Staff Systems Engineer - Perception

Apptronik • Austin, TX

3h • Onsite

About The Position

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Our flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is built to collaborate thoughtfully with people, starting with critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond.

We operate at the cutting edge of embodied AI, applying our expertise across the full robotics stack to solve some of society's most important problems. You will join a team dedicated to bringing Apollo to market at scale, tackling the complex challenges like safety, commercialization, and mass production to change the world for the better.

Requirements

• Deep understanding of modern perception modalities (Cameras, LiDAR, Radar, ToF, IMU) and the fundamental physics, error models, and integration challenges of each.
• Strong working knowledge of how perception data is consumed by downstream algorithms (SLAM, object detection, kinematic planning, sensor fusion).
• Proven track record of managing complex requirements traceability and V&V matrices for shipped products.
• Ability to build mathematical models in Python or MATLAB to simulate system-level latency, FOV coverage, or optical performance to inform early-stage architecture.
• 8+ years of experience in Systems Engineering for complex electromechanical systems, autonomous vehicles, aerospace, or advanced robotics.
• BS, MS, or PhD in Systems Engineering, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Define the top-level architecture for the robot's perception system, balancing the needs of Visual-Inertial Odometry (VIO), manipulation, obstacle avoidance, and remote teleoperation.
• Lead data-driven trade studies to adjudicate complex architectural decisions (e.g., Stereo Vision vs. LiDAR for close-range manipulation, edge-compute vs. centralized processing, global vs. rolling shutter).
• Own and manage critical system budgets, including photon-to-action latency, compute utilization (TOPS), memory bandwidth, and spatial Field of View (FOV) coverage.
• Elicit, define, and manage perception system requirements using enterprise tools (e.g., Jama, Polarion, or DOORS). Decompose product-level goals into strict hardware and software specifications.
• Author and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs) that define the boundaries between perception sensors, the compute cluster, and the autonomy software stack. Ensure complete alignment across multi-disciplinary teams.
• Architect the master Verification and Validation plan for the perception stack. Define the KPIs and test methodologies required to prove that the system meets its requirements in real-world, dynamic environments.
• Partner with the Safety team to perform Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessments (HARA) related to perception. Define the safety-critical detection zones, fail-safe degradation states, and hardware redundancy requirements.
• Act as the ultimate technical adjudicator when conflicts arise between the Autonomy team's desires and the Hardware team's constraints (e.g., thermal limits, mechanical packaging, payload capacity).
• Elevate the systems engineering rigor across the company, mentoring engineers in Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodologies and rigorous requirement writing.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior