Controls Engineer

Foundation Robotics Labs Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading robotics company is seeking extraordinary engineers to join their mission in developing advanced robots. This role focuses on creating control systems for humanoid robots, requiring expertise in robotics, programming, and a passion for innovation. Candidates should be ready to tackle complex challenges in a collaborative environment in San Francisco.

Benefits

Market standard benefits (health, vision, dental, 401k)

Collaborative and innovative work environment

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in robotics controls or motion planning.
• Strong understanding of control algorithms and complex motion requirements.
• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize control systems for humanoid robots.
• Design robust motion planning and control architectures.
• Ensure high performance in execution of tasks across robot configurations.

Skills

Motion Planning

Kinematics

Dynamics

Torque-based Control

Position-based Control

Trajectory Optimization

Real-time Feedback Integration

C++

Python

Numerical Methods

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering

PhD in related field

Tools

ROS2

Real-time Control Systems

Job description

Our mission is to create advanced robots that can operate in complex environments, reducing human risk in conflict zones and enhancing efficiency in labor-intensive industries.

We are on the lookout for extraordinary engineers and scientists to join our team. Your previous experience in robotics isn't a prerequisite — it's your talent and determination that truly count.

We expect that many of our team members will bring diverse perspectives from various industries and fields. We are looking for individuals with a proven record of exceptional ability and a history of creating things that work.

All positions are based in San Francisco.

Our Culture

We like to be frank and honest about who we are, so that people can decide for themselves if this is a culture they resonate with. Please read more about our culture here https://foundation.bot/culture .

Who should join:

• You like working in person with a team in San Francisco.
• You deeply believe that this is the most important mission for humanity and needs to happen yesterday.
• You are highly technical - regardless of the role you are in. We are building technology; you need to understand technology well.
• You care about aesthetics and design inside out. If it's not the best product ever, it bothers you, and you need to “fix” it.
• You don't need someone to motivate you; you get things done.

Why are We Hiring for this Role

• To develop and optimize the control systems that enable precise, smooth, and safe motion in our humanoid robots.
• To bridge the gap between AI-generated action models and the robot’s physical execution by designing robust motion planning and lower-level control architectures.
• To create full-body controllers that seamlessly integrate inputs from action models with real-time feedback, ensuring high performance in complex environments.
• To ensure our robots can execute tasks reliably, from manipulation to locomotion, while maintaining stability and efficiency.
• To scale our controls stack for deployment across various robot configurations, supporting a wide range of customer applications.

What Kind of Person are We looking for

• Strong background in robotics control systems, including motion planning, kinematics, and dynamics.
• Proficiency in developing full-body controllers that integrate multiple degrees of freedom (DoF).
• Experience with torque-based and position-based control strategies.
• Skilled in translating high-level action outputs (e.g., from AI models) into low-level commands such as angle, torque, and force.
• Familiarity with optimization techniques for trajectory planning and real-time feedback integration.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as C++ and Python.
• Experience with robotics middleware (e.g., ROS2) and real-time control systems.
• Strong understanding of numerical methods and computational algorithms for control.
• Ability to analyze complex motion requirements and design control algorithms to meet them.
• Comfortable troubleshooting control issues in a physical robot and iterating quickly to improve performance.
• Comfortable working with hardware-in-the-loop systems and integrating controls with physical robots.
• Collaborates effectively with AI researchers, mechanical engineers, and electrical engineers to ensure seamless system integration.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in robotics controls, motion planning, or a similar field.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. A PhD is a plus.
• Experience with real-time operating systems and control frameworks is highly desirable.

We provide market standard benefits (health, vision, dental, 401k, etc.). Join us for the culture and the mission, not for the benefits.

The annual compensation is expected to be between $100,000 - $1,000,000. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.