Ultra

Practical, general-purpose robots for repetitive industrial tasks

Robot Pilot

$60K - $90K0.01% - 0.10%New York, United States
Job type
Full-time
Role
Operations
Experience
Any (new grads ok)
Visa
US citizen/visa only
Connect directly with founders of the best YC-funded startups.
Apply to role ›
Max Friefeld
Max Friefeld
Founder

About the role

About Ultra

Ultra builds industrial AI robots that are working in the real world today. Our robots automate mission-critical warehouse labor end-to-end, starting with e-commerce order packaging. We deploy fast, learn from real production data, and iterate aggressively. We already have multiple revenue-generating robots operating in U.S. warehouses, and are now scaling toward hundreds of deployments over the next couple years. Our goal is simple: build the most advanced, most productive industrial AI robots on the planet.

Overview

We’re looking for exceptional robot pilots to push the limits of robotic teleoperation. This is a high-performance role where precision, speed, and problem solving matter every day.

You’ll operate robots in VR at a professional level, helping define how work gets done — refining existing tasks and inventing new workflows alongside customers and our internal teams. We’re looking for people who treat performance as a craft and constantly chase improvement.

What You’ll Do

  • Operate robots in VR for extended sessions with elite-level focus, consistency, and control.
  • Continuously optimize task execution — improving speed, precision, and efficiency through experimentation and repetition.
  • Partner with service and sales teams to prototype new capabilities that amaze our customers.
  • Work closely with engineering and AI teams to translate operator insight into better robot performance and autonomy.

Who You Are

  • Highly competitive with yourself — you measure performance and push to improve every session.
  • Exceptional hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and physical control under pressure.
  • Able to maintain deep focus for long periods while making fast, high-quality decisions.
  • Problem solver by instinct — you see obstacles as opportunities to refine technique.

Experience & Skills

  • High-level experience in gaming, VR, simulation, robotics, athletics, or other precision performance domains is a strong plus.
  • Comfortable operating in fast-paced warehouse or industrial environments.
  • Strong communicator who can clearly explain insights, failures, and opportunities for improvement.
  • Able to stay physically and mentally engaged during extended operating sessions.
  • Nice to have - experience in a warehouse or manufacturing environment and working with physical hardware and tools

Expected Compensation

$65,000 - $90,000/annual salary + equity + benefits

This compensation range may be inclusive of several career levels at Ultra and will be narrowed during the interview process based on the candidate’s experience and qualifications. Adjustments outside of this range may be considered for candidates whose qualifications significantly differ from those outlined in the job description.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply.

About Ultra

Ultra builds practical, general-purpose robots focused on repetitive manipulation tasks.

Unlike traditional industrial automation that’s rigid and complex, our robots are zero integration—able to be installed in hours, not weeks—and are highly flexible, capable of quickly learning new tasks and delivering immediate ROI.

Founded by a team of three-time entrepreneurs with a decade of collaboration, Ultra moves fast and decisively. We already have robots in the field generating revenue and data, with plans to rapidly scale deployments this year.

Ultra
Founded:2024
Batch:S24
Team Size:4
Status:
Active
Location:New York
Founders
Max Friefeld
Max Friefeld
Founder
Jon Miller Schwartz
Jon Miller Schwartz
Co-founder & CEO
Oliver Ortlieb
Oliver Ortlieb
Founder
Chetan Parthiban
Chetan Parthiban
Founder