About the Team Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings. Working across the entire model stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the constraints of physical systems to improve peoples’ lives. About the Role We’re looking for a Robotics Control Systems Engineer to take on a foundational role within our robotics team. You’ll help architect, implement, tune, and verify the control infrastructure that enables intelligent, reliable, and responsive robot behavior. This is a deeply hands-on role focused on real-time systems, actuation, dynamics, low-level hardware interaction, and whole-robot performance. You’ll spend significant time working directly with robots onsite: debugging behavior, tuning subsystems, running experiments, and providing feedback across mechanical, electrical, and software teams. This role is based in San Francisco, CA, and requires in-person 5 days a week. In this role, you will: Design and implement real-time control algorithms for robotic systems, including motion control, feedback loops, state estimation, actuator control, and subsystem tuning. Define the control architecture from low-level actuators and hardware interfaces through whole-robot behavior and policy. Identify and characterize actuator, hardware, and software parameters through rigorous experimentation, testing, commissioning, and verification. Work with machine learning engineers to implement reinforcement learning models. Collaborate across mechanical, electrical, and software teams to integrate control logic with sensing and actuation hardware. Help inform the mechanical and electrical design to maximize capability and flexibility. Create the control system architecture; determine the correct level of abstraction from actuators all the way up to whole-robot
Jobs in United States
Hardware Tools Engineer in San Francisco
184 active opportunities · Updated October 2026
Showing
15 jobs
Explore current hardware tools engineer jobs in San Francisco. Filter by work mode, employment type, experience, department, date posted and distance.
About the Team OpenAI's Industrial Compute organization is building and operating the infrastructure foundation for the next generation of AI. Infrastructure Operations works across facilities, hardware, network operations, incident management, data center engineering, delivery teams, and external partners to bring capacity online safely, understand its operational state, and improve it over time. As OpenAI's data center portfolio grows across first-party and partner-delivered capacity, the organization needs clear goals, trusted data, repeatable processes, and systems that make ownership, risk, readiness, and performance visible. This role will help build the operating mechanisms that allow Infrastructure Operations to scale with rigor. About the Role We are seeking a Technical Program Manager to own the systems, data, reporting, governance, and program-management backbone for Infrastructure Operations. Reporting to the Delivery & Operations Lead, you will translate strategy into executable goals and operating cadences, turn operational needs into software and data solutions, and create the mechanisms that keep a rapidly evolving organization aligned and accountable. This role will also own the current 1P+3P delivery-tracking layer within Operations: milestones, delivery timelines, quantity forecasts, risks, decisions, and executive reporting. You will partner closely with 1P Delivery Program Management, Compute TPMs, Data Center Engineering, construction, commissioning, and operations leaders to ensure that delivery information becomes complete, usable input for readiness, handover, and ongoing operations. You will own program health and the operating system around it: the goals, data definitions, workflows, reporting, decision paths, and follow-through that help functional DRIs execute. The ideal candidate is comfortable in ambiguity, technically fluent enough to implement real systems, and relentless about converting scattered information into durable mechan
About the Team Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and advancing toward AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world environments. Working across the full model and systems stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the physical constraints of real-world systems to improve people’s lives. About the Role We are looking for a PCB Layout Engineer to design high-density electronics for next-generation robotic systems. You will own PCB layout from floor planning through fabrication release, working closely with electrical, SI/PI, mechanical, and manufacturing teams. This role is based in San Francisco and requires in-person presence four days per week. In this role, you will: Own PCB layout, component placement, routing, and fabrication release for complex robotic systems. Collaborate with SI/PI engineers to refine layouts based on simulation results. Implement high-speed routing, controlled impedance, power distribution, decoupling, grounding, EMI/EMC, thermal, and mechanical-integration requirements. Work directly with fabricators and assembly partners to define stack-ups, establish design rules, drive DFM/DFA/DFT reviews, and close findings before release. Prepare fabrication and assembly documentation, including drawings, ODB++, drill files, stack-up tables, and manufacturing notes. Inspect newly received PCBAs and participate in board-level manufacturing failure analysis. Contribute to reusable design constraints and layout workflows, and maintain component-library assets such as symbols, footprints, and 3D models. You might thrive in this role if you: Have 6+ years of experience designing complex, multilayer PCBs. Are fluent in Cadence Allegro PCB Designer and Constraint Manager. Have strong HDI design experience, including fine-pitch BGAs, microvias, blind and buried vias, via-in-pad, and sequential lamination.
About the Team OpenAI’s Industrial Compute team is building and productizing infrastructure capabilities that help organizations deploy and operate advanced AI systems at scale. The team works across AI hardware, systems engineering, physical infrastructure, and customer delivery to turn emerging technologies into reliable, repeatable infrastructure solutions. Our work sits at the intersection of technical strategy, product development, engineering, and deployment. We partner closely with customers and internal engineering teams to solve complex infrastructure challenges spanning compute, power, cooling, controls, and facility efficiency. About the Role We are seeking a senior, hands-on Data Center Infrastructure Architect to develop and optimize the physical infrastructure required for large-scale AI deployments. This is a broad technical role spanning data center architecture, electrical and mechanical systems, high-density compute, controls, telemetry, and digital modeling. You will use simulation, operational data, and digital-twin approaches to evaluate infