Motor Team Lead

Foundation•San Francisco, CA

22d•$175,000

About The Position

At Foundation, we're progressing multiple robotics programs, where motors and actuators are key for tasks like torque transfer and ROM in components such as thighs, lower legs, and feet. To supply motors and actuators to all programs, we need a Motor Team Lead who can apply deep motor knowledge to focus on packaging, electrical systems like custom controllers, gearboxes, sensors, and integrations. This role will prioritize optimizations like controller design for efficiency, gearbox tuning for performance, and packaging for compactness, with potential for custom DC brushless motors TBD. By creating this in-house team, we'll cut vendor reliance, hasten iterations tailored to program needs, and realize cost efficiencies while delivering state-of-the-art torque density and reliability. Functioning as a "startup within a startup," this position will encourage rapid prototyping and dollar-stretching.

Requirements

Hands-on technical leader with experience in motor/actuator systems for robotics, automotive, or aerospace, emphasizing packaging, controllers, gearboxes, and sensors over core motor design, with a founder mindset to maximize efficiency by squeezing timelines and stretching budgets.
Robust understanding of motor basics, with skills in controller development, gearbox optimization, sensor integration, and packaging.
Proficiency in tools like ANSYS for simulations, CAD for assemblies, and prototyping, with proven collaboration in lean teams for multi-program supply.
Ideal background from entities where you've delivered actuators to varied projects.
A player-coach ready to delve into specifics like tolerance stacks, electrical architectures, or linkages in thighs, while strategically planning for scalability across programs.
Zeal for agile, startup-like operations with a bias for action to guide the motor team in transformative robotics progress across all Foundation initiatives.