At ABB, we help industries outrun - leaner and cleaner. Here, progress is an expectation - for you, your team, and the world. As a global market leader, we’ll give you what you need to make it happen. It won’t always be easy, growing takes grit. But at ABB, you’ll never run alone. Run what runs the world.

This role sits within ABB's Robotics business, a leading global robotics company. We're entering an exciting new chapter as we’ve announced the plan for Soft Bank Group to acquire ABB Robotics. Soft Bank is a globally recognized technology group and investor/operator focused on AI, robotics, and next-generation computing. By joining us now, you’ll be part of a pioneering team shaping the future of robotics—working alongside world-class experts in a fast-moving, innovation-driven environment.

This Position reports to:

CTO Manager, RARO

Lead the future of Physical AI in robotics. Build the organization. Deliver the vision. At ABB Robotics we‘re building the global leader in Physical AI - intelligent robotic systems that seamlessly fuse AI, software, and automation to solve real industrial problems at scale. Our robots don‘t just move; they perceive, decide, and act in dynamic environments where reliability and performance are key.

You will lead the end-to-end development of our AVR / Physical AI offering – from vision and architecture to organizational build-up and industrial delivery. This is a high-impact leadership role at the intersection of AI, software architecture, and robotics, where you will shape both the technology and the organization.

This is a global role. The work model is: hybrid; #

Your Responsibilities:

• Physical AI Strategy & End-to-End Ownership: Own and drive the overall AVR / Physical AI strategy and execution, in line with long-term business objectives. Build the platform strategy leveraging existing assets while driving greenfield development where required.

• Organization Building & Transformation: Build, lead, and scale a world-class, multidisciplinary organization across AI, software, and robotics, while driving the transformation of operating models, structures, and ways of working.

• Technology & Architecture Leadership: Define and steer the architectural direction for AI-powered robotics systems across embedded, edge, and cloud environments, ensuring scalable, reliable, and high-performance solutions.

• Product Delivery & Industrialization: Deliver production-grade AI robotics solutions for industrial environments, balancing innovation with safety, quality, and scalability.

• Executive Alignment & Ecosystem Leadership: Partner with the CTO and senior leadership to translate strategy into execution, while representing ABB Robotics externally with customers, partners, and the global AI/robotics ecosystem.

Your Profile

• Advanced degree (M.Sc. or Ph.D.) in a relevant field, with 10–15+ years of experience in software, AI, or robotics

• Proven track record of building and scaling high-performing AI and/or software organizations, including leadership of senior technical teams

• Strong background in software architecture and complex systems, ideally in robotics, automation, or industrial environments

• Deep understanding of AI applied to real-world (physical) systems, combining data-driven and model-based approaches

• Demonstrated ability to translate advanced technologies into robust, production-grade systems operating at scale

• Experience driving change and transformation in established organizations

• Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence at executive level, operate effectively in a global environment, and understand industrial constraints such as safety, reliability, and scalability

Why This Role Matters

Physical AI is redefining robotics – and this role sits at the center of that shift. You will play a pivotal role in bringing advanced capabilities into real-world industrial use at scale.

ABB Robotics offers a unique foundation to succeed:

• Customer access & real applications: Direct exposure to global customers and live deployment environments
• Deep application expertise: Strong understanding of industrial requirements and use cases
• Proven scale: Extensive installed base and global operational footprint
• Leading robotics platform: A world-class foundation for deploying AI-driven solutions
• Industrial heritage: Decades of experience delivering value through automation

We value people from different backgrounds. Could this be your story? Apply today or visit www.abb.com to read more about us and learn about the impact of our solutions across the globe.