Staff Electrical Engineer (Actuators)

Foundation Robotics Lab; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Foundation Robotics Lab is seeking a founding Electrical Engineer for actuators in San Francisco. You will own the electrical architecture from concept through production, shaping motor controls, power electronics, embedded firmware, and hardware integration for scalable actuator platforms.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in motor controls or power electronics, and a strong background in inverter design and control algorithms.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in motor controls or power electronics
• Experience designing motor controllers for robotics/automation
• Strong inverter topology and current sensing knowledge
• Embedded HW/SW integration across silicon to firmware

Responsibilities

• Own electrical architecture from concept to production
• Design motor controllers and power electronics for high-performance actuators
• Collaborate with mechanical, controls, firmware and manufacturing teams
• Drive reliability, efficiency, and manufacturability of actuator platforms

Skills

Motor controls

Power electronics

Embedded systems

Control algorithms

Thermal optimization

Education

Electrical Engineering / Mechatronics degree

PhD or equivalent experience (plus)

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Altium

LTspice

Job description

Our mission is to create advanced robots that can operate in complex environments, reducing human risk in conflict zones and enhancing efficiency in labor-intensive industries.

We are on the lookout for extraordinary engineers and scientists to join our team. Your previous experience in robotics isn't a prerequisite — it's your talent and determination that truly count.

We expect that many of our team members will bring diverse perspectives from various industries and fields. We are looking for individuals with a proven record of exceptional ability and a history of creating things that work.

Our Culture:

We like to be frank and honest about who we are, so that people can decide for themselves if this is a culture they resonate with. Please read more about our culture here https://foundation.bot/culture.

Who Should Join:

• You like working in person with a team in San Francisco.
• You deeply believe that this is the most important mission for humanity and needs to happen yesterday.
• You are highly technical - regardless of the role you are in. We are building technology; you need to understand technology well.
• You care about aesthetics and design inside out. If it's not the best product ever, it bothers you, and you need to “fix” it.
• You don't need someone to motivate you; you get things done.

Why We are Hiring for this Role:

• At Foundation, we're building a world-class in-house actuator organization to define the next generation of robotic performance. This is a rare opportunity to help architect the motors, controllers, and electrical systems that will power every robot we build.
• As our founding electrical engineer for actuators, you'll own the electrical architecture from concept through production, driving efficiency, reliability, manufacturability, and system performance.
• You’ll touch motor controls, power electronics, embedded systems, sensing, and hardware integration to create highly optimized actuator platforms rather than individual products.
• This role combines deep hands‑on engineering with technical leadership, helping establish the electrical foundation, engineering standards, and technical direction of a rapidly growing actuator team.
• You’ll collaborate closely with mechanical, controls, firmware, and manufacturing engineers to rapidly prototype, validate, and industrialize new actuator technologies at scale.

What Kind of Person Are We Looking For:

• 5+ years of professional or equivalent experience in motor controls, power electronics, or related fields
• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field. A Ph.D. or equivalent experience is a plus.
• Experience designing motor controllers or other power electronics for precision applications, preferably in robotics or advanced automation
• Strong understanding of inverter circuit and topology design, current sensing, and control algorithms.
• Deep proficiency in building embedded architectures, from silicon and SoC selection to low-level firmware and integration of hardware and software.
• Experience with thermal and electrical efficiency optimization in high-performance systems.
• Comfortable working with simulation tools for control systems (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink) and circuit design (e.g., Altium, LTspice).
• Demonstrated collaboration with cross‑disciplinary teams to integrate overall robotic systems.