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rossng

1,000 karma · joined December 4, 2013

Likes types. Working on software-defined robotics for construction @ https://www.monumental.co/

https://www.rossng.eu/

[ my public key: https://keybase.io/rossng; my proof: https://keybase.io/rossng/sigs/k9hsrOjN6SnsHR-xW7TITjVZ7Xsd_I7wPgFMMYoJcO8 ]

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rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (October 2026)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings, starting with bricklaying.

There's a lot of vapourware in robotics, but we're deploying robots across multiple concurrent sites today - and generating revenue. In the last couple of months, our robots have built affordable social housing, health care living units, canal walls in the historic city centre of Amsterdam, and a youth sports centre. Help us to build things that matter in the long run.

We're looking for experienced software engineers for many roles. You can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

- Designing systems for robots to drive safely and fully autonomously around a building site

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations - we'll be building in the UK soon - and we need experienced engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

Take a look inside our software stack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh9BfQoKCy0

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

rossng··on Pentagon says overreliance on AI contributed to missile strike on Iran school
You might be interested in Dan Davies' book The Unaccountability Machine[1].

It talks a fair bit about 'accountability sinks', which are exactly these systems that (intentionally or not) essentially serve as a way to unlink responsibility from any given person and allow 'the system' to be blamed instead.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unaccountability_Machine

rossng··on We have a year to fix security everywhere
Maersk[1] might be the worst so far (and that was ransomware rather than state-sponsored aggression). It's still too niche for most people to care about.

[1] https://www.wired.com/story/notpetya-cyberattack-ukraine-rus...

rossng··on Ask HN: How to roll out Agents for knowledge workers?
writes are isolated to a certain scope, reads aren't. But I think access control rapidly becomes the most complex thing if you are in a bigger org.
rossng··on Ask HN: How to roll out Agents for knowledge workers?
We created a very simple platform for shipping internal-only static web apps that can talk to a document database for storage. There's a Claude skill that describes how to write and deploy apps.

This is for a robotics company, so we're pretty ops-heavy. Non-engineers quickly found all sorts of use cases for making specialised forms/databases (inventory management, scheduling etc.)

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (September 2026)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings, starting with bricklaying.

There's a lot of vapourware in robotics, but we're deploying robots across multiple concurrent sites today - and generating revenue. In the last couple of months, our robots have built affordable social housing, health care living units, canal walls in the historic city centre of Amsterdam, and a youth sports centre. Help us to build things that matter in the long run.

We're looking for experienced software engineers for many roles. You can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

- Designing systems for robots to drive safely and fully autonomously around a building site

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations - we'll be building in the UK soon - and we need experienced engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

Take a look inside our software stack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh9BfQoKCy0

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

rossng··on Why older tech is sometimes safer from hackers
> Interest in magnetic tape is only increasing further today because the cost of random access memory (Ram), a form of computer memory that doesn't rely on tape, is skyrocketing.

hmm

rossng··on The Nixpkgs core team has disbanded
We're using it in the same way - running NixOS on robots.

Overall I think it is succeeding, though it definitely doesn't 'just work' out of the box. We've invested a fair bit of effort into things like:

- containerised services[1]

- UI for branch deployment/service management

- delta patching (at the byte level, to save bandwidth)

The main problem was always that nixlang/nixpkgs are arcane and have a steep learning curve. The majority of your colleagues (in any workplace) don't care about build systems and just want things to work. I think that has been more or less solved by LLMs, and it's now more viable than ever to adopt Nix.

[1] https://bou.ke/blog/nixos-containers/

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (August 2026)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings, starting with bricklaying.

There's a lot of vapourware in robotics, but we're deploying robots across multiple concurrent sites today - and generating revenue. In the last couple of months, our robots have built affordable social housing, health care living units, canal walls in the historic city centre of Amsterdam, and a youth sports centre. Help us to build things that matter in the long run.

We're looking for experienced software engineers for many roles. You can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

- Designing systems for robots to drive safely and fully autonomously around a building site

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations (recently announced our Series B!) and we need experienced engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

Read a post from one of our forward deployed engineers about how we prototype fast: https://buildmonumental.substack.com/p/can-robots-build-pret...

rossng··on SpaceX bond worth 10% less than issue price – heading for junk bond status
A lot of employer pensions will have limited fund options. (At least in the UK, maybe the US works differently.)

