Staff Electrical Engineer - Compute

Location: Austin, TX

Department: Hardware

JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Staff Compute Engineer to lead the design and implementation of the next-generation compute solution for our humanoid robot platform. In this pivotal role, you will be the technical lead responsible for architecting a compute solution that meets our most demanding requirements for real-time performance, sensor bandwidth, and, most critically, functional safety.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES: 

• Lead the architectural design of the robot's next-generation compute solution, from high-level system architecture to component-level selection.
• Define and validate compute requirements based on the needs of complex robotics algorithms, including motion control, perception, and AI tasks.
• Develop a robust and scalable solution capable of handling high-bandwidth data from a wide array of sensors
• Design for functional safety from the ground up, implementing redundant systems, fail-safe mechanisms, and diagnostic features to meet or exceed industry safety standards.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including software, electrical, and systems engineers, to ensure seamless integration of the compute solution with the overall robot platform.
• Conduct performance benchmarking and power analysis to optimize the compute stack for maximum efficiency and thermal management.
• Design, simulate, implement, and test multi-layer high-speed PCBs for integration of advanced System-on-Modules (SoMs) like NVIDIA Orin.
• Lead efforts in high-speed signal integrity (SI) and power integrity (PI) analysis, modeling, and validation.
• Knowledge of compute and processor power requirements, power trees, PMICs, and power sequencing.
• Drive the selection and qualification of critical components, including SoMs, memory, storage (NVMe/eMMC), high-speed interconnects, and peripheral interfaces.
• Develop comprehensive validation and test plans (DVT/PVT), design necessary test fixtures, and execute rigorous testing to confirm compliance with performance specifications and regulatory standards (e.g., FCC, CE).
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in embedded systems, real-time operating systems (RTOS), and robotics compute hardware to inform future design decisions.
• Own the entire lifecycle of complex compute hardware systems, from initial concept and architecture definition through design, prototyping, validation, production release, and ongoing support.
• Act as a technical leader and mentor within the electrical engineering team, guiding junior and senior engineers on best practices for complex hardware design and troubleshooting.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Proven experience in architecting and shipping complex, high-performance compute solutions for robotics, autonomous systems, or similar applications.
• Deep understanding of functional safety principles and standards (e.g. IEC 61508) and experience with safety-critical design.
• Expertise in a variety of compute platforms, including but not limited to, NVIDIA Jetson, Intel, and other high-performance embedded systems.
• Strong knowledge of real-time operating systems (RTOS), multi-core processing, and communication protocols (e.g., Ethernet, CAN).
• Experience with sensor bandwidth management and high-speed data transfer.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a collaborative approach to engineering.
• Experience with humanoid robotics is a significant plus.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field; Master's or Ph.D. preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in embedded systems or robotics compute design.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer 
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times 
• Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen 
• Hearing and speech to communicate