Staff Perception Hardware Engineer

The posting, as Apptronik wrote it

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Our flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is built to collaborate thoughtfully with people, starting with critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond.

We operate at the cutting edge of Applied AI, applying our expertise across the full robotics stack to solve some of society's most important problems. You will join a team dedicated to bringing Apollo to market at scale, tackling the complex challenges like safety, commercialization, and mass production to change the world for the better.

JOB SUMMARY

Apptronik is seeking a Staff Perception Hardware Engineer to serve as the execution leader for Apollo’s perception hardware systems. While others may draw the block diagrams, you are the engineer responsible for making sure the physical hardware actually works, scales, and ships.

At the Staff level, you will tackle the most complex, multi-disciplinary bottlenecks in the perception stack. You will lead the hands-on integration, aggressive troubleshooting, and physical validation of high-performance cameras, complex optics, and multi-gigabit data links on a moving, vibrating humanoid. You will act as the "boots-on-the-ground" technical authority, leading cross-functional engineering efforts through critical design phases, system bring-up, custom hardware development, ISP tuning, and manufacturing deployment to ensure Apollo perceives the world with unmatched clarity.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• End-to-End System Execution: Lead the physical integration of the robot’s visual perception stack. Drive the transition from prototype designs to fully validated, production-ready camera assemblies, ensuring all FOV, thermal, and mechanical stability targets are met on the physical hardware.
• Custom Module Development & Vendor Execution: When off-the-shelf components fall short, define the electrical, optical, and mechanical specifications for custom sensor modules. Drive external optical vendors and contract manufacturers (CMs) through the build process, ensuring strict adherence to Apptronik’s standards.
• Custom Bring-Up & Validation Plans: Architect and own the comprehensive bring-up, DVT (Design Verification Testing), and End-of-Line (EOL) test plans for all custom-built sensor modules, ensuring they are rigorously validated before they ever integrate into the humanoid platform.
• Hands-on ISP Tuning & IQ Validation: Take ownership of the image quality (IQ) on the actual robot. Perform deep, hands-on ISP tuning (auto-exposure, white balance, tone mapping) in real-world environments to ensure the camera data satisfies both the strict requirements of machine learning models and the low-latency needs of human teleoperators.
• High-Speed Bring-up & Deep Debugging: Lead the electrical bring-up and validation of the multi-gigab

[…]
s). You have a "sixth sense" for tracking down ground loops, EMI noise, and intermittent signal integrity issues.

• Deep Optical & Image Physics: Deep practical understanding of CMOS sensor tuning, optical lens artifacts (flare, ghosting, distortion), and how to physically mitigate them within tight mechanical enclosures.
• System-Level Math & Calibration: Mastery of the linear algebra and 3D geometry underlying multi-camera arrays, stereo baselines, and visual-inertial sensor fusion, with the ability to write scripts (Python/C++) to validate these models on real hardware.
• Drive Through Influence: Exceptional ability to lead technical initiatives and align cross-functional stakeholders (Software, ID, and ME) without direct reporting authority, using empirical data from the lab to drive decisions.
• Agility: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment where "perfect" is the enemy of "shipped," knowing exactly when a design is robust enough for the real world.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Experience: Master or Ph.D degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field with 8+ years of hands-on experience integrating and shipping complex vision hardware systems for robotics, autonomous vehicles, or advanced AR/VR platforms.

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

*This is a direct hire. Please, no outside Agency solicitations.

Apptronik provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.