Electrical Engineer

Foundation Robotics Lab; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

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

Job summary

An innovative robotics company in San Francisco seeks an experienced engineer to lead the design of embedded systems and electronics for robotic applications. You will integrate sensors, develop firmware, and collaborate across teams to ensure system reliability. Ideal candidates will possess a strong track record in embedded systems design, expertise in firmware development, and proficiency with ECAD tools. The role offers a competitive salary range of $150,000 - $300,000 based on skills and experience.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in designing embedded systems for high-reliability products.
• Deep experience integrating diverse sensors.
• Ability to write firmware to enable hardware functionality.

Responsibilities

• Own the design of custom electronics for robotic systems.
• Lead integration of various sensors.
• Develop and maintain low-level firmware for system functionality.

Skills

Embedded system design

Firmware development in C/C++

Sensor integration

System-level thinking

Hands-on debugging skills

Proficiency with ECAD tools

Experience with motor control systems

Wireless systems knowledge

Safety standards exposure

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium Designer

KiCad

Cadence

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.

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 We Are Hiring for This Role:

• Own the end-to-end design of custom electronics for robotic systems, including schematics, layout, and BOM selection.
• Lead integration of diverse sensors—IMUs, encoders, force/torque, vision, environmental, and custom sensing solutions.
• Design and evaluate embedded and mixed-signal systems (MCUs, SoCs, FPGAs, power, comms, sensing).
• Work closely with mechanical, firmware, and software teams to bring up complete robotic subsystems.
• Develop and maintain low-level firmware to enable hardware bring-up, diagnostics, and early system functionality.
• Collaborate with silicon partners to evaluate and integrate next-generation components (motor drivers, sensors, compute modules, radios).
• Perform board bring-up, validation, and debugging using lab instrumentation and automated test setups.
• Drive improvements in design for manufacturability (DFM), testability (DFT), and reliability.
• Define hardware/firmware interfaces and support clean abstractions for higher-level software.
• Support the transition from prototype to production with contract manufacturers and test engineers.
• Stay current with emerging technologies in embedded electronics, sensing, power systems, and robotic platforms.

What Kind of Person We Are Looking For:

• A proven track record designing embedded systems using MCUs, DSPs, or FPGAs in real-world, high-reliability products.
• Deep experience integrating a wide range of sensors (IMUs, encoders, force/torque, vision, environmental, custom).
• Strong system-level thinking: you understand how electronics, firmware, mechanics, and software interact in a robot.
• The ability to write firmware in C/C++ (or similar) to bring up boards, configure peripherals, and make hardware usable.
• Hands-on debugging skills with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and JTAG/SWD tools.
• Proficiency with ECAD tools such as Altium Designer, KiCad, or Cadence.
• Solid fundamentals in signal integrity, power distribution, grounding, and thermal design.
• Experience with motor control systems (BLDC, brushed, stepper) and power electronics is a strong plus.
• Comfort working with early-stage silicon, datasheets, and incomplete documentation.
• Experience with wireless systems (BLE, Wi-Fi, etc.) and secure hardware design is a plus.
• Exposure to safety standards (IEC, ISO) and EMI/EMC compliance testing.
• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field—or equivalent practical experience.

Benefits

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 $150,000 - $300,000. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.