
• Experience hiring and developing implementation/deployment teams
• Comfortable being hands-on — you will personally lead installations in the early months

Preferred

• Experience in industrial automation, robotics, warehouse automation, material handling, or heavy equipment deployment
• International deployment experience (customs, logistics, cross-border coordination)
• Background in companies where the provider owns the equipment post-deployment (RaaS, HaaS, managed services, elevator/escalator installation)
• Lean Six Sigma or equivalent process improvement methodology
• Supply chain or logistics background that helps you coordinate the deployment pipeline from production through on-site installation
• Familiarity with ERP systems (NetSuite preferred) for production and logistics coordination

Benefits

• Competitive salary and equity in an early-stage robotics company
• Comprehensive benefits including health, dental, and vision
• Permissive time off policy
• A small team where your work has direct, visible impact on shipped products