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Hydraulics System Engineer

Bedrock Robotics· Engineering
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Hybrid (San Francisco, CA)Full-timePosted 3d ago

About the role

Hydraulics System Engineer responsible for hydraulic and electro-hydraulic actuation for autonomous construction machines, including characterization, retrofit design, packaging, testing, and collaboration with controls, safety, and suppliers to deliver safe, manufacturable subsystems for field deployment.

Responsibilities

  • Hydraulic System Characterization: Reverse-engineer and document OEM hydraulic circuits (pumps, main control valves, pilot circuits, steering and brake systems), producing ISO 1219 schematics and PQ, pressure, and response characterization for autonomous control.
  • EH Actuation Design: Design retrofit electro-hydraulic interfaces (proportional pilot valves, steering and brake valves, shuttle/selector logic, and manifolds) that give the autonomy stack precise control while keeping manual operation intact.
  • Component Selection & Sizing: Specify and size valves, manifolds, hoses, fittings, sensors (pressure, position, flow), filters, and accumulators against flow, pressure, response, and duty-cycle requirements.
  • Functional Safety: Partner with the safety team to define safe states and failure behavior for hydraulic actuation; contribute to DFMEA, FTA, and hazard analysis in line with ISO 13849 and ISO 25119.
  • Controls Collaboration: Work with controls and software engineers on valve modeling, deadband and hysteresis compensation, and closed-loop tuning; support system identification on the machine.
  • Routing & Packaging: Define hose and tube routing, manifold placement, and mounting within tight machine envelopes, accounting for articulation, abrasion, heat, and service access.
  • Test & Validation: Plan and execute bench and on-machine tests (pressure, flow, leak, response, endurance, and contamination) and drive root cause on hydraulic issues found in the field.
  • Prototype Build Support: Hands-on plumbing, commissioning, and bleeding of prototype systems; work alongside technicians in the shop and at customer job sites.
  • Supplier & Vendor Management: Lead technical engagement with hydraulic suppliers (e.g., Danfoss, Bosch Rexroth, Hydac, Parker, Eaton) from RFQ through validation, including make-vs-buy evaluations.
  • Documentation & BOM: Maintain schematics, BOMs, installation procedures, and service documentation through the product lifecycle and into field deployment.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Agricultural/Fluid Power Engineering, or related field, or equivalent experience
  • 7+ years designing, integrating, or testing hydraulic and electro-hydraulic systems for mobile machinery (construction, agricultural, mining, or off-highway vehicles)
  • Hydraulics Fundamentals: Open/closed-center and load-sensing circuits, pilot-operated and proportional valves, pump/valve PQ behavior, and ISO 1219 schematic reading/writing
  • Fluid Dynamics: Fluid mechanics of hydraulic systems including orifice/flow, viscosity, temperature effects, cavitation, and pressure transients
  • Tools: Pressure/flow instrumentation, data acquisition; CAN/J1939 and hydraulic simulation (Amesim, Simscape, Automation Studio) is a plus
  • Functional Safety: Exposure to ISO 13849, ISO 25119, or similar standards is a plus

Skills

Required:Hydraulic system design and characterizationEH actuation designComponent selection & sizingControls collaborationRouting & packagingTest & validationPrototype build supportSupplier & vendor managementDocumentation & BOM
Nice to have:Functional Safety
Last updated Oct 22, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
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About Bedrock Robotics

Advanced Autonomy for the Built World

Advanced Autonomy for the Built World

AutonomyBedrock Operatorautonomyheavy machineryindustrial automationindustrial roboticsmachine intelligenceon-site autonomy
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