Staff Perception Hardware Engineer

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Our flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is built to collaborate thoughtfully with people, starting with critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond. We operate at the cutting edge of embodied AI, applying our expertise across the full robotics stack to solve some of society's most important problems. You will join a team dedicated to bringing Apollo to market at scale, tackling the complex challenges like safety, commercialization, and mass production to change the world for the better. JOB SUMMARY Apptronik is seeking a Staff Perception Hardware Engineer to serve as the execution leader for Apollo’s perception hardware systems. While others may draw the block diagrams, you are the engineer responsible for making sure the physical hardware actually works, scales, and ships. At the Staff level, you will tackle the most complex, multi-disciplinary bottlenecks in the perception stack. You will lead the hands-on integration, aggressive troubleshooting, and physical validation of high-performance cameras, complex optics, and multi-gigabit data links on a moving, vibrating humanoid. You will act as the "boots-on-the-ground" technical authority, leading cross-functional engineering efforts through critical design phases, system bring-up, custom hardware development, ISP tuning, and manufacturing deployment to ensure Apollo perceives the world with unmatched clarity. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES End-to-End System Execution: Lead the physical integration of the robot’s visual perception stack. Drive the transition from prototype designs to fully validated, production-ready camera assemblies, ensuring all FOV, thermal, and mechanical stability targets are met on the physical hardware. Custom Module Development & Vendor Execution: When off-the-shelf components fall short, define the electrical, optical, and mechanical specifications for custom sensor modules. Drive external optical vendors and contract manufacturers (CMs) through the build process, ensuring strict adherence to Apptronik’s standards. Custom Bring-Up & Validation Plans: Architect and own the comprehensive bring-up, DVT (Design Verification Testing), and End-of-Line (EOL) test plans for all custom-built sensor modules, ensuring they are rigorously validated before they ever integrate into the humanoid platform. Hands-on ISP Tuning & IQ Validation: Take ownership of the image quality (IQ) on the actual robot. Perform deep, hands-on ISP tuning (auto-exposure, white balance, tone mapping) in real-world environments to ensure the camera data satisfies both the strict requirements of machine learning models and the low-latency needs of human teleoperators. High-Speed Bring-up & Deep Debugging: Lead the electrical bring-up and validation of the multi-gigabit video backbone (e.g., GMSL2/3, FPD-Link). Serve as the ultimate escalation point for complex, system-level EMI/EMC debugging, using high-speed oscilloscopes and analyzers to track down frame drops and signal integrity issues across dynamic robot joints. Synchronization Execution: Implement and rigorously measure the hardware-level synchronization across cameras, LiDAR, and IMUs. Prove out sub-microsecond timing accuracy on the physical robot using oscilloscopes and custom test fixtures to guarantee pristine data for visual-inertial odometry (VIO). Calibration & Fixture Deployment: Design, build, and deploy the physical calibration fixtures and algorithms used to align the optical system. Troubleshoot and resolve complex intrinsic/extrinsic drift issues, ensuring the calibration process scales reliably from the R&D lab to the factory floor. Cross-Functional Adjudication (DfX): Act as the technical adjudicator in the lab between Industrial Design (ID), Mechanical, and Thermal teams. Drive physical testing and prototyping to resolve conflicts between Apollo's iconic A-surface aesthetics, sensor FOV constraints, and thermal dissipation needs. Technical Leadership & Mentorship: Lead complex, cross-functional problem-solving efforts to resolve critical "line-down" or "launch-blocking" hardware bugs. Mentor senior and junior engineers in the lab, establishing a culture of rigorous physical testing and root-cause analysis. SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS Shipped Product Focus: A proven track record of taking complex perception hardware—including custom-defined sensor modules—from the breadboard phase all the way through DVT and into mass production. Vendor Management: Proven experience working directly with optical vendors, CMOS manufacturers, and CMs to define, build, and test custom camera or sensor modules. Hands-On Troubleshooting Mastery: Expert-level proficiency with high-end lab equipment (high-bandwidth oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, TDRs). You have a