Staff Robotics Hardware Engineer
Role details
Job location
Tech stack
Job description
We're looking for a Staff Robotics Hardware Engineer who will bring robotics experience, a hands-on approach, and deep technical knowledge.
As a Staff Robotics Hardware Engineer, you will report to the Robotics Manager and be responsible for collaborating with Mechanical, Electrical, and Controls Engineers to design and develop a hand exoskeleton system, bringing it from a benchtop prototype to clinical study readiness., * Lead the architecture, integration, and validation of complex electromechanical systems for robotic exoskeleton platforms, including actuators, sensors, embedded electronics, and control subsystems.
- Own end-to-end development of actuator modules and sensor-integrated subsystems from concept through prototype, system integration, and validation.
- Define and execute comprehensive benchtop and system-level validation strategies to characterize actuator dynamics, sensor fidelity, and closed-loop system performance.
- Lead debugging and root-cause analysis across mechanical, electrical, firmware, and controls domains, driving rapid resolution of complex integration challenges.
- Drive technical decision-making for system reliability, manufacturability, and performance optimization across prototype and pre-production hardware.
Technical Leadership & Cross-Functional Execution
- Serve as a technical lead for electromechanical integration efforts, mentoring junior engineers and guiding subsystem development and validation activities.
- Establish engineering processes, documentation standards, and test methodologies to improve development efficiency and system robustness.
- Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to define technical requirements, integration milestones, and validation criteria for next-generation robotic systems.
- Support vendor selection, component evaluation, and design tradeoff analysis for sensors, actuators, embedded hardware, and integration tooling.
- Contribute to long-term platform strategy, including scalable hardware architectures, reliability improvements, and transition pathways from R&D prototypes to deployable systems.
Prototyping & Hardware Development
- Lead rapid prototyping, iteration, and validation of electromechanical assemblies, actuator systems, and sensor-integrated hardware.
- Design and oversee development of wiring harnesses, cable management systems, test fixtures, and integration tooling for complex robotic systems.
- Drive hardware bring-up, integration testing, and verification activities across multidisciplinary system components.
- Support development of scalable assembly and integration processes for future production-ready systems.
Requirements
Do you have experience in Troubleshooting electrical systems?, Do you have a Master's degree?, * Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, or related field.
- 7-10 years of industry experience developing and integrating complex electromechanical or robotic systems.
- Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary integration efforts involving mechanical, electrical, firmware, and controls systems.
- Strong expertise in system validation, hardware characterization, and test development for electromechanical systems.
- Extensive hands-on debugging experience using laboratory instrumentation including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, and power analyzers.
- Proficiency with Linux environments, command-line workflows, and Python for automation, testing, and analysis.
- Experience developing embedded firmware for microcontrollers and real-time hardware systems.
- Strong familiarity with sensors including IMUs, encoders, load cells, force/torque sensors, and related signal processing considerations.
- Experience implementing, tuning, or debugging motor control systems including torque, position, velocity, or impedance control loops.
- Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills with the ability to drive technical initiatives across teams.
- Proficiency with CAD tools such as SOLIDWORKS., * Master's or PhD in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
- Experience developing robotic wearable systems, exoskeletons, medical devices, or human-interactive robotic platforms.
- Hands-on experience with rapid prototyping tools and methods including 3D printing and fixture fabrication.
- Experience transitioning systems from research prototypes toward scalable or production-ready architectures.
- Familiarity with safety-critical systems, reliability testing, and design for manufacturability principles.
- Experience with real-time communication systems and distributed embedded architectures.
Physical Requirements
Ability to work in a lab environment, including standing for extended periods, lifting up to 30 lbs, and performing hands-on assembly and testing of electromechanical systems. Requires manual dexterity for fine manipulation of components and ability to safely operate lab equipment and tools.
Benefits & conditions
Pulled from the full job description
- Paid parental leave
- Parental leave
- Health insurance, Full-time employees are eligible for the following benefits listed below.
- Competitive base salary with equity
- 100% of healthcare coverage for you and your dependents
- Generous vacation policy
- Paid parental leave
- Work from our beautiful waterfront office in Alameda, CA, with access to collaborative spaces and labs.