Senior Sensor Engineer: Humanoid Robot Actuator Sensing

Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG; Troy, Northern (MI, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and vision insurance

Life insurance and 401k with company 6

Regular employee appreciation and team

Job summary

Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG is seeking a Senior Sensor Engineer in Troy, MI to lead sensing development for high‑performance humanoid actuators. You will own sensor concepts, from selection to validation, and manage external suppliers to ensure production readiness.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in precision sensing, strong physics knowledge, and experience with robotic motion systems. This role emphasizes cross‑functional collaboration and rigorous testing in demanding environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Physics, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in precision sensing technologies, with significant exposure to position, force, and/or torque measurement in mechatronic or robotic systems.
• Experience developing or qualifying sensors for high-performance motion systems (robotics, aerospace, industrial automation, or medical devices).
• Strong understanding of sensor physics and signal conditioning for magnetic, optical, capacitive, and strain-based sensing modalities.
• Experience working with external suppliers on custom or semi-custom sensor development, including technical negotiations, design reviews, and production readiness.
• Familiarity with actuator architectures and integration of sensors with control systems.

Responsibilities

• Drive the technical roadmap for position, force, and torque sensing technologies used in joint actuators (including rotary and linear configurations).
• Lead internal development of sensing solutions from concept through validation and production readiness.
• Manage external supplier selection, technical evaluation, development partnerships, and performance qualification for sensors.
• Define sensor requirements (accuracy, resolution, bandwidth, noise, thermal stability, EMI immunity, size, power, and interface).
• Oversee characterization, calibration methods, and compensation algorithms for sensors under real operating conditions.
• Evaluate and mitigate sensing-related risks including drift, hysteresis, crosstalk, and long-term reliability.
• Support integration of sensor data into actuator control loops (FOC, impedance/admittance control, torque control, state estimation).
• Conduct technical reviews of supplier designs, processes, and quality systems; drive corrective actions and continuous improvement.
• Generate and maintain technical specifications, test plans, validation reports, and design documentation.
• Mentor junior engineers and serve as the primary technical authority on sensing for humanoid actuator programs.

Skills

Sensor development

External supplier engagement

Mechatronics

Robotics

Calibration

Environmental testing

Education

Bachelors/Masters in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Physics

Tools

None

Job description

Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG is seeking a Senior Sensor Engineer in Troy, MI to lead sensing development for high‑performance humanoid actuators. You will own sensor concepts, from selection to validation, and manage external suppliers to ensure production readiness.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in precision sensing, strong physics knowledge, and experience with robotic motion systems. This role emphasizes cross‑functional collaboration and rigorous testing in demanding environments.