Intern - Controls Engineer

Human Computer Lab is a research lab building character robots that feel alive and responsive. Our first robot, LeLamp, explores a new category of consumer robotics where everyday objects become interactive and help us reshape our attachment to technology.

Our goal is to push the frontier of human-robot interaction by making technology more legible, emotionally intuitive, and human-centered. We are building the foundation for a new generation of robots designed for everyday environments.

What to expect

We’re looking for a controls/mechatronics engineer who wants to own the systems that make LeLamp move, respond, and feel alive. You’ll work at the intersection of hardware and software, designing and tuning control systems, integrating actuators and sensors, and debugging real hardware at the bench to translate intent into expressive motion. This is a high-ownership role working closely with the CEO and founding team across the full mechatronic stack, from low-level motor control and sensor fusion through to the higher-level behaviors that make the robot feel responsive and intentional in the real world.

In this role, you will:

• Design and tune control systems for actuated subsystems including motion control, feedback, and dynamic response.

• Integrate actuators, sensors, encoders, and embedded electronics into reliable mechatronic assemblies.

• Develop control algorithms in C++ and/or Python from simulation through deployment on hardware.

• Build and maintain URDF models and simulation environments aligned with the physical platform.

• Diagnose real-world control issues such as instability, backlash, latency, drift, and sensor noise.

• Collaborate with animators, mechanical and electrical engineers on actuator selection, structure, sensing strategy and motion fine-tuning

• Develop motion primitives and expressive behaviors that shape how the robot moves.

• Maintain documentation of control architecture and tuning decisions as the system evolves.

You may be a good fit if you:

• Are persuing a Bachelors/Masters in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Software Engineering.

• Have hands-on experience tuning control systems on real robotic hardware.

• Are fluent in C++ and/or Python for robotics or embedded control work.

• Have experience with ROS or ROS2 and real-time robotics software stacks.

• Are comfortable working with CAD tools such as SolidWorks or Onshape.

• Have experience with actuators, motor drivers, encoders, and IMUs across the full signal chain.

• Are strong at hardware debugging using tools like oscilloscopes and signal tracing.

• Have experience building URDF models and working with simulators such as Gazebo, MuJoCo, or Isaac Sim.

• Are comfortable working in environments where system architecture is still evolving.

• Have experience with impedance control, torque control, or whole-body control on physical robots

• Have experience with sensor fusion, state estimation, or Kalman filtering on hardware systems

• Have embedded programming experience on microcontrollers or DSPs in a controls context

• Have experience shaping expressive or character-driven robot motion

You will be a strong fit, if you:

• Are drawn to the physical reality of robotics. You want to see the system move, not just pass a simulation.

• Move quickly through iteration cycles and don't wait for perfect conditions to make progress.

• Take ownership over the feel of the robot's motion, not just its correctness.

• Work well in small, collaborative teams where controls, mechanical, and electrical are in constant conversation.

• Care about the person on the other end, and understand that how the robot moves is a big part of how it feels to live with.

The early team becomes the DNA of the company. We set ourselves and others to a high standard, and we respond with kindness when things get hard but keep everyone accountable. This requires us to be curious, creative, and diverse in our thinking and approach.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and consider all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. Studies show that women and underrepresented groups often hold back unless they meet 100% of the criteria - we don’t want that to be the reason we miss out on great talent.