Deft AI · San Francisco
Hardware & ElectricalScience & EngineeringFullTimeposted 4mo ago
What to Expect
● You will own the end-to-end electrical design of new robotic humanoid hand/end-effector designs for Deft’s next generation wheeled humanoid robot, cooperating with and reporting directly to the CEO.
What you'll do
● Design schematics and high-density, multi-layer PCB layouts (Altium, KiCad) for motor driver boards, sensor interface boards, and power distribution systems that fit within the tight form factor of a robotic hand.
● Select, integrate, and characterize sensors — encoders, force/torque sensors, tactile arrays, and temperature sensors — to enable closed-loop control of each finger joint.
● Develop compact motor drive circuits for miniature BLDC or servo motors, including current sensing, protection, and thermal management.
● Build and execute hardware-in-the-loop test setups — validate boards with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and power analyzers, and debug issues at the bench alongside the mechanical engineer.
● Write and maintain basic embedded firmware (C/C++) on STM32 or similar microcontrollers for real-time motor control loops, sensor data acquisition, and communication bus interfaces (CAN, SPI, I²C).
● Collaborate with mechanical engineering and firmware engineering to solve integration challenges — cable routing, connector selection, EMI shielding, thermal dissipation, firmware-hardware co-debugging, and communication protocol bring-up within a compact hand assembly.
Required Qualifications
● Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics or equivalent degree.
● 3+ years of experience designing mixed-signal electronics for robotic, mechatronic, or embedded systems.
● Strong PCB design skills — schematic capture, multi-layer layout, and DFM review in Altium, KiCad, or equivalent.
● Proficiency in embedded C/C++ firmware development targeting ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers (STM32, NXP, etc.).
● Hands-on experience with motor driver design (BLDC, brushed DC, or stepper) and power electronics fundamentals.
● Working knowledge of serial communication protocols (CAN bus, SPI, I²C, UART) and real-time control concepts.
● Comfortable with lab bench work — soldering, rework, probing, and debugging prototypes.
● Excellent communication skills and ability to work in unstructured and high-pressure environments
● Understanding of how to balance development speed versus product quality
● Problem solving with first principles thinking
● Growth mindset: curious and hungry to grow
Preferred Qualifications
● Prior experience designing electronics for robotic hands, grippers, or prosthetic devices.
● Experience with EtherCAT or CANopen for deterministic, low-latency actuator networks.
● Familiarity with battery management systems (BMS) and compact power regulation for mobile/embedded robotics.
● Knowledge of EMI/EMC mitigation techniques and compliance testing.
● Experience with Python or MATLAB for automated hardware testing and data analysis.
Benefits
● Medical, dental & vision plans ($0 payroll deduction)
● Daily meals stipend
Expected Compensation
● $120,000 - $250,000 annually + equity + benefits
● The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role. This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.