Robotics Integration Engineer – End-Effectors & UMI

Here at Humanoid, we believe in a future where robots amplify human potential. That’s why we’ve set out on a mission to build the world’s most capable, commercially-scalable, and safe humanoid robots. We’re bringing that mission to life with HMND‑01 Alpha - our rapidly developed humanoid platform now running in real industrial pilots - and we’re growing the team to take it even further.

About the Role

We are looking for a hands-on Robotics End-Effector Integration Engineer to bring grippers, actuators and sensors from prototype components to reliable robot systems. You will assemble and integrate prototypes, build test rigs, evaluate competing technologies and use data to help select production components.

You will also troubleshoot end-effector issues across mechanical, electrical, controls and software interfaces, identify root causes and feed improvements back to the relevant engineering teams. This role is ideal for a practical, multidisciplinary engineer who enjoys building, testing and debugging complex robotic hardware.

What You'll Do

• System Integration

  • Parallel Workstreams: As the robot design matures, the complexity will increase. You will support integration streams to ensure mechanisms, actuators, sensors, electronics, controls, and robot software fit together physically and logically.

  • Prototype Builds: Support the physical assembly, wiring, bring-up, calibration, and robot-level validation of early end-effector prototypes, verifying that mechanical interfaces, harnesses, sensor data, and control interfaces behave correctly.

  2. End-Effector & Sensor Evaluation (R&D)

  • Component Shootouts: We have multiple options for grippers, actuators, tactile sensors, force/torque sensors, and related components, but we need data to make the final decision. You will build test rigs and run "shootout" tests to compare candidates against each other.

  • Test Rig Creation: Design and build quick-turn mechanical and electrical rigs to mount, calibrate, and test end-effectors and sensors (e.g., measuring force/torque sensor drift, tactile sensor repeatability, gripper force, or actuator backlash).

  • Data Analysis: Capture raw sensor and actuator data and assess accuracy, repeatability, hysteresis, drift, noise, bandwidth, and integration feasibility. Your reports will determine which components make it into the BOM.

  3.Fleet Support & Root Cause Analysis (Immediate Impact)

  • Triage & Debug: Act as the second line of engineering defense for end-effectors and related sensors on newly built robots. When a gripper, tactile sensor, force/torque sensor, actuator, or tool interface fails in the field or the lab, you investigate why.

  • Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Deep dive into mechanical, electrical, controls, and software evidence to identify the source of failures. You will distinguish between a "bad part," a "bad assembly," a "bad calibration," or a "bad design."

  • Feedback Loop: Document your findings and feed them back to the mechanical, electrical, controls, and software teams, allowing them to focus on long-term fixes rather than daily firefighting.

What We're Looking For

• Experience: 3+ years in Robotics, Mechatronics, or integration Engineering. You have taken a complex electromechanical system from "parts on a table" to working reliably on a robot.

• Hardware Debugging: You are comfortable using oscilloscopes, multimeters, and logic analyzers to debug harness, PCB, sensor, actuator, and communications issues. You aren't afraid to strip wires, solder a patch cable, or build a test fixture.

• End-Effector & Sensor Knowledge: Solid understanding of robotic grippers, actuators, tactile sensing, force/torque sensing, encoders, load cells, or related mechatronic systems. You understand calibration, repeatability, hysteresis, drift, noise, and sampling behavior.

• Software Competency: Familiarity with Linux and Python to write or modify scripts that capture and analyze sensor data. Familiarity with ROS/ROS2 to visualize data, record bags, inspect topics, and debug drivers. Familiarity with Git.

Nice-to-Have:

• Mechanical CAD experience (SolidWorks/Siemens NX) to design simple end-effector mounts, brackets, and test fixtures.

• Experience calibrating tactile or force/torque sensors, working with motor drives and actuator control, or building automated lifecycle tests.

• Familiarity with Jira/Confluence for tracking bugs and documenting RCAs.
  
  End-Effectors & Sensors: Robotic Grippers, Actuators, Tactile Sensors, Six-Axis Force/Torque Sensors, Load Cells, Encoders, Proximity Sensors

• Software: ROS2, Python, Bash, Ubuntu Linux

• Hardware Tools: Saleae Logic Analyzer, Oscilloscope, Multimeter, Programmable Power Supply, Soldering Station, DAQ Systems, 3D Printers

What We Offer

• Competitive equity: stock options with meaningful upside as we scale.

• 30+ paid days off, including 23 days of annual leave, all UK bank holidays, and additional company closure days (including Christmas–New Year shutdown).

• Private healthcare, including virtual and in-person care.

• Pension scheme with 8% total contribution (5% employee, 3% employer) on full earnings.

• Free daily breakfast, catered lunch, and snacks in-office.

• Work at the frontier - collaborate daily with world-class engineers, researchers, and product experts building the next generation of AI and humanoid robotics.

• Real ownership - direct access to founding leadership, meaningful input on product direction, and the ability to drive key initiatives from day one.