Electrical Engineer, Tactile/Hand Sensor

foundation-robotics; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Market standard benefits

Equity

Job summary

Foundation is seeking highly technical engineers to advance our robotics platform in San Francisco. You will develop new force and tactile sensors, design embedded systems and mixed-signal circuits, and collaborate with silicon partners to integrate cutting-edge chips.

You will lead board bring-up, validation, and debugging with lab instruments, mentor junior engineers, and push DF(M), DFT, and EMC improvements. In-person collaboration in SF is expected.

Qualifications

• Experience with sensor integration (IMUs, force/tactile, encoders) and power electronics.
• Proven track record designing embedded systems (MCUs, DSPs, or FPGAs) in compact, high-reliability systems.
• Strong debugging skills with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG tools.

Responsibilities

• Develop new custom force and tactile sensors for robotics with aggressive size and reliability requirements.
• Design and evaluate embedded systems and mixed-signal circuits (MCUs, FPGAs, sensors, power, communications).
• Collaborate with silicon partners to evaluate and integrate cutting-edge chips (e.g. encoders, IMUs, tactile sensors).
• Perform board bring-up, validation, and debugging using lab instruments and test infrastructure.
• Guide junior engineers and review schematic/layout work to ensure performance, reliability, and compliance.
• Drive continuous improvements in design for manufacturability (DFM), testability (DFT), and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).
• Interface with firmware/software engineers to define board-level APIs and support hardware abstraction.
• Support the transition from prototypes to production, working with contract manufacturers and test engineers.

Skills

sensor integration

embedded systems design

debugging

firmware interactions

highly technical

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium Designer

KiCad

Cadence

Job description

Foundation is developing the future of general purpose robotics with the goal to address the labor shortage.

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:

• Develop new custom force and tactile sensors for robotics with aggressive size and reliability requirements.
• Design and evaluate embedded systems and mixed-signal circuits (MCUs, FPGAs, sensors, power, communications).
• Collaborate with silicon partners to evaluate and integrate cutting-edge chips (e.g. encoders, IMUs, tactile sensors).
• Perform board bring-up, validation, and debugging using lab instruments and test infrastructure.
• Guide junior engineers and review schematic/layout work to ensure performance, reliability, and compliance.
• Drive continuous improvements in design for manufacturability (DFM), testability (DFT), and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).
• Interface with firmware/software engineers to define board-level APIs and support hardware abstraction.
• Support the transition from prototypes to production, working with contract manufacturers and test engineers.Stay up to date with emerging technologies in embedded electronics, robotic sensing, and motor control.

What Kind of Person We Are Looking For:

• Experience with sensor integration (IMUs, force/tactile, encoders), motor control (BLDC, brushed, stepper), and power electronics.
• Proven track record designing embedded systems (MCUs, DSPs, or FPGAs) in compact, high-reliability systems.
• Strong debugging skills with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG tools.
• Proficiency in ECAD tools such as Altium Designer, KiCad, or Cadence.
• Solid understanding of signal integrity, thermal management, and power distribution for compact electronics.
• Familiarity with firmware interactions and embedded C/C++ is a plus.
• Experience working on robotics, prosthetics, or haptics-related hardware.Knowledge of silicon evaluation and working with early-stage chip vendors.
• Experience with wireless communication (BLE, Wi-Fi, etc.) and secure hardware design.
• Exposure to safety standards (IEC, ISO) and EMI/EMC compliance testing.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering or a related field.

Benefits

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

Salary

• The annual compensation is expected to be between $180,000 - $300,000. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.