Staff Perception Hardware Engineer

About the role

This page presents the role of The position is based in Austin, Texas, and operates as a full-time engagement. The base compensation for this role is $170,000.00, with a specified parameter of 4 years of experience.

The Staff Perception Hardware Engineer is the execution owner for Apollo's visual perception hardware, accountable for transforming abstract specifications into robust physical systems. This role requires delivering hardware that functions reliably amidst motion, variable lighting conditions, and high-volume manufacturing demands. The engineer ensures clarity and performance from the initial circuit design through to the final customer experience.

Key Responsibilities

The core responsibility involves leading the physical integration and validation of the entire perception stack. This includes driving the transition from prototype designs to production-ready camera assemblies. All work must meet stringent targets for field of view (FOV), thermal management, and mechanical stability.

A significant portion of the role focuses on custom module development and vendor execution. When commercial off-the-shelf components are insufficient, the engineer defines the electrical, optical, and mechanical specifications. This involves directing external optical vendors and contract manufacturers to ensure strict adherence to Apptronik's quality and performance standards.

The engineer is also responsible for architecting and owning comprehensive bring-up, DVT (Design Verification Testing), and EOL test plans. These plans are essential for rigorously validating custom sensor modules before they are integrated into the humanoid platform.

A critical technical duty is hands-on ISP tuning and IQ validation on the physical robot. This work involves performing deep adjustments to auto-exposure, white balance, and tone mapping in real-world environments. The goal is to ensure camera data satisfies the demanding requirements of machine learning models and the low-latency needs of human teleoperators.

The role leads high-speed electrical bring-up and deep debugging of multi-gigabit video backbones, such as GMSL2/3 and FPD-Link. This includes serving as the primary escalation point for complex system-level EMI and EMC issues. Engineers utilize high-speed oscilloscopes and analyzers to diagnose and resolve frame drops and signal integrity problems across dynamic robot joints.

Implementing and measuring hardware-level synchronization across cameras, LiDAR, and IMUs is another essential function. The engineer must prove sub-microsecond timing accuracy on the physical robot. This verification uses oscilloscopes and custom test fixtures to guarantee pristine data for visual-inertial odometry (VIO).

Designing, building, and deploying physical calibration fixtures and algorithms is required to align the optical system. The engineer troubleshoots and resolves complex intrinsic and extrinsic drift issues. This ensures the calibration process is reliable, scaling effectively from R&D lab environments to factory floor production.

The position acts as a technical adjudicator between Industrial Design, Mechanical, and Thermal teams. The engineer drives physical testing and prototyping to resolve conflicts. These conflicts often involve balancing Apollo's iconic A-surface aesthetics with sensor FOV constraints and thermal dissipation requirements.

Finally, this role owns the calibration fixtures and drift analysis. The objective is to ensure the factory floor maintains consistent perception performance over time. The engineer champions the hardware through intake, build, review, ship, and partner workflows until Apollo is ready for deployment.

Requirements

Candidates must demonstrate hands-on integration of cameras, optics, and high-speed data paths on a dynamic robot. A proven track record of 4 years of relevant experience with ISP tuning and validation on physical hardware is mandatory.

Applicants need to show deep debugging skills for EMI, EMC, and signal integrity within motioned systems. The ability to design and deploy calibration methods that scale from lab prototypes to production lines is also required.

Nice to Have

Experience with GMSL2/3 or FPD-Link in robotics applications is a valuable asset.

Skills and Tools

Proficiency with Apollo, ISP, Siemens, and EAGLE is expected.

Practical Information

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