Manufacturing Engineer Jobs in San Francisco, CA

About Foundation:

Foundation is developing the future of general purpose robotics with the goal to address the labor shortage.

Our mission is to create advanced robots that can operate in complex environments, reducing human risk in conflict zones and enhancing efficiency in labor-intensive industries.

We are on the lookout for extraordinary engineers and scientists to join our team. Your previous experience in robotics isn't a prerequisite — it's your talent and determination that truly count.

We expect that many of our team members will bring diverse perspectives from various industries and fields. We are looking for individuals with a proven record of exceptional ability and a history of creating things that work.

Our Culture:

We like to be frank and honest about who we are, so that people can decide for themselves if this is a culture they resonate with. Please read more about our culture here https://foundation.bot/culture.

Who should join:

• You like working in person with a team in San Francisco.
• You deeply believe that this is the most important mission for humanity and needs to happen yesterday.
• You are highly technical - regardless of the role you are in. We are building technology; you need to understand technology well.
• You care about aesthetics and design inside out. If it's not the best product ever, it bothers you, and you need to “fix” it.
• You don't need someone to motivate you; you get things done

What Kind of Person We Are Looking For:

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve electrical assembly, integration, and test processes for humanoid robotic systems.
• Partner closely with Electrical, Mechanical, Controls, and Manufacturing Engineering teams to ensure products are designed for manufacturability, serviceability, reliability, and scale.
• Support electrical integration of motors, motor controllers, sensors, encoders, batteries, wiring harnesses, safety systems, and compute hardware.
• Design, develop, and support automated test equipment (ATE), end-of-line test stations, and production validation systems.
• Lead root-cause investigations and corrective actions for electrical failures occurring during manufacturing, integration, and field operations.
• Collaborate with suppliers, contract manufacturers, and equipment integrators to develop and deploy scalable manufacturing solutions.
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) activities from prototype builds through production ramp.
• Develop manufacturing documentation including work instructions, test procedures, electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and troubleshooting guides.
• Drive manufacturing automation initiatives to improve throughput, quality, and repeatability.
• Ensure compliance with electrical safety requirements, ESD controls, and manufacturing best practices.
• Lead and manage technical projects related to manufacturing process development, factory scaling, and test system deployment.
• Support production teams by troubleshooting electrical and system-level integration issues and implementing corrective actions.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, test engineering, or related roles in robotics, automotive, aerospace, consumer electronics, or advanced hardware industries.
• Strong understanding of electrical system integration, PCB assemblies, wiring harnesses, sensors, actuators, and embedded electronics.
• Experience troubleshooting complex electrical systems using oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers, and other diagnostic tools.
• Experience developing manufacturing test systems, automated test equipment, or production validation processes.
• Familiarity with industrial communication protocols such as EtherCAT, CAN, RS-485, Ethernet, or similar.
• Experience reading and creating schematics, wiring diagrams, and electrical documentation.
• Strong project management and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems in fast-paced development and manufacturing environments.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with humanoid robotics, industrial robotics, autonomous systems, or other complex electromechanical products.
• Experience with servo drives, motor controllers, encoders, batteries, and power distribution systems.
• Experience with PLC programming and industrial automation systems.
• Experience developing end-of-line test systems, firmware flashing processes, and automated validation tools.
• Familiarity with manufacturing execution systems (MES), production data systems, and factory automation.
• Knowledge of Design for Manufacturing (DFM), Design for Test (DFT), PFMEA, and Lean Manufacturing principles.
• Experience supporting factory scale-up and high-volume production environments.

Benefits:

• We provide market standard benefits (health, vision, dental, 401k, etc.). Join us for the culture and the mission, not for the benefits.

Salary:

• The annual compensation is $165,000+. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, and experience