About the role

Company Overview At Skild AI, we are building the world's first general purpose robotic intelligence that is robust and adapts to unseen scenarios without failing. We believe massive scale through data-driven machine learning is the key to unlocking these capabilities for the widespread deployment of robots within society. Our team consists of individuals with varying levels of experience and backgrounds, from new graduates to domain experts. Relevant industry experience is important, but ultimately less so than your demonstrated abilities and attitude. We are looking for passionate individuals who are eager to explore uncharted waters and contribute to our innovative projects. Position Overview We are seeking a motivated and hands-on Hardware Validation Engineer to work closely with our Electrical Engineering team in developing and validating next-generation robotics electronics systems. This role focuses on defining and executing validation strategies for complex PCB designs used in robotics applications, including power systems, DC-DC converters, embedded computing platforms, motor control interfaces, and sensor systems. In addition to new hardware validation, this role will also support debugging and failure analysis of existing robotic platforms in both lab and operational environments. The ideal candidate enjoys working hands-on with hardware, troubleshooting complex issues, developing test methodologies, and collaborating across engineering disciplines to improve system reliability and future hardware designs.

Responsibilities Develop comprehensive validation and test plans for new PCB designs and embedded electronic systems Define functional, electrical, thermal, and reliability test procedures for robotics hardware Execute board bring-up, debugging, and characterization activities in the lab Validate subsystems including power distribution and protection circuits, DC-DC converters and power sequencing, embedded computing hardware, sensor interfaces and communication buses, and high-speed digital and analog circuits Perform lithium battery safety and validation testing, including charge/discharge characterization, protection circuit verification, thermal behavior evaluation, and failure-mode analysis Develop and execute wire harness reliability and characterization tests, including continuity, insulation resistance, strain relief, vibration and flex-cycle, and connector retention validation Design, build, and maintain hardware test fixtures and validation setups Support debugging and repair of existing robotic systems and deployed hardware Investigate hardware failures, identify root causes, and drive corrective actions Collaborate with Electrical, Mechanical, Firmware, and Systems Engineers to improve testability, manufacturability, robustness, and serviceability of designs Collect, analyze, and document test data, failure reports, validation procedures, and engineering findings Communicate technical issues, test results, and root cause findings across cross-functional engineering teams Support automation of repetitive validation and diagnostic tasks using scripting tools where appropriate Support prototype builds, integration activities, and system-level testing Maintain lab equipment, calibration records, and validation documentation Preferred

Skild AI is building the world's first general-purpose robotic intelligence — an omnibodied AI brain that can be deployed into any hardware platform, from humanoid robots to warehouse automation systems to quadrupeds. Founded in 2022 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, Skild AI takes a fundamentally different approach to the robotics race: rather than building a single robot, they've created a platform-agnostic foundation model that makes any robot a dramatically better version of itself.

The company operates at the intersection of massive-scale machine learning and physical robotics, believing that data-driven AI is the key to unlocking robust robotic intelligence that adapts to unseen scenarios without failing. Their customers include major technology companies like Amazon and NVIDIA, who integrate Skild's brain into their own hardware platforms.

With over $1.8 billion in funding from world-class investors including SoftBank, Sequoia Capital, NVIDIA, Bezos Expeditions, and Samsung, Skild AI has grown from a 12-person team to nearly 200 employees in under two years. The company also pursues strategic acquisitions — such as Fetch Robotics — to expand their hardware footprint and demonstrate the transformative power of their AI when deployed into existing platforms.

Skild AI fosters a fast-paced, high-ownership startup culture where team members work directly with founders and have outsized impact. The founding team emerged from CMU's robotics ecosystem, and the company values demonstrated ability and attitude over pedigree, welcoming individuals from new graduates to domain experts who are passionate about exploring uncharted territory in embodied AI.

Hardware Validation Engineer

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