Robotics Mechatronics Engineer for Humanoid Systems

Astera Institute; California; On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Astera Institute in Emeryville, California is building a frontier robotics lab focused on embodied intelligence. We seek a hands‑on mechatronics engineer to design, build, and test robot hardware, integrating mechanical, electronic, and sensing systems with researchers in learning and control.

You will take hardware from concept through fabrication, bring‑up, and testing on physical robots, collaborating across disciplines to improve manipulators, dexterous hands, and humanoids.

Qualifications

• Electromechanical systems experience with full design, integration and debugging.
• Mechanical design and prototyping using CAD and hands-on fabrication.
• PCB design and bring-up including schematic, layout, and debugging.
• Actuation and electronics knowledge of motors, encoders, power distribution, and sensors.
• Programming and firmware skills in Python, C/C++, or microcontrollers.
• Experimental judgment and collaboration across hardware, controls, and ML.
• Robotics hardware experience with manipulators, dexterous hands, or compliant mechanisms.
• Sensing and test experience with force/torque or tactile sensors and test fixtures.
• Hardware and learning integration with AI-assisted engineering workflows.

Responsibilities

• Design and build robot mechanisms, end-effectors, and experimental fixtures.
• Develop robot electronics, including PCBs and embedded interfaces.
• Integrate actuation and sensing with firmware and control systems.
• Characterize hardware performance and troubleshoot issues under load.
• Collaborate with researchers to improve geometry, actuation, and sensors.
• Create reproducible hardware, CAD/PCB/docs for maintenance and reuse.
• Explore AI-assisted CAD scripting, firmware development, and automated tests.

Job description

Astera Institute in Emeryville, California is building a frontier robotics lab focused on embodied intelligence. We seek a hands‑on mechatronics engineer to design, build, and test robot hardware, integrating mechanical, electronic, and sensing systems with researchers in learning and control.

You will take hardware from concept through fabrication, bring‑up, and testing on physical robots, collaborating across disciplines to improve manipulators, dexterous hands, and humanoids.