Robotics Systems Engineer

Skild AI Inc.; San Mateo (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

Skild AI Inc. is hiring a Robotics Systems Engineer to own system-level architecture, integration, and reliability of a new robotic platform. You will bridge mechanical design, electronics, firmware, and ML policy deployment to ensure robust performance across diverse robot morphologies.

You will shape architecture decisions, perform rigorous testing against external standards and internal targets, and drive bring-up of sensors, actuators, and power systems with partners across hardware teams.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of systems engineering, mechatronics, or robotics hardware development.
• Fluency with mechanical assemblies, wire harnessing, and sensor integration.
• Experience with LiDAR, depth cameras, IMUs, encoders, and force sensors.
• Embedded communication protocols: CAN, EtherCAT, SPI, UART, GMSL.
• Linux-based robotics tools (ROS/ROS2) and telemetry.
• Prototype-to-field deployment of complex electromechanical systems.
• Experience deploying ML policies or AI-driven control loops to hardware.
• Familiarity with ISO 13849 / IEC 61508 safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Define system-level specifications, interfaces, power budgets, and sensor suites across robot morphologies.
• Bring up sensors, compute payloads, actuators, and power distribution on hardware.
• Build hardware qualification pipelines and end-of-line tests for field readiness.
• Perform FMEA and root-cause investigations on hardware failures.
• Collaborate with ML researchers, mechanical design, and manufacturing teams to derive hardware requirements.
• Standardize sensor sync, CAN/EtherCAT/Ethernet, and cabling for rugged operation.

Skills

Systems engineering

Mechatronics

Robotics hardware

ROS/ROS2

Python/C++

FMEA

Sensor integration

Power electronics

Tools

ROS/ROS2

CAN/EtherCAT

Oscilloscopes

Multimeters

Logic analyzers

Job description

At Skild AI, we are building the world's first general purpose robotic intelligence that is robust and adapts to unseen scenarios without failing. We believe massive scale through data-driven machine learning is the key to unlocking these capabilities for the widespread deployment of robots within society. Our team consists of individuals with varying levels of experience and backgrounds, from new graduates to domain experts. Relevant industry experience is important, but ultimately less so than your demonstrated abilities and attitude. We are looking for passionate individuals who are eager to explore uncharted waters and contribute to our innovative projects.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Robotics Systems Engineer to own the system-level architecture, integration, and reliability of a new robotic platform. You will work across mechanical design, electrical integration, embedded firmware, and ML policy deployment. You will shape product architecture decisions and prove the platform is ready through testing against external standards and internal targets.

Responsibilities

• Define system-level specifications, interfaces, power budgets, and sensor suites across diverse robot morphologies, including quadrupeds, humanoids, and custom mobility platforms.
• Drive hands-on bring-up of new sensors, compute payloads, actuation systems, and custom power distribution architectures on third-party and in-house robotic hardware.
• Build hardware qualification pipelines, end-of-line functional tests, and diagnostic frameworks to verify system readiness before field deployment.
• Perform FMEA and run rapid root-cause investigations on hardware failures seen in field operation or aggressive policy stress testing.
• Partner with ML research engineers, mechanical design teams, and manufacturing technicians to turn software performance goals into hardware requirements and physical test fixtures.
• Standardize sensor sync protocols, communication topologies (CAN bus, EtherCAT, Ethernet, GMSL), and cabling architectures for hardware survivability in high-impact industrial operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in systems engineering, mechatronics, or robotics hardware development.
• Strong fluency across mechanical assemblies, custom wire harnessing, power electronics, sensor integration (LiDAR, depth cameras, IMUs, encoders, load cells, force/torque sensors), and embedded communication protocols (CAN, EtherCAT, SPI, UART, GMSL).
• Proficiency with Linux-based robotics tools (ROS/ROS2, system telemetry), bench debugging equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers), and test scripting in Python/C++.
• Proven experience taking complex electromechanical or robotic products from zero-to-one prototyping through verification and high-reliability field deployment.
• Experience deploying ML policies or AI-driven control loops directly onto physical hardware.
• Hands-on experience with industrial functional safety standards (ISO 13849, IEC 61508) or EMI/EMC compliance for mobility platforms.
• Background with high-performance BLDC actuators, cycloidal/harmonic drive gearboxes, and high-density battery management systems.
• Thrives in fast-paced startup environments with ambiguous requirements and tight iteration loops.

Base Salary Range

$175,000 - $275,000 USD