Electrical Engineer, Robotics

OpenAI; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 295,000 - 380,000; Full time

Job summary

OpenAI is seeking an experienced Electrical Engineer based in San Francisco, CA. This role involves developing next-generation robotic systems through the full hardware lifecycle, including design and validation. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to integrate electrical architecture into robotic systems.

The ideal candidate must have over 6 years of experience in electrical systems development, especially in robotics or similar fields, and thrive on tackling ambiguous projects. This in-person role supports 4 days a week presence.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience developing electrical systems for robotics or integrated electromechanical products.
• Experience owning hardware from concept through PCB layout, bring-up, and deployment.
• Comfortable with tight mechanical constraints.

Responsibilities

• Own significant portions of the electrical architecture for robotic systems.
• Design and implement compact electronics across various functions.
• Build and validate integrated hardware for robotic systems.

Skills

Electrical systems development

Circuit design

PCB layout

Embedded systems

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

About the Team

Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and advancing toward AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world environments. Working across the full model and systems stack, we integrate cutting‑edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high‑level AI capabilities with the physical constraints of real‑world systems to improve people's lives.

About the Role

We're looking for an experienced Electrical Engineer to help develop the next generation of robotic systems at OpenAI. This role spans the full lifecycle of hardware development, from early concept exploration and prototyping through circuit design, component selection, PCB layout, bring‑up, integration, and deployment.

Engineers in this role are expected to independently drive significant hardware efforts from initial concept through deployment. You will translate ambiguous goals into concrete engineering plans, make key technical decisions, coordinate closely with cross‑functional partners, and own execution through the iterations required to deliver a successful system.

Many of the systems we build are still being defined. You will work closely with mechanical, firmware, software, controls, and research teams to evaluate new ideas, develop novel hardware, and integrate it into robotic platforms. Success in this role requires strong engineering judgment, comfort operating in ambiguous spaces, and the ability to balance rapid experimentation with the discipline required to build reliable and scalable systems.

The ideal candidate enjoys building things from first principles and is equally comfortable evaluating a new technology, debugging a prototype on the bench, reviewing PCB layout details, and driving system integration efforts. You should be able to move quickly when appropriate, but also know when investing in robustness, simplicity, or infrastructure will create leverage for future development.

This role is based in San Francisco, CA, and requires in‑person presence 4 days a week.

In this role, you will:

• Own significant portions of the electrical architecture for compact, highly integrated robotic and electromechanical systems, including sensing, communication, power distribution, and actuator interfaces.
• Design and implement compact electronics spanning circuit design, component selection, PCB layout, bring‑up, validation, and deployment.
• Build and validate hardware in integrated robotic systems, driving issues from first observation through root cause and design resolution.
• Partner closely with mechanical, firmware, software, controls, manufacturing, and research teams to deliver coherent system‑level solutions.
• Make thoughtful engineering tradeoffs across performance, size, power, reliability, manufacturability, and iteration speed.

You might thrive in this role if you:

• Have 6+ years of experience developing electrical systems for robotics, consumer electronics, medical devices, wearables, cameras, or other tightly integrated electromechanical products.
• Have personally owned hardware from concept through PCB layout, bring‑up, validation, and deployment.
• Enjoy designing compact, high‑density electronics that must fit within severe mechanical constraints.
• Have experience with technologies such as BGAs, rigid‑flex assemblies, fine‑pitch interconnects, micro‑coax, FPCs, dense connector systems, or similar packaging approaches.
• Can reason across electrical, firmware, and mechanical boundaries when making design decisions.
• Are comfortable taking ownership of loosely defined problems and turning them into working systems with limited direction.
• Have partnered closely with cross‑functional teams to translate product goals into practical hardware systems.
• Enjoy building and validating integrated prototypes where mechanical, electrical, firmware, and sensing systems are developed together.
• Enjoy collaborating closely with and supporting the growth of other engineers on the team.

Additional, preferred qualifications:

• Experience with GMSL, MIPI/CSI, FPD‑Link, or other high‑speed camera interfaces.
• Experience with multi‑board robotic or electromechanical systems that include distributed sensing, actuation, and real‑time communication.
• Experience bringing hardware through EVT/DVT‑style builds, low‑volume production, or contract‑manufacturer‑supported builds.
• Familiarity with writing bring‑up, test, or diagnostic firmware in C, C++, Rust, or Python.

Compensation Range: $295K - $380K

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.