Director, System Engineering (Robotics)

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General Summary:

The Opportunity 

We are building the next generation of intelligent robots that operate safely and reliably in the real world. As Director of Systems Engineering, you will  define system architecture, ensure end‑to‑end integration, and ship production‑quality robotic systems at scale. You’ll be accountable for translating product requirements into robust system designs spanning compute, sensing, perception, planning & control, actuation, power, connectivity, safety, and manufacturing test while driving execution across hardware, firmware, platform software, and AI. 

What You’ll Do 

Strategy & Architecture 

• Own the system‑level architecture and requirements for one or more robotics programs (e.g., humanoids, AMRs, drones, manipulators), balancing performance, cost, safety, and manufacturability. 

• Decompose product requirements into clear, testable system and subsystem specs (electrical, mechanical, embedded, SW/AI), with interface contracts and latency/jitter budgets. 

• Make platform choices (compute, accelerators, middleware, OS/RTOS, networking, sensors) and guide make‑vs‑buy decisions, supplier selection, and risk retirement. 

Execution & Integration 

• Lead system integration from bring‑up through validation, field pilots, and release: 

•  Stand up systems V‑model and stage gates; drive design reviews, FMEA/FTA, fault injection, and root cause analysis; own system KPIs (latency, power, thermal, availability, safety). 

Safety, Quality & Compliance 

• Define the functional safety and operational safety concepts and lead compliance across relevant standards  

• Institute quality systems (DFx, PFMEA, control plans, acceptance test, reliability growth/ALT/HTOL) and lead cross‑site design transfer to NPI/manufacturing. 

Cross‑Functional & External 

• Partner tightly with Hardware, Firmware, Perception/AI, Controls, Platform SW, Cloud, PM, and Operations to deliver to schedule and cost. 

• Manage suppliers and integrators; negotiate technical statements of work, acceptance criteria, and deliverables; ensure IP protection and security by design. 

What You’ll Bring (Minimum Qualifications) 

• 15+ years in systems engineering for robotics, embedded, or safety‑critical mechatronic products; 5+ years building and leading multi‑disciplinary engineering teams. 

• Proven track record shipping production robots or complex mechatronic systems (from concept → EVT/DVT/PVT → launch), with hands‑on depth in at least two areas: sensing (camera/LiDAR/IMU/force‑torque), perception/SLAM/VIO, planning & control, embedded/RTOS, power/thermal, networking/TSN. 

• Expertise in requirements engineering, system modeling, interface definition, performance budgeting, and trade‑space analysis. 

• Experience with ROS 2 / DDS, real‑time Linux/RTOS, safety architectures (redundancy, monitoring, graceful degradation), and HIL/SIL test. 

• Demonstrated leadership in functional safety/standards, reliability engineering, and risk management across development and operations. 

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills; comfortable presenting at C‑level and to external partners/customers. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• MS/PhD in Robotics, EE, ME, CS, or related field. 

• Background in edge AI for robotics (vision foundation models, multi‑sensor fusion, model‑based + learning‑based control, data/ML ops for robotics). 

• Experience with global, multi‑site teams and contract manufacturers; familiarity with design transfer and factory test (ICT, EOL, calibration). 

• Knowledge of wireless connectivity (Wi‑Fi/5G), cybersecurity for robots, and fleet management/telemetry. 

• Prior work on humanoids, AMRs, or aerial platforms; exposure to compliance in US/EU/Asia markets. 

How Success Will Be Measured (First 12 Months) 

• Q1–Q2: System architecture baselined; requirements complete with verification plan; integration lab and HIL/SIL pipelines operational; top 10 risks owned with mitigation plans. 

• Q3: Pilot builds exit DVT with latency, thermal, and power on budget; safety case and validation evidence on track; reliability >X% mission success across critical scenarios. 

• Q4: Production design freezes; factory test coverage >Y%; launch criteria met; org health (hiring velocity, engagement, retention) trending positive. 

Minimum Qualifications:

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