Hardware Engineer

Relari; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Relari in San Francisco is seeking a hardware-focused engineer to build the physical systems behind our robotics research, from EMG and contact-sensing hardware to the robot fleet used for evaluation. The role emphasizes fast experiments, reliable signal acquisition, and close vendor collaboration.

You will iterate on wearables and fixtures with CAD, 3D printing, and basic machining, while coordinating with biomechanics and robot-learning researchers to translate experimental needs into durable

Qualifications

• Strong fundamentals in electrical, embedded, mechanical, mechatronics, or robotics engineering.
• Experience taking electromechanical hardware from schematic or CAD through fabrication, assembly, bring‑up, testing, and iteration.
• Comfort with rapid prototyping methods such as CAD, 3D printing, basic machining, and practical shop tools.
• Practical understanding of analog signals, grounding, noise, sensor interfaces, and data acquisition.
• Experience with embedded firmware and comfort working in Python and C or C++.
• Experience working with fabrication vendors or contract manufacturers to translate prototypes into repeatable builds.
• A build‑first mindset and comfort moving across electronics, mechanics, sensors, and robot integration.

Responsibilities

• Design and iterate on wearable EMG systems, force sensors, tactile sensors, and supporting electronics.
• Develop embedded firmware, data acquisition, synchronization, and calibration tooling for multimodal experiments.
• Rapidly design, fabricate, and iterate on wearables, sensor mounts, enclosures, fixtures, and test rigs using CAD, 3D printing, basic machining, and off‑the‑shelf components.
• Own the technical relationship with external design, fabrication, and manufacturing vendors, including design reviews, documentation, DFM, prototype builds, and validation.
• Select, purchase, bring up, calibrate, and maintain robot arms, hands, sensors, and laboratory equipment.
• Validate signal integrity, noise performance, durability, safety, manufacturability, and repeatability through structured testing.
• Work directly with biomechanics and robot‑learning researchers to turn experimental needs into usable hardware.

Skills

Electrical/Mechatronics

Embedded firmware

Hardware prototyping

Sensor interfaces

Python/C/C++

Vendor collaboration

Build-first mindset

Tools

CAD

3D Printing

Machining

Job description

About The Role

You will build the physical systems behind our research, from in‑house EMG and contact-sensing hardware to the robot fleet used for evaluation. The work spans fast experiments, careful signal acquisition, embedded electronics, mechanical integration, and taking successful prototypes into repeatable builds with external design, fabrication, and manufacturing partners.

You will build the physical systems behind our research, from in‑house EMG and contact-sensing hardware to the robot fleet used for evaluation. The work spans fast experiments, careful signal acquisition, embedded electronics, mechanical integration, and taking successful prototypes into repeatable builds with external design, fabrication, and manufacturing partners.

What You’ll Do

• Design and iterate on wearable EMG systems, force sensors, tactile sensors, and supporting electronics.
• Develop embedded firmware, data acquisition, synchronization, and calibration tooling for multimodal experiments.
• Rapidly design, fabricate, and iterate on wearables, sensor mounts, enclosures, fixtures, and test rigs using CAD, 3D printing, basic machining, and off‑the‑shelf components.
• Own the technical relationship with external design, fabrication, and manufacturing vendors, including design reviews, documentation, DFM, prototype builds, and validation.
• Select, purchase, bring up, calibrate, and maintain robot arms, hands, sensors, and laboratory equipment.
• Validate signal integrity, noise performance, durability, safety, manufacturability, and repeatability through structured testing.
• Work directly with biomechanics and robot‑learning researchers to turn experimental needs into usable hardware.

What We’re Looking For

• Strong fundamentals in electrical, embedded, mechanical, mechatronics, or robotics engineering.
• Experience taking electromechanical hardware from schematic or CAD through fabrication, assembly, bring‑up, testing, and iteration.
• Comfort with rapid prototyping methods such as CAD, 3D printing, basic machining, and practical shop tools; deep mechanical specialization is not required.
• Practical understanding of analog signals, grounding, noise, sensor interfaces, and data acquisition.
• Experience with embedded firmware and comfort working in Python and C or C++.
• Experience working with fabrication vendors or contract manufacturers is valuable, particularly when translating prototypes into documented, repeatable builds.
• A build‑first mindset and comfort moving across electronics, mechanics, sensors, and robot integration.

Working at Relari

Relari is a small research and engineering startup developing new ways for robots to learn dexterous skills from human biomechanics. Our founders have AI research roots at MIT and NVIDIA, along with autonomous‑vehicle and robotics deployment experience at Pony AI and Dexterity. We are backed by top investors including Y Combinator, General Catalyst, and Soma Capital. You will work directly with the founders, own problems end to end, and test your ideas on real robotic systems. This role is full‑time and on‑site in San Francisco.