Hydraulics System Engineer

Bedrock Robotics•San Francisco, CA

11d

About The Position

As a Hydraulics System Engineer at Bedrock Robotics, you will own the hydraulic and electro-hydraulic actuation that enables the autonomy kit to command steering, braking, implements, and travel on construction machines, including excavators, articulated dump trucks, scrapers, graders, compactors, and wheel loaders. You will characterize OEM hydraulic systems and design retrofit valve and pilot-control interfaces that preserve factory function and serviceability. You will collaborate with controls, electrical, software, safety, and supply chain teams to create reliable, manufacturable, functionally safe subsystems for demanding field conditions, including high pressure, contamination, heat, shock, vibration, and around-the-clock duty cycles on active job sites. The role includes hydraulic system characterization, electro-hydraulic actuation design, component selection and sizing, functional-safety collaboration, controls integration, routing and packaging, testing and validation, prototype build support, supplier engagement, and lifecycle documentation. Work will include hands-on commissioning and testing in the shop and at customer job sites.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Agricultural/Fluid Power Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
At least 7 years designing, integrating, or testing hydraulic and electro-hydraulic systems for mobile machinery in construction, agriculture, mining, or off-highway vehicles.
Strong command of open- and closed-center and load-sensing circuits, pilot-operated and proportional valves, pump/valve PQ behavior, and hydraulic schematic reading and authoring using ISO 1219.
Solid grounding in fluid mechanics for hydraulic systems, including orifice and flow equations, laminar and turbulent flow, pressure losses, viscosity and temperature effects, bulk modulus and compressibility, cavitation and aeration, and pressure transients.
Hands-on experience with pressure and flow instrumentation and data acquisition.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with CAN/J1939.
Familiarity with hydraulic simulation tools such as Amesim, Simscape, or Automation Studio.
Exposure to ISO 13849, ISO 25119, or similar functional-safety standards.

Responsibilities

Reverse-engineer and document OEM hydraulic circuits, including pumps, main control valves, pilot circuits, steering systems, and brake systems; produce ISO 1219 schematics and characterize PQ behavior, pressure, and response for autonomous control.
Design retrofit electro-hydraulic interfaces, including proportional pilot valves, steering and brake valves, shuttle and selector logic, and manifolds, while preserving manual operation.
Specify and size valves, manifolds, hoses, fittings, pressure, position, and flow sensors, filters, and accumulators against flow, pressure, response, and duty-cycle requirements.
Partner with the safety team to define safe states and failure behavior for hydraulic actuation and contribute to DFMEA, FTA, and hazard analysis in line with ISO 13849 and ISO 25119.
Collaborate with controls and software engineers on valve modeling, deadband and hysteresis compensation, closed-loop tuning, and machine system identification.
Define hose and tube routing, manifold placement, and mounting within machine envelopes, accounting for articulation, abrasion, heat, and service access.
Plan and execute bench and on-machine pressure, flow, leak, response, endurance, and contamination tests; investigate and resolve hydraulic issues found in the field.
Plumb, commission, and bleed prototype systems alongside technicians in the shop and at customer job sites.
Lead technical engagement with hydraulic suppliers from RFQ through validation, including make-versus-buy evaluations.
Maintain schematics, bills of materials, installation procedures, and service documentation throughout the product lifecycle and field deployment.