What to Expect as a Junior Robotics Engineer at MUSE
- misafuku2
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
― A conversation with Aldo, Robot Software Engineer at MUSE―
Agenda
Introduction
– To start, could you introduce yourself and your relationship with MUSE?
Absolutely, my name is Aldo Peña, and I’m a Robot Software Engineer at MUSE. I first joined the company as an intern during the summer of 2024, then continued as a contractor starting in November of that same year. In March 2025, I moved to Tokyo to begin working on-site at MUSE’s headquarters.
In this conversation, I’d like to share my perspective on how new generations are entering and influencing the workforce, how this connects to the evolution of robotics in the real world, and how my experience at MUSE has shaped both my professional growth and the contributions I’ve made to our robots.
– Speaking of your contributions to the company, could you walk us through some of them while working at MUSE?
My contributions so far have focused on the software side of our robotic systems, especially Armo and the Scan Unit.
On Armo, I’ve worked on the software around the camera and its configuration (which was one of my key projects during my time as an intern). I’ve also contributed to localization and navigation topics, which are core elements for allowing the robot to operate smoothly in real retail environments. Furthermore, I’ve helped with system integration to streamline processes such as software updates, intel gathering, and IoT tools. The goal has been to make Armo less prone to errors while making it easier to maintain and improve over time.
Meanwhile for the Scan Unit, I have been mostly focused on improving its internal system and its communication with Armo. That includes adopting more robust operational pipelines, improving image capture quality, and working on a more intuitive and fluid user interface. I firmly believe that these details matter when you want robots to fit smoothly into everyday store operations.
– About fitting robots into everyday operations, what do you think about the current and future robotics industry status?
Well, we live in a world that is evolving constantly and at high speed. In that sense, creative and innovative solutions can completely change the way entire industries operate.
Let’s think of a simple example: fifty years ago, the idea of making a video call felt like pure science fiction. It was something we imagined only as a distant dream, something that would be described as futuristic. Today, that scenario is normal: you just pick up your phone, tap a couple of buttons, and you’re talking face to face with someone on the other side of the world.
We’re seeing something very similar with human and robot collaboration. For decades, we’ve imagined how much easier life could be if machines took on more of the routine tasks, freeing people to focus on more human qualities. That is no longer a distant vision, robots and intelligent devices are becoming part of everyday life.
Just focus on the market nowadays: recent research estimates that the global advanced robotics market was worth USD 44.74 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow from USD 53.74 billion in 2025 to around USD 280.01 billion by 2034 [1]. The Asia Pacific region is already leading in industrial and service robotics, driven by rapid industrialization, advanced service demands and strong government initiatives, with sectors such as automotive, healthcare, logistics, and retail acting as the main adopters [1].
In other words, robotics is not a distant dream anymore, it’s already a key part of how industries will continue to function and grow.
– Considering the expectative of big growth in the following years in this field, how do you feel younger generations are influencing this phenomena?
The growth of robotics is not happening in isolation; it’s happening in parallel with major changes in the workforce. For the first time in history, five generations with very different formative and technological experiences are working together side by side [2]. That diversity, instead of being a problem, creates new opportunities for innovation and growth.
Each generation contributes something unique to the workplace but personally speaking as part of Gen Z, I believe that common values like a sense of community, a global mindset, access over ownership, side projects, and the importance of authenticity are shaping the way of doing engineering and the general workplace culture. Plus, the ability to adopt new technologies quickly and work naturally with large amounts of data also plays an important role. For example, the expectative that digital tools at work should be as intuitive as the social media apps we use every day depicts a slight idea on the common mindset of this generation, which has a direct impact on how we design robot software, user interfaces and tools that end up in our customers [2].
Because of this, it’s critical that engineers who are just entering the workforce, or are about to enter, adapt quickly and are able to contribute their skills in line with the demands of the technology market.
– With that in mind, what led you to choose MUSE as the place to start building your career in robotics?
Finding a place that aligned with my professional goals and where I could actively contribute was essential. When I did the initial research about MUSE before my first interview, I got hooked by their values, their purpose, and their vision for inspiring the world through robotics. From that moment, I felt like the right choice was to begin this path for my early career stage.
It hasn’t been an easy path, there have been plenty of challenges and difficult moments along the way, but thanks to the company’s philosophy and work culture, MUSE has been moving in a strong direction and results speak for themselves. Today I feel profoundly grateful to be able to grow alongside the team both professionally and personally.
– Once you joined, how did relocating to Japan shape your day-to-day life?
Moving to a completely new country with a very unique culture like Japan all the way from Mexico has been a major but, at the same time, very rewarding challenge.
Of course I’ve struggled with the language and with adapting to local customs. However, my time here has made me appreciate cultural differences even more and value the opportunity of working in a country that has always been widely known for its adoption in robotic technology.
Because of that, I’ve tried to respond by giving my best at work. I’ve been fortunate to contribute to several features that are now directly present in the robots in production, as well as to other functionalities that are less visible to end users or are still in development.
– Before we wrap up, what do you hope your next steps at MUSE will look like?
Well, so far, the team has responded positively to the contributions I’ve made. I feel genuinely happy and fulfilled to have the chance to collaborate actively with the company.
I’m very aware that I still lack a lot of experience in some areas and that I have plenty of engineering skills to improve but at the same time, I also recognize the potential I have to continue supporting MUSE in achieving its goals and of course, the enormous potential that MUSE itself has to keep up in the right direction while facing up all the challenges of this rapidly changing industry. Therefore, I feel grateful for this opportunity, and I’m excited for everything that lies ahead.
Thank you.
References
[1] Precedence Research, “Advanced Robotics Market Size, Share and Trends 2025 to 2034,” Advanced Robotics Market Size to Surpass USD 280.01 Billion by 2034, Apr. 29, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.precedenceresearch.com/advanced-robotics-market. Accessed: Nov. 27, 2025.
[2] J. Truncale, “Tomorrow’s workforce changed yesterday – now what for businesses that want to be future-ready?,” World Economic Forum, Jan. 17, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/workforce-change-future-ready-businesses/. Accessed: Nov. 27, 2025.
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