Robotics Hardware Engineer – Embedded Compute Systems

Field AI is transforming how robots interact with the real world. We are building risk-aware, reliable, and field-ready AI systems that address the most complex challenges in robotics, unlocking the full potential of embodied intelligence. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-based architectures, and are charting a new course, with already-globally-deployed solutions delivering real-world results and rapidly improving models through real-field applications.

The Hardware Team at Field AI develops perception and compute payloads that power autonomous robotics systems in complex real-world environments. Our work spans the full hardware stack designing and integrating sensing systems (LiDAR, camera, TOF, IMU, GPS), embedded compute (CPUs, GPUs, microcontrollers, Linux, ROS), electrical systems (power distribution, communication), and mechanical components (structures, thermal regulation, ingress protection). The team focuses on both development (research, design, prototyping, testing) and operations (production, testing, QA, debugging).

We’re a small, fast-moving team, and we care deeply about improving:
1) core capabilities,
2) system reliability,
3) system scalability. As a growing team we are also building operational systems and procedures from the ground up.

• 1. Compute System Design
  • Compute Architecture: Architect and configure embedded compute platforms (ARM/x86, SBCs) for robotic applications including evaluation, testing and selection
  • Firmware & Software: Set up and customize Linux environments (Ubuntu, Yocto, Jet Pack), middleware (ROS), and I/O interfaces.
  • Systems Integration: Integrate compute with sensing and robotic systems. Analyze thermal, power, and bandwidth constraints to meet deployment and runtime requirements
• 2. Compute System Implementation
  • Communications: Bring up sensors and peripherals using a range of protocols (USB, Ethernet, GMSL, I²C, SPI, CAN)
  • Data Pipelines: Build and maintain drivers, ROS nodes, and data acquisition pipelines for new hardware components
  • Systems Configuration: Create configuration files, launch scripts, and firmware update workflows
  • Testing: Conduct system-level tests such as thermal profiling, latency measurement, and power draw analysis.
  • Documentation & Budgets: Maintain flashing procedures, I/O maps, and debug kits. Manage compute and I/O budgets
• 3. Compute System Production & Servicing
  • Build: Work with vendors to procure compute hardware. Develop QA checks for incoming units. Support payload integration and scaling
  • Debug: Support root-cause analysis for boot, connectivity, and throughput issues
  • Diagnostics Monitoring: Implement watchdogs, health checks, and other evaluation tools. Monitor compute system performance across CPU, GPU, memory, I/O, and networking

• Education: B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Computer Engineering, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• Experience Level: We are recruiting across a wide range of experience levels from entry level engineers to senior and staff engineers
• Embedded Systems: Experience with embedded platforms (Jetson, Raspberry Pi, x86 NUCs, custom SBCs)
• Linux: Proficiency with Linux system configuration, scripting, and headless deployment tools
• Firmware: Strong skills in firmware development for microcontrollers, including bare-metal and RTOS environments
• Programming: Proficient in C++ and Python for embedded and application-level development
• Communication Protocols: Experience with USB, Ethernet, I²C, SPI, CAN, GMSL, and similar interfaces
• ROS Ecosystem: Familiarity with ROS, device drivers, TF, and data streaming/publishing
• Debugging: Comfort with hardware/software debugging tools (oscilloscopes, logs, power monitors, analyzers)
• Systems Thinking: Ability to diagnose and optimize across compute, thermal, timing, and I/O layers

• Scaling: Experience taking systems from prototype to large scale production
• Field Environments
  :
  Experience developing systems for harsh field environments
• Deployed Robotics: Experience working on robotics deployed in real world settings such as autonomous…