Robotics Engineering Lead

Keysight Technologies; Santa Rosa (CA); Hybrid; USD 114,000 - 192,000; Full time

Job summary

Keysight Technologies seeks a Robotics Engineering Lead to own automation of targeted manufacturing processes from concept to production, integrating cobots and AMRs to improve throughput and quality on the factory floor.

You will select technologies, program and commission systems, and mentor engineers while actively contributing on technical tasks and safety reviews. This role is a high-impact, hands-on leadership position located in Santa Rosa.

Qualifications

• Bachelor, Master or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 3+ years in industrial automation or robotics in live manufacturing.
• Hands-on experience programming and integrating cobots and end-effectors, grippers, and vision.
• Experience with AMRs and material-handling automation on a factory floor.
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects and mentor others while staying hands-on.

Responsibilities

• Identify and prioritize processes for automation and build a business and technical case for each.
• Design, program, integrate, and commission cobots for assembly, material handling, and testing.
• Deploy AMRs for material movement, route planning, and fleet coordination.
• Own end-to-end delivery from requirements to FAT/SAT and production hand-off.
• Integrate robots with sensors, vision, and end-effectors with existing lines.
• Mentor engineers, technicians, and operators; set standards and review designs.
• Evaluate vendors, run pilots, and scale proven technologies.
• Collaborate with safety to ensure deployments meet safety standards.
• Develop documentation, run-books, and training for production teams.

Skills

Robotics

Programming

Leadership

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor/Master/PhD in CS/Robotics/EE/Mech

Tools

ROS/ROS 2

Robot simulation

CAD (Creo/SolidWorks/AutoCAD)

Job description

Overview

Keysight is at the forefront of technology innovation, delivering breakthroughs and trusted insights in electronic design, simulation, prototyping, test, manufacturing, and optimization. Our ~16,800 employees create world‑class solutions in communications, 5G, automotive, energy, quantum, aerospace, defense, and semiconductor markets for customers in over 100 countries. Learn more about what we do.

Our award‑winning culture embraces a bold vision of where technology can take us and a passion for tackling challenging problems with industry‑first solutions. We believe that when people feel a sense of belonging, they can be more creative, innovative, and thrive at all points in their careers.

Unlock your insight and deliver innovative solutions by joining Keysight Technologies as the technical lead who brings automation to our factory floor. Do what you love to do, while learning every day alongside the global experts who build the highest‑quality electronic measurement gear on the planet. Make a difference by transforming how our products are built — designing, programming, and deploying the collaborative robots and autonomous mobile systems that will make our manufacturing safer, faster, and more consistent.

As our Robotics Engineering Lead, you will own the automation of targeted manufacturing processes from concept to a running in production. You will assess which operations are the best candidates for automation, select the right technology, and then roll up your sleeves to make it real — integrating collaborative robots (cobots) for assembly, handling, and test tasks, and deploying autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to move material intelligently across the floor. This is a hands‑on technical leadership role: you will be the deepest robotics expert in the our organization, setting the technical direction while personally programming, integrating, and commissioning the systems, and mentoring the engineers and technicians who work alongside you.

Your day will be filled with real problems and visible impact — mapping a manual process, simulating a robot, dialing in a gripper or vision system, tuning an AMR route, and proving out safety before a line goes live. No two deployments are the same, and you will see your work directly improve throughput, quality, and the daily experience of the people on our production floor.

Responsibilities

• Identify and prioritize manufacturing processes that are strong candidates for automation, building the business and technical case for each.
• Design, program, integrate, and commission collaborative robot (cobot) for tasks such as assembly, material handling, machine tending, inspection, and test.
• Deploy and integrate autonomous mobile robots AMRs for material movement, including route planning, fleet coordination, and hand‑offs to workstations.
• Own end‑to‑end delivery: requirements, concept design, simulation, build, factory and site acceptance testing (FAT/SAT), validation, and production hand‑off.
• Integrate robots, sensors, vision, and end‑effectors with existing factory equipment and production lines.
• Serve as the hands‑on technical lead: set standards, review designs, and mentor engineers, technicians, and operators moving into robotics.
• Evaluate and manage robot, cobot, AMR, and integration vendors; run pilots and scale the technologies that prove out.
• Partner with the Keysight safety team to review designs, complete risk assessments, and ensure each robot and mobile robot deployment meets safety requirements before going live.
• Develop and maintain documentation, run‑books, and training so that production teams can operate and sustain each deployment.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor, Master or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent industry research experience).
• 3+ years of experience in industrial automation or robotics, including deploying systems in a live manufacturing or production environment.
• Strong mix of both software and mechanical engineering.
• Hands‑on experience programming and integrating collaborative robots (e.g., Universal Robots or similar) and their end‑effectors, grippers, and vision.
• Experience with AMRs and material‑handling automation, including deployment and integration on a factory floor.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a project and mentor others while remaining personally hands‑on with the technical work.
• Strong problem‑solving, communication, and cross‑functional collaboration skills.

Preferred

• Experience with ROS / ROS 2 and robot simulation or digital‑twin tools (e.g., RobotStudio, RoboDK, or vendor equivalents).
• Familiarity with 2D/3D machine vision, force/torque control, and pick‑and‑place applications.
• AMR fleet management and integration with warehouse / manufacturing execution systems.
• Experience in electronics or precision, high‑mix / low‑volume manufacturing.
• Proficiency with CAD (e.g., Creo, SolidWorks, AutoCAD) for tooling and layout.
• Vendor certifications in relevant robot or cobot platforms.
• Working knowledge of machine safety standards and risk assessment for robotic and collaborative applications (e.g., ISO 10218, ISO/TS 15066, ISO 12100, ISO 13849).

Keysight is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Santa Rosa, CA MIN $ 114,000.00 - MAX $192,000.00