Quite likely that the only sensible one for most people (~global equities) will track S&P 500 internally. So essentially employees are being forced to hold whatever the index includes.

Hopefully it's less of a problem with Nasdaq, but it was a real worry.

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (July 2026)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings, starting with bricklaying.

There's a lot of vapourware in robotics, but we're deploying robots across multiple concurrent sites today - and generating revenue. In the last couple of months, our robots have built affordable social housing, health care living units, canal walls in the historic city centre of Amsterdam, and a youth sports centre. Help us to build things that matter in the long run.

We're looking for experienced software engineers for many roles. You can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

- Designing systems for robots to drive safely and fully autonomously around a building site

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations and we need experienced engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

Read a post from one of our forward deployed engineers about how we prototype fast: https://buildmonumental.substack.com/p/can-robots-build-pret...

rossng··on Stop the Apple Music app from launching
I only recently discovered that not only can you not uninstall Apple's bloatware - you can't even hide it in a folder!

I just can't understand why I have to have my list of useful apps interspersed with cruft like Books.app or Journal.app.

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (June 2026)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings, starting with bricklaying.

There's a lot of vapourware in robotics, but we're deploying robots across multiple concurrent sites today - and generating revenue. In the last couple of months, our robots have built affordable social housing, health care living units, canal walls in the historic city centre of Amsterdam, and a youth sports centre. Help us to build things that matter in the long run.

We're looking for experienced software engineers for many roles. You can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

- Designing systems for robots to drive safely and fully autonomously around a building site

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations and we need experienced engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

Read about a week in the life of one of our engineers: https://buildmonumental.substack.com/p/can-robots-build-pret...

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (May 2026)
Yes
rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (May 2026)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings. We are currently developing and manufacturing our autonomous bricklaying system in the beautiful centre of Amsterdam. And our robots are already earning real revenue operating on construction sites all over the Netherlands.

We're looking for experienced software engineers for many roles. You can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

- Designing systems for robots to drive safely and fully autonomously around a building site

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations and we need experienced engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

rossng··on Blocking Internet Archive Won't Stop AI, but Will Erase Web's Historical Record
I'm curious to hear about examples of where this has happened. Because ArchiveTeam also has an important role in rescuing cultural artefacts that have been taken into private hands and then negligently destroyed.
rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (March 2026)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings. We are currently developing and manufacturing our autonomous bricklaying system in the beautiful centre of Amsterdam. And our robots are already earning real revenue operating on construction sites all over the Netherlands.

We're looking for experienced software engineers for many roles. You can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

- Designing systems for robots to drive safely and fully autonomously around a building site

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations and we need experienced engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (February 2026)
Yes
rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (February 2026)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings. We are currently developing and manufacturing our autonomous bricklaying system in the beautiful centre of Amsterdam. And our robots are already earning real revenue operating on construction sites all over the Netherlands.

We're looking for experienced software engineers for many roles. You can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

- Designing systems for robots to drive safely and fully autonomously around a building site

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations and we need experienced engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

rossng··on Eurostar AI vulnerability: When a chatbot goes off the rails
The reply to that LinkedIn message is exemplary of Eurostar corporate culture. An arrogant company that has a monopoly over many train routes in northwest Europe and believes itself untouchable.

It looks like they might finally get some competition on UK international routes in a few years. Perhaps they will become a bit more customer-focused then.

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (January 2026)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings. We are currently developing and manufacturing our autonomous bricklaying system in the beautiful centre of Amsterdam. And our robots are already earning real revenue operating on construction sites all over the Netherlands.

We're looking for experienced software engineers for PLATFORM and FULL STACK who can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Rapid deployment and iteration of experimental software changes across firmware, control software and UI

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations and we need experienced engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (December 2025)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings. We are currently developing and manufacturing our autonomous bricklaying system in the beautiful centre of Amsterdam. And our robots are already earning real revenue operating on construction sites all over the Netherlands.

