Motor & Actuation Engineer-Team Lead

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.

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.

• 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.

• At Foundation, we're progressing multiple robotics programs, where motors and actuators are key for tasks like torque transfer and ROM in components such as thighs, lower legs, and feet.
• To supply motors and actuators to all programs, we need a Motor Team Lead who can apply deep motor knowledge to focus on packaging, electrical systems like custom controllers, gearboxes, sensors, and integrations.
• This role will prioritize optimizations like controller design for efficiency, gearbox tuning for performance, and packaging for compactness, with potential for custom DC brushless motors TBD.
• By creating this in-house team, we'll cut vendor reliance, hasten iterations tailored to program needs, and realize cost efficiencies while delivering state-of-the-art torque density and reliability.
• Functioning as a "startup within a startup," this position will encourage rapid prototyping and dollar-stretching.

• A hands-on technical leader with experience in motor/actuator systems for robotics, automotive, or aerospace, emphasizing packaging, controllers, gearboxes, and sensors over core motor design, with a founder mindset to maximize efficiency by squeezing timelines and stretching budgets.
• Robust understanding of motor basics, with skills in controller development, gearbox optimization, sensor integration, and packaging.
• Proficiency in tools like ANSYS for simulations, CAD for assemblies, and prototyping, with proven collaboration in lean teams for multi-program supply.
• Ideal background from entities where you've delivered actuators to varied projects.
• A player-coach ready to delve into specifics like tolerance stacks, electrical architectures, or linkages in thighs, while strategically planning for scalability across programs.
• Bonus expertise in robotics integrations, such as compatibility with battery charging or hardstops in ankles/feet.
• Zeal for agile, startup-like operations with a bias for action to guide the motor team in transformative robotics progress across all Foundation initiatives.
• We provide market standard benefits (health, vision, dental, 401k, etc.). Join us for the culture and the mission, not for the benefits.
• The annual compensation is expected to be between $175,000+. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.