Electrical Engineer, Tactile/Hand Sensor

Foundation

San Francisco, California

JOB DETAILS
SKILLS
Application Programming Interface (API), Boundary Scan, C Programming Language, C++ Programming Language, Cadence, Computer Firmware, Continuous Improvement, Contract Manufacturing, DFT (Design for Test), Debugging Skills, Digital Signal Processing (DSP), Electrical Engineering, Electromagnetic Compatibility, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), Electronics, Embedded Systems, Emerging Technology, Engineering Drawing, FPGA, Haptics, Hardware Administration, Hardware Design, High Reliability, ISO (International Organization for Standardization), International Electro-Technical Commission (IEC), Laboratory Testing, Logic Analyzer, Manufacturing Design, Microcontroller, Mixed Signal Circuits, Motor Control Systems, Oscilloscope, Process Improvement, Prosthetics, Prototyping, Robotics, Safety Standards, Signal Integrity, Software Engineering, Systems Reliability, Team Player, Testability, Testing, Thermal Management, Wi-Fi, Wireless Communications
LOCATION
San Francisco, California
POSTED
5 days ago

Who should join:

  • 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.

Why We Are Hiring for This Role:

  • Develop new custom force and tactile sensors for robotics with aggressive size and reliability requirements.
  • Design and evaluate embedded systems and mixed-signal circuits (MCUs, FPGAs, sensors, power, communications).
  • Collaborate with silicon partners to evaluate and integrate cutting-edge chips (e.g. encoders, IMUs, tactile sensors).
  • Perform board bring-up, validation, and debugging using lab instruments and test infrastructure.
  • Guide junior engineers and review schematic/layout work to ensure performance, reliability, and compliance.
  • Drive continuous improvements in design for manufacturability (DFM), testability (DFT), and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).
  • Interface with firmware/software engineers to define board-level APIs and support hardware abstraction.
  • Support the transition from prototypes to production, working with contract manufacturers and test engineers.
  • Stay up to date with emerging technologies in embedded electronics, robotic sensing, and motor control.

What Kind of Person We Are Looking For:

  • Experience with sensor integration (IMUs, force/tactile, encoders), motor control (BLDC, brushed, stepper), and power electronics.
  • Proven track record designing embedded systems (MCUs, DSPs, or FPGAs) in compact, high-reliability systems.
  • Strong debugging skills with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG tools.
  • Proficiency in ECAD tools such as Altium Designer, KiCad, or Cadence.
  • Solid understanding of signal integrity, thermal management, and power distribution for compact electronics.
  • Familiarity with firmware interactions and embedded C/C++ is a plus.
  • Experience working on robotics, prosthetics, or haptics-related hardware.
  • Knowledge of silicon evaluation and working with early-stage chip vendors.
  • Experience with wireless communication (BLE, Wi-Fi, etc.) and secure hardware design.
  • Exposure to safety standards (IEC, ISO) and EMI/EMC compliance testing.
  • Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering or a related field.

Benefits

  • We provide market standard benefits (health, vision, dental, 401k, etc.) and equity. Join us for the culture and the mission, not for the benefits.

Salary

  • The annual compensation is expected to be between $180,000 - $300,000. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.

About the Company

F

Foundation