We're looking for experienced software engineers for PLATFORM and FULL STACK who can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Rapid deployment and iteration of experimental software changes across firmware, control software and UI

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations and we need experienced engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (November 2025)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings. We are currently developing and manufacturing our autonomous bricklaying system in the beautiful centre of Amsterdam. And our robots are already earning real revenue operating on construction sites all over the Netherlands.

We're looking for experienced FULL-STACK ENGINEERS who can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Rapid deployment and iteration of experimental software changes across firmware, control software and UI

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations and we need experienced, generalist engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (October 2025)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings. We are currently developing and manufacturing our autonomous bricklaying system in the beautiful centre of Amsterdam. And our robots are already earning real revenue operating on construction sites all over the Netherlands.

We're looking for experienced FULL-STACK ENGINEERS who can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Rapid deployment and iteration of experimental software changes across firmware, control software and UI

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations and we need experienced, generalist engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (September 2025)
Nope, our frontend is a TypeScript+React app.

We compile Rust to WASM and pull it in as library code for use in the frontend. It lets us reuse data structures, algorithms etc. that are also used in backend code.

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (September 2025)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings. We are currently developing and manufacturing our autonomous bricklaying system in the beautiful centre of Amsterdam. And our robots are already earning real revenue operating on construction sites all over the Netherlands.

We're looking for experienced FULL-STACK ENGINEERS who can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Rapid deployment and iteration of experimental software changes across firmware, control software and UI

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations and we need experienced, generalist engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (August 2025)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We make robots that autonomously construct buildings. We are currently developing and manufacturing our autonomous bricklaying system in the beautiful centre of Amsterdam. And our robots are already earning real revenue operating on construction sites all over the Netherlands.

We're looking for experienced FULL-STACK ENGINEERS who can help us solve problems like:

- Data sync and analytics queries across a fleet of robots (that can be offline for hours at a time)

- Rapid deployment and iteration of experimental software changes across firmware, control software and UI

- Modelling buildings in code and finding the right UI for operators to edit them

Check out the progress we've already made on Atrium, our operating system for robotics: https://www.monumental.co/atrium

We're rapidly scaling up operations and we need experienced, generalist engineers who can build the systems that manage all of that complexity. If you think that 'full-stack' could reasonably mean debugging firmware, mixing buckets of mortar _and_ writing React components, we are looking for you. Robotics experience not required!

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

rossng··on Volvo delivers 5,000th electric semi
Assuming you mean a bicycle, yes, you absolutely deserve safe segregated infrastructure to keep you away from conflict with vehicles. It's better for everyone and I think many cities are now catching onto that.

And you should also feel entitled to clean, breathable air while walking and cycling. Any local government that cares about the safety of residents would agree, I think.

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (July 2025)
MONUMENTAL | https://www.monumental.co/ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Full Time | Onsite

We’re creating robots that autonomously construct buildings. We design all of our hardware and software in-house in central Amsterdam, starting with autonomous bricklaying robots.

Building a robot like this means solving all sorts of interesting challenges: figuring out the robot's position with sub-mm precision; navigating autonomously around the building site; automating measurement and calibration of new robots; lots of distributed systems and so on.

Our robots are now continuously deployed on customer sites and we are earning real money as a masonry contractor. The full team is more than 60 people and we're growing rapidly to meet demand.

Our stack is mostly: Rust, TypeScript, Python, NixOS.

Some open roles:

- Software Engineer, Full Stack

- Software Engineer, Controls

- Software Engineer, Machine Vision

- Assembly/manufacturing technicians and robot operators

https://www.monumental.co/jobs

P.S. When we say full stack, we really mean it. Bolting things together, mixing mortar, embedded firmware, (software) build systems, React components and everything in between. Happy to answer questions.

rossng··on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (June 2025)
Ah, this is specifically for the Forward Deployed Robotics Engineer role.

For that role, we are currently looking for candidates who are already living in the Netherlands. If you are a foreigner, but already live here, we can continue sponsoring your visa.

For the other software roles we will consider candidates who want to move to Amsterdam from abroad. We can get you the necessary work visa.

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