Staff Failure Analysis Engineer

Agility Robotics; Salem (OR); On-site; USD 147,000 - 191,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) Plan with 6% match

Equity: stock options

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Parental leave and paid time off

Relocation assistance

Annual discretionary bonus

Job summary

Agility Robotics in Salem, Oregon seeks an experienced Field Failure Analysis Engineer to lead deep-dive investigations into electromechanical field failures across deployed Digit fleets. You will bridge field operations, customer deployments and engineering design teams to rapidly contain field escapes and identify physics-of-failure mechanisms.

You will own 8D and CAPA execution, coordinate with Design Engineering, Manufacturing Quality and Supplier Quality to drive permanent

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Systems Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• 6+ years of hands-on failure analysis, field quality, or reliability engineering supporting complex electromechanical systems.
• Demonstrated ability to trace cross-domain issues spanning mechanical stress, electrical signal degradation, motor drive failures, and firmware/sensor interaction.
• Practical mastery of 8D, Fault Tree Analysis, FMEA, and Ishikawa diagrams with corrective actions.
• Proficiency with bench diagnostic tools (DMMs, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, optical microscopy, thermal cameras, torque fixtures).

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end failure investigations on field-returned modules across deployed Digit fleets.
• Correlate field failure modes with fleet telemetry, CAN/EtherCAT logs, and sensor data to reproduce field anomalies in lab environments.
• Champion 8D and CAPA processes and partner with Design Engineering, Manufacturing Quality, and Supplier Quality for durable mitigations.
• Define containment protocols, triage criteria, and inspection instructions for safety-critical field events.
• Oversee internal FA lab equipment and coordinate external testing (CT, SEM/EDX, metallurgical analysis).
• Establish standardized teardown SOPs and failure code taxonomies across depots and Salem facility.

Skills

Failure analysis

RCA methodologies

Lab instrumentation

Mechatronics

Field failure investigations

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Thermal imaging

DMMs

CAN/EtherCAT analysers

Torque test fixtures

Job description

Agility’s commercially deployed humanoids operate alongside teams in warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers—tackling physically demanding and repetitive tasks while enabling workers to focus on higher-value work. With industry-leading safety standards and years of proven deployment data, we’re pioneering a new era of automation that enhances human potential.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Field Failure Analysis Engineer to lead deep-dive technical investigations into electromechanical, hardware, and system-level field failures across deployed Digit fleets. In this role, you bridge field operations, customer deployments, and engineering design teams to rapidly contain field escapes, definitively identify physics-of-failure mechanisms, and drive closed-loop corrective actions (CAPA) back into manufacturing and next-generation architecture.

About the Work

• Drive Deep-Dive Physical & System FA: Lead end-to-end failure investigations on field-returned modules—including high-torque actuators, cycloidal/planetary gearboxes, high-strain cable harnesses, PCBAs, motor controllers, safety sensors (LiDAR/depth cameras), and battery management systems (BMS).
• Telemetry & Log-Driven Triage: Correlate physical failure modes with fleet telemetry data, onboard CAN/EtherCAT bus logs, system crash dumps, and time-series sensor data to reproduce field anomalies in lab environments.
• Own 8D & CAPA Execution: Champion structured problem-solving (8D, 5-Why, Fishbone, FTA) for critical field excursions. Partner cross-functionally with Design Engineering, Manufacturing Quality, and Supplier Quality to drive permanent design-for-reliability (DFR) and design-for-serviceability (DFS) mitigations.
• Rapid Field Containment: Define immediate containment protocols, triage criteria, and inspection work instructions for field technicians and customer-support teams during safety-critical or fleet-wide failure events.
• Manage FA Lab & External Testing Partners: Oversee internal failure analysis lab equipment (oscilloscopes, thermal imaging, digital microscopy, dynamometers) and coordinate advanced external analytical testing (CT scanning, SEM/EDX, cross-sectioning, metallurgical analysis).
• Standardize RMA & Depot FA Workflows: Establish standardized teardown SOPs, failure code taxonomies, and disposition tracking across repair depots and Salem assembly facilities.
• Quality Reporting & Pareto Analytics: Analyze fleet return rates, Mean Time Between Incidents (MTBI), and component failure modes to deliver clear Pareto metrics and technical executive summaries to engineering and operations leadership.

About You

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Systems Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience: 6+ years of hands-on failure analysis, field quality, or reliability engineering experience supporting complex electromechanical systems (Robotics, Autonomous Vehicles, EV/Powertrain, Aerospace, or Heavy Industrial Automation).
• Mechatronics Troubleshooting: Demonstrated ability to trace cross-domain issues spanning mechanical stress/wear, electrical signal degradation, motor drive failures, and firmware/sensor interaction.
• Structured RCA Mastery: Practical mastery of 8D, Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), FMEA, and Ishikawa diagrams, with a portfolio of verified corrective actions that eliminated field failure modes.
• Lab Tool Proficiency: Proficiency with bench diagnostic tools (DMMs, high-bandwidth oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, optical microscopy, thermal cameras, torque test fixtures).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Linux environments, ROS, CAN/EtherCAT protocol analyzers, and cloud-based time-series data visualization (e.g., Grafana, Datadog, or custom fleet dashboards).
• Working knowledge of functional safety considerations (ISO 13849, IEC 62061) in industrial automation or mobile robotics.
• Proven background managing third-party destructive/non-destructive testing labs (SEM, EDX, X-ray/CT scan).
• ASQ certification (CQE, CRE) or Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt.

Work Environment & Travel

• Based on-site at our Salem, OR facility with regular presence across testing labs, service centers, and assembly lines.
• Travel up to 20% to customer logistics centers, field trial sites, or component suppliers for urgent containment and on-site failure characterization.

Location

• This is an onsite position at our Salem office.

The final salary offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on several factors that may include but are not limited to: job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Agility Robotics is a multi-state employer and this salary range may not reflect positions who work in other locations. These ranges may be modified in the future.

Anticipated Base Salary Range

$147,000—$191,000 USD

In addition to base pay, our competitive total rewards package consists of the following for full-time employees:

• 401(k) Plan:Includes a 6% company match.
• Equity:Company stock options.
• Insurance Coverage:100% company-paid medical, dental, vision, and short/long-term disability insurance for employees.
• Benefit Start Date:Eligible for benefits on your first day of employment.
• Well-Being Support:Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Time Off:
  • Exempt Employees:Flexible, unlimited PTO and 12 company holidays, including a winter shutdown.
  • Non-Exempt Employees:10 vacation days, paid sick leave, and 12 company holidays, including a winter shutdown, annually.
• On-Site Perks:Catered lunches four times a week and a variety of healthy snacks and refreshments at our Salem and Pittsburgh locations.
• Parental Leave:Generous paid parental leave programs.
• Work Environment:A culture that supports flexible work arrangements.
• Growth Opportunities:Professional development and tuition reimbursement programs.
• Relocation Assistance:Provided for eligible roles.
• Annual Discretionary Bonus:Provided for eligible roles.

All of our roles are U.S.-based. Applicants must have current authorization to work in the United States.

Agility Robotics is committed to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each individual has the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits unlawful discriminatory practices, including harassment. Therefore, it is the policy of Agility Robotics to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Agility Robotics prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.