Actuator Design Engineer
About the Team Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings. Working across the entire model stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors.
What this role actually needs.
About the Team Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings. Working across the entire model stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. Responsibilities: - Lead the architecture, design, and integration of custom robotic actuators, including motors, transmissions, sensing, thermal systems, structural components, and packaging. - Define actuator requirements and system-level trade studies around torque density, bandwidth, efficiency, thermal performance, backdrivability, inertia, reliability, manufacturability, and cost. - Design precision electromechanical assemblies with strong attention to tolerances, alignment, load paths, thermal expansion, sealing, wear, and serviceability. - Drive actuator integration into robotic systems, partnering closely with controls, firmware, electrical, and robotics software teams to optimize closed-loop performance. - Develop and evaluate architectures with integrated sensing and encoder strategies. - Build and validate prototypes through hands-on bring-up, debugging, characterization, and iterative refinement. Requirements: - Design precision electromechanical assemblies with strong attention to tolerances, alignment, load paths, thermal expansion, sealing, wear, and serviceability. - Drive actuator integration into robotic systems, partnering closely with controls, firmware, electrical, and robotics software teams to optimize closed-loop performance. - Develop and evaluate architectures with integrated sensing and encoder strategies. - Build and validate prototypes through hands-on bring-up, debugging, characterization, and iterative refinement. - Develop test methodologies and characterization infrastructure for actuator performance, reliability, durability, and failure analysis. - Analyze test data to identify limitations, failure modes, and opportunities for design improvement. Company context: OpenAI builds frontier AI systems, research infrastructure, and applied products for developers, enterprises, and global users.
Day-to-day expectations
OpenAI lists these responsibilities for the Actuator Design Engineer role.
- Lead the architecture, design, and integration of custom robotic actuators, including motors, transmissions, sensing, thermal systems, structural components, and packaging.
- Define actuator requirements and system-level trade studies around torque density, bandwidth, efficiency, thermal performance, backdrivability, inertia, reliability, manufacturability, and cost.
- Design precision electromechanical assemblies with strong attention to tolerances, alignment, load paths, thermal expansion, sealing, wear, and serviceability.
- Drive actuator integration into robotic systems, partnering closely with controls, firmware, electrical, and robotics software teams to optimize closed-loop performance.
- Develop and evaluate architectures with integrated sensing and encoder strategies.
- Build and validate prototypes through hands-on bring-up, debugging, characterization, and iterative refinement.
What a strong candidate brings
These requirements are extracted from the source listing and normalized for UpJobz readers.
- Design precision electromechanical assemblies with strong attention to tolerances, alignment, load paths, thermal expansion, sealing, wear, and serviceability.
- Drive actuator integration into robotic systems, partnering closely with controls, firmware, electrical, and robotics software teams to optimize closed-loop performance.
- Develop and evaluate architectures with integrated sensing and encoder strategies.
- Build and validate prototypes through hands-on bring-up, debugging, characterization, and iterative refinement.
- Develop test methodologies and characterization infrastructure for actuator performance, reliability, durability, and failure analysis.
- Analyze test data to identify limitations, failure modes, and opportunities for design improvement.
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Source: jobs.ashbyhq.com · Source ID: 5b75027a-a5eb-4d28-a608-aa6bebcb079f · Confidence: 97/100 · Last checked: Jun 16, 2026
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