Compute Electrical Engineer, Robotics

OpenAI • San Francisco, CA

5d • $318,000 - $485,000

About The Position

The Robotics team develops general-purpose robotics and advances toward AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world environments. It works across the model and systems stack, integrating hardware and software across robotic form factors and combining AI capabilities with the physical constraints of real-world systems.

The Electrical Engineer will develop AI inference compute systems for OpenAI’s humanoid robots. The role combines compute architecture, high-speed digital design, onboard power electronics, and compact HDI PCB development. The engineer will own work from concept through deployment, including hands-on board bring-up, interface characterization, and root-cause investigation of challenging failures.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of experience developing compute hardware or similarly complex high-speed electronics, with demonstrated ownership of complete designs.
• Hands-on measurement and debugging skills, including practical experience with oscilloscopes, probing techniques, and interface validation.
• Deep understanding of high-speed digital interfaces sufficient to make architectural tradeoffs and diagnose issues across hardware and software boundaries.
• Strong signal-integrity and power-integrity fundamentals, a solid foundation in power electronics, and practical experience designing complex HDI PCBs.
• Ability to use a Linux shell, write simple shell scripts, connect over SSH, and perform basic Ethernet and network troubleshooting.
• Initiative in turning ambiguous requirements into concrete engineering plans and following through to deliver working systems.

Nice To Haves

• Experience designing around AI inference SoCs or accelerators, including their power, memory, and communication architectures.
• Familiarity with how AI inference workloads map to silicon capabilities, including compute throughput (TOPS), DRAM bandwidth and capacity, and how workload requirements and DRAM technology choices affect achievable performance and performance per watt.
• Experience bringing compute hardware into production and resolving fabrication, assembly, or test issues with manufacturing partners.

Responsibilities

• Own compute hardware architecture and development, from component selection and schematic design through PCB layout, validation, and deployment.
• Design and integrate high-speed interfaces, including PCIe, DDR, Ethernet, MIPI, USB, and DisplayPort, balancing bandwidth, connectivity, power, and signal integrity.
• Develop onboard DC-to-DC conversion and power distribution to meet efficiency, transient-response, sequencing, and power-integrity requirements.
• Define HDI PCB stackups, dielectric materials, via structures, and routing strategies that balance electrical performance, manufacturability, reliability, and cost.
• Lead bench bring-up and validation, including test planning, high-speed interface characterization, power measurements, and debugging through verified resolution.
• Partner with thermal, mechanical, EMC, and software teams to integrate compute hardware into tightly constrained robotic systems.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed