Power Electronics Engineer, Charging

About the role

Figure is building general-purpose humanoid robots to address labor shortages and automate hazardous or repetitive tasks. We are seeking a hardware engineer to lead the development and testing of charging systems that power our robotic platforms. This role is based in our San Jose office and requires a full-time, on-site presence. You will own the complete lifecycle of the charging hardware, from initial concept and architectural trade studies through final production validation. The position involves close collaboration with mechanical, electrical, and software teams to ensure the charging solution meets the robot's demanding power requirements. You will be responsible for ensuring robustness, safety, and compliance of all charging-related hardware. This role is critical in enabling the autonomy and operational uptime of our humanoid robots in real-world environments.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Perform detailed architectural trade studies to define the optimal power topology and system configuration for robotic charging.
• Create and verify schematic designs and PCBA layouts for the complete charging hardware stack, including power stages and mixed-signal control circuits.
• Lead technical design reviews, analyzing schematics and board layouts to ensure robustness, manufacturability, and performance.
• Conduct comprehensive system integration activities, including hardware bring-up, debugging, and validation testing in laboratory settings.
• Select and accurately size all discrete electronic components, including gate drivers, MOSFETs, inductors, transformers, capacitors, and current sensing elements.
• Design and implement grid-tied AC/DC power factor correction circuits, including scratch-built PFC implementations where required.
• Develop DC/DC conversion stages using Buck, Boost, and Flyback topologies to meet the specific voltage and current demands of the robot.
• Implement advanced power converter designs, including resonant converters, to optimize efficiency and power density.
• Ensure all designs adhere to stringent EMI/EMC requirements and industry safety standards through careful filter design and analysis.
• Integrate microcontrollers and their peripheral circuits to manage charging protocols, monitor system health, and enable communication with the robot's main control system.
• Analyze high-voltage applications and design appropriate protection circuits, conducting thorough failure mode analysis to predict and mitigate risks.
• Utilize simulation tools to model power electronic circuits and validate performance before physical prototyping.
• Leverage proficiency with Altium or similar tools for schematic capture and professional-grade PCB layout.
• Apply expert-level power converter layout techniques to minimize noise, maximize efficiency, and ensure EMC compliance.
• Troubleshoot complex hardware issues during development, applying advanced debugging skills and systematic problem-solving methodologies.

Requirements

• Hold a Bachelor or graduate degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related technical field.
• Possess 4 or more years of professional experience in hardware engineering with a proven track record of shipping multiple products to production.
• Demonstrate deep expertise in grid-tied AC/DC power conversion, including the design of power factor correction circuits.
• Show advanced proficiency in DC/DC converter topologies, specifically Buck, Boost, and Flyback configurations.
• Have substantial experience with resonant converter design and high-voltage power applications.
• Understand the principles of protection circuits and be capable of conducting failure mode analysis for power systems.
• Be skilled in designing mixed-signal circuits and integrating microcontrollers with their peripheral interfaces.
• Exhibit competence in selecting and applying discrete power components such as MOSFETs, gate drivers, inductors, and transformers.
• Show mastery of EMI/EMC mitigation strategies, filter design, and adherence to relevant safety and compliance standards.
• Possess advanced hardware debugging abilities and a disciplined approach to systematic problem solving and documentation.

Nice to have

• Demonstrate a background in Wireless Power Transfer topologies and modern charging architectures.
• Show proficiency using Altium for schematic capture and PCB layout tasks.
• Have direct experience with power converter layout practices, specifically for EMC mitigation.
• Have the ability to simulate power electronic circuits using industry-standard tools.
• Have experience with digital power control or embedded control systems for power management.

Practical notes

This role requires full-time, on-site work at our San Jose office, operating on a standard 5-day weekly schedule. The annual base salary for this position ranges from $150,000 to $250,000. Final compensation is determined by individual skills, experience, and job-related knowledge. Additional benefits and compensation components may be provided and will be detailed upon an offer of employment.