Prototype Engineer
San FranciscoFull-timePosted 2mo ago
About the role
Prototype Engineer at Physical Intelligence building end-to-end mechanical, electrical, and sensor prototypes to support research and hardware deployment of robotics systems.
Responsibilities
- Rapidly design and fabricate mechanical, electrical, and sensor prototypes to support research experiments and engineering development.
- Partner directly with researchers to understand experimental requirements and translate them into buildable hardware systems.
- Build end-to-end prototype systems: from concept sketches through CAD, fabrication, wiring, sensor integration, and validation.
- Develop quick-turn PCBs, wiring harnesses, and cable assemblies for prototype electronics.
- Evaluate and select sensors, actuators, and off-the-shelf components for integration into prototype systems.
- Design and iterate on fixtures, jigs, test rigs, and custom tooling to enable research workflows.
- Perform hands-on assembly, troubleshooting, and debugging of electromechanical and robotic systems.
- Collaborate with electrical and robot software engineers to integrate hardware with control systems, firmware, and runtime software.
- Identify and address failure modes specific to hardware operating in unstructured, real-world environments (contact forces, wear, thermal effects, cable management, etc.).
- Document designs, test results, and build procedures to support knowledge transfer and design iteration.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Mechatronics Engineering, or a related field.
- 2-5 years of experience in prototyping, R&D engineering, or hardware development, ideally in robotics, automotive, consumer electronics, or research lab environments.
- Proficiency in CAD software (Onshape, SolidWorks, or Fusion 360) with strong 3D modeling and drafting skills.
- Working knowledge of PCB design, electronics and comfortable soldering, wiring, reading schematics, and integrating sensors (force/torque, IMUs, cameras, encoders, etc.).
- Hands-on expertise with rapid prototyping methods: 3D printing (FDM/SLA), laser cutting, CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, and manual machining.
- Familiarity with the robotics domain, with an understanding of kinematics, actuation, compliant mechanisms, and the challenges of hardware interacting with unstructured real-world environments.
- Ability to build full first-pass systems end-to-end, from mechanical structure through electrical integration to basic software scripting.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to speak the language of both researchers and engineers.
- Comfort working in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment where requirements evolve quickly and scrappiness is valued.
- Experience with basic scripting (Python) for test automation, data collection, or hardware interfacing is a plus.
Skills
Required:CAD software proficiencyPCB design and electronicsRapid prototyping methodsSensing and actuation integrationMechanical design and draftingCommunication
Nice to have:Scripting (Python)
Last updated Aug 12, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
About Physical Intelligence
Physical Intelligence (π)
Physical Intelligence is bringing general-purpose AI into the physical world.
AIliquid-ai-recruiting-target
More open roles at Physical Intelligence
- General Manager, Research Operations4d agoSan Francisco · Operations
- Environment Specialist4d agoSan Francisco · Operations
- Learning & Development Lead, Operations4d agoSan Francisco · Operations
- Environment Manager4d agoSan Francisco · Operations
- Environment Coordinator4d agoSan Francisco · Operations