Intermediate Research & Development Engineer

Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corporation; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in humanoid robotics seeks a talented Research and Development Engineer to pioneer next-generation systems. You will play a pivotal role in integrating complex mechanical, electrical, and fluidic systems, leading the entire R&D lifecycle while mentoring junior engineers. The position promises a competitive salary and a supportive work environment focused on innovation.

Benefits

Equity stakes

Health coverage

Paid time off

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant engineering field required.
• Proven experience in electromechanical or robotic systems development.
• Extensive experience with hydraulic systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop high-performance technologies for humanoid robotics.
• Lead R&D lifecycle from design to implementation.
• Mentor junior engineers and ensure quality standards.

Skills

Mechanical engineering fundamentals

Electrical engineering fundamentals

Prototyping skills

Fluid mechanics

Agile development methodologies

Excellent communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Mechatronics

Bachelor’s degree in Robotics

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics

Tools

CAD

FEA tools

CFD tools

Job description

Company Name: Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corporation

Business Address: 400 – 425 W 6th Ave, Vancouver BC V5Y 1L3

Work Location: Vancouver, BC

Work Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Salary Range: CAD $130,000 – $160,000

Benefits: Equity stakes, health coverage, paid time off

Language of Work: English

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Your New Role & Team

As a Research and Development Engineer, you play a leading role in advancing our next-generation humanoid robotics systems. Reporting to our Principal Research Scientist, you are responsible for developing high-performance technologies that integrate mechanical, electrical, and fluidic systems under demanding physical constraints.

You contribute across the full R&D lifecycle, from early-stage design and simulation through prototyping, validation, and integration into complex robotic platforms. Your work enables lifelike motion through compact actuator systems and precision mechanisms, requiring deep technical fluency and systems-level thinking.

You collaborate closely with cross-functional teams in AI, embedded systems, and controls to solve engineering challenges that have no off-the-shelf solutions. You also serve as a technical mentor within the team, and play a key role in setting standards for quality, documentation, and repeatability as we scale.

Our Success Criteria

• Bring hands-on experience developing advanced electro-mechanical systems with tightly integrated mechanical, electrical, and fluidic components
• Take ownership of complex system development from concept and simulation through validation and integration
• Demonstrate technical leadership in designing actuation solutions under extreme packaging, thermal, and performance constraints
• Expand your impact by mentoring junior engineers and contributing to cross-functional development initiatives
• Apply simulation, modeling, and analytical tools to inform design and optimize system performance
• Create clear, production-ready documentation such as CAD drawings, test protocols, and assembly instructions for your designs

Your Experience

Qualifications:

• At minimum a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, Engineering Physics, or a related technical field
• Proven experience in advanced electromechanical or robotic systems development
• Extensive experience with hydraulic systems and components
• Experience designing components or subsystems with weight, size, and thermal limitations
• Proven track record in taking R&D hardware from concept to functional prototype and system integration
• Demonstrated ability to work in high-performance, cross-functional engineering environments

Skills:

• Deep understanding of mechanical and electrical engineering fundamentals
• Proficiency in CAD and simulation tools (e.g., FEA, CFD, dynamic modeling)
• Strong prototyping skills, including use of hand/power tools, machining, or 3D printing
• Experience with electromechanical actuators, sensors, and control integration
• Experience in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and heat transfer
• Experience with Agile development methodologies and tools like Jira
• Excellent communication and documentation skills

Traits:

• Above all else, a consistently positive attitude and a willingness to do whatever it takes to create robust solutions to complex problems
• Using existing knowledge to develop original ways of working
• Taking personal responsibility for the quality and content of your work
• Analyzing data and information to make considered decisions
• Expressing an interest in others’ experiences and ideas
• Obsession with bringing human-like intelligence to machines

Working at Sanctuary AI

Sanctuary AI is an equal opportunity employer; employment with Sanctuary AI is governed based on skills, competence, and qualifications and will not be influenced in any way by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status. In 2023, Sanctuary AI moved into a state-of-the-art office facility and has been recognized by LinkedIn as a Top Startup company.

Compensation and Benefits

Sanctuary offers a market-leading compensation package that includes competitive salaries, equity stakes, and a full suite of benefits for permanent employees, encompassing health coverage, paid time off, cutting-edge work facilities, and worksite flexibility by role. Our commitment to fairness ensures that our total compensation consistently surpasses market standards.

About Sanctuary AI

Founded in 2018, Sanctuary builds humanoid robots and a novel control system for them that integrates symbolic logic and reasoning with data-driven robot foundation models. We use our robots to collect vision, audio, touch, and proprioception data from the perspective of the robot while they perform real-world work tasks. We use that data to train multimodal robot foundation models. Because our systems are vertically integrated, we can design, deploy, and refine at scale. Our mission is to create the world's first human-like intelligence in general-purpose robots.

Recruiting and Employment Agency Notice:

Recruitment and hiring is conducted internally by Sanctuary AI. We are not seeking or soliciting any new agency partnerships or agreements at this time.Any employment agency or professional recruiter (“Agency”) that provides an unsolicited resume(s) or otherwise presents a prospective job candidate through the Sanctuary AI career site or directly to any Sanctuary AI employee, irrevocably grants to Sanctuary AI the unrestricted right to engage, hire, or contract with that candidate at Sanctuary AI's sole discretion without any compensation to the Agency. We appreciate your interest in working together, and should the need arise our Talent Acquisition team will contact any external firms directly.