Gecko Robotics Expands to Pittsburgh with Job-Creating Manufacturing Facility
Gecko Robotics Opens 10,000-Square-Foot Sewickley Facility
Gecko Robotics announced plans for a new 10,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at the 2026 Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit in Carlisle. The facility sits in an industrial park in Aleppo Township, approximately 3 miles from Sewickley’s business district. Other major operations host the location, including an Amazon warehouse.
The Pittsburgh-based robotics and defense firm has already begun moving equipment into the space. “Robots are moving in as we speak,” Steve Bourner, a Gecko spokesman, stated. He confirmed the facility would become operational within weeks.
Gecko Robotics was founded in 2013 by CEO Jake Loosararian and President Troy Demmer, both Grove City College graduates. The company maintains its headquarters at Nova Place on Pittsburgh’s North Side. The firm reached a valuation of $1.25 billion and established itself as one of the region’s notable technology companies.
The Sewickley facility represents a move for Gecko Robotics beyond its traditional infrastructure inspection work. Government defense contracts comprise the bulk of the company’s business, but it also serves commercial clients in oil and power industries. This new location will concentrate on defense manufacturing rather than maintenance operations.
“We want to be one of the leaders in this space,” Bourner stated about the company’s manufacturing ambitions. The facility will focus on building components for defense manufacturing, with U.S. Navy shipbuilding efforts as the main focus. Gecko operates additional offices and development spaces in Houston, Boston, New York City, Washington D.C., and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
How the Facility Integrates Robotics into Defense Manufacturing
The Sewickley facility will deploy Gecko Robotics’ proprietary Cantilever software platform, which combines artificial intelligence with robotic systems to accelerate defense production. The company partnered with Trident Maritime Systems in January 2026 to bring these capabilities to 20 fabrication facilities responsible for U.S. Navy components. This collaboration will increase manufacturing throughput by at least 40% to support the Navy’s shipbuilding demands.
Gecko Robotics deploys engineering teams with robotics platforms directly onto factory floors to identify production bottlenecks. The company’s AI-powered software, Cantilever, transforms data collected by robots into useful manufacturing insights. These robots climb and crawl while others swim or fly to gather high-fidelity physical data from infrastructure and components.
The facility’s advanced manufacturing capabilities extend to the Columbia-class nuclear submarine program, where Gecko Robotics received contracts to modernize weld inspection processes. The company’s robotic digital weld inspections cut inspection span by 90% while performing weld scans 50 times faster than traditional methods. Shipbuilding relies on distributed execution at multiple sites, and Cantilever integrates disparate production data into unified digital workflows.
Jake Loosararian, Co-founder and CEO of Gecko Robotics, stated the partnership with Trident will build a digital thread to improve manufacturing processes.
Job Creation and Gecko Robotics Careers in Pittsburgh
Gecko Robotics careers in Pittsburgh span multiple technical and operational disciplines as the company expands its workforce. The firm lists open positions at its Pittsburgh location and additional roles across other offices. These opportunities reflect the company’s dedication to local job creation following the Sewickley facility announcement.
Available positions include Forward Deployed Engineer, Robot Field Operator, Senior Product Designer for Manufacturing and Defense, Legal Operations Coordinator, Senior Quality Engineer, and Robot Operations Manager. Compensation packages demonstrate highly competitive salaries.
The Pittsburgh office specializes in engineering roles across mechanical, electrical, and software disciplines. The company plans to double its headcount. Growth is expected in the engineering sector as operations scale. Gecko Robotics maintains approximately 83 to 115 employees in Pittsburgh and is one of the region’s substantial robotics employers.
Employee reviews highlight free breakfast and lunch, professional development funds, and rapid advancement opportunities. The company’s mission centers on protecting critical infrastructure through robotics state-of-the-art technology. This attracts talent motivated by high-impact problem solving. Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration has supported this growth and positioned Pennsylvania as a robotics and technology leader.
Conclusion
Gecko Robotics’ Sewickley facility expansion marks a most important milestone for Pittsburgh’s technology sector. The company transitions from infrastructure inspection to defense manufacturing and creates competitive job opportunities for local talent. This strategic move positions Gecko Robotics as a critical partner in U.S. Navy shipbuilding modernization and reinforces Pennsylvania’s status as a robotics innovation hub. The facility’s AI-powered capabilities promise to reshape defense production efficiency. Regional economic growth accelerates with national security advancements.