Lead Engineer - Embedded Hardware, Power & Safety

About the role

As the Lead Embedded Hardware and Power Engineer, you will own the end-to-end electrical architecture of our heavy-duty autonomous robots. You will architect the high-power systems capable of running demanding construction end-effectors all day, as well as the intricate embedded hardware that drives our compute and control stacks. You will make the definitive decisions on system topology, safety architectures, and regulatory compliance, guiding the hardware team from white-board concepts to mass manufacturing.

Key Responsibilities

System Architecture & Strategy:

• Define the global electrical and power topology for the robot, balancing high-power demands with the strict noise requirements of sensitive compute and perception sensors.
• Architect custom Battery Management Systems (BMS), high-power inverters, and fast-charging systems tailored for rugged construction environments.

Advanced Hardware Design & HIL Strategy:

• Lead the schematic design and review process for all custom PCBs (using Altium/Eagle), focusing on high-current routing, thermal management, and EMI/EMC mitigation.
• Define the global Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing strategy, architecting simulation environments that validate functional safety and system reliability before physical deployment.
• Design complex, high-reliability wire harness architectures.

Hardware Defined-Safety Systems:

• Architect the global hardware-based safety loop, integrating error signals (e.g., over-current faults, thermal limiters, hardware watchdogs) from distributed compute and motor drives into a centralized, fail-safe E-stop circuit.
• Ensure the entire hardware safety topology complies with industrial standards (e.g., ISO 13849, IEC 61508) independently of software state.

Compliance & Manufacturing:

• Drive the product through rigorous regulatory approval processes (UL, CE, FCC), acting as the primary technical authority for compliance testing.
• Manage relationships with contract manufacturers (CMs) and define the end-of-line (EOL) testing strategy for PCBs and assembled power systems.

Leadership:

• Mentor and lead a team of hardware engineers, establishing strict guidelines for design reviews, component selection, and testing protocols.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Master's degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Robotics, or a related field.
• 8+ years of deep experience in embedded hardware, power electronics, and high-voltage DC/AC systems.
• Expert-level proficiency in PCB design software (Altium Designer preferred).
• Extensive experience navigating regulatory approval processes (UL, CE, FCC) for heavy electronics.
• Deep knowledge of EMI/EMC mitigation techniques in mixed-signal and high-power boards.
• Strong understanding of industrial communication buses (CAN, Ethernet, SPI, I2C) at the hardware level.

Preferred Experiences

• Experience in the EV (Electric Vehicle), aerospace, or heavy machinery industries.
• Experience designing systems to functional safety standards.