Robotics Engineer

Ztek Consulting
Minneapolis, MN

Job Description & Skill Requirement:

1. Robotics System Architecture

• Design and own the end-to-end architecture for autonomous or semi-autonomous robotic systems.

• Lead hardware-software integration for multi-sensor robotics platforms.

• Define robot control architectures, including motion planning, perception, and actuation layers.

• Evaluate hardware components: microcontrollers, sensors, cameras, motors, motor drivers, AI accelerators.


2. Firmware & Embedded Systems Leadership

• Lead development of real time embedded firmware (C/C++/RTOS/Linux).

• Architect control loops (PID, MPC, sensor fusion) for high precision motion.

• Oversee development of low-level drivers, HAL, communication stacks (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART).

• Ensure firmware meets safety, reliability, and performance requirements.


3. Robotics Algorithms & Controls

• Guide teams building:

• Motion control

• SLAM / perception

• Sensor fusion (IMU, LIDAR, camera)

• Path planning

• Optimize robotics algorithms for embedded or edge-compute platforms.


4. Sensors, Actuators & Mechatronics

• Work with mechanical and electrical teams in:

• Motor selection and tuning (BLDC/Stepper/Servo)

• Kinematics design (forward/inverse)

• Joint control for robotic arms or mobile robots

• Define test strategies for robotic subsystems.


5. AI / Vision (optional depending on company)

• Collaborate on implementation of:

• Computer vision (OpenCV, deep learning models)

• Edge AI inference on robotics hardware (TensorRT, ONNX)

• Integrate perception pipelines with real-time control.


6. Program Management & Team Leadership

• Lead a team of embedded, robotics, mechanical, and electronics engineers.

• Drive project planning, technical reviews, design decisions, and release timelines.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams: Mechanical, Electrical, Firmware, QA, Manufacturing, Cloud/AI.

• Mentor mid-level and junior engineers in robotics architecture thinking.


7. Quality, Reliability & Compliance

• Define verification/validation strategy for robotic systems.

• Conduct FMEA, risk analysis, and safety assessments.

• Ensure compliance with robotics, industrial, or functional safety standards:

• ISO 10218 (industrial robots)

• ISO 13849 / IEC 61508 (safety)

• IEC 62061

• Automotive (if applicable: ISO 26262)


8. Field Deployment & Optimization

• Support manufacturing bring-up, calibration, and testing.

• Analyse field failures, root-cause issues, and drive corrective actions.

• Continuously improve robotics performance across releases.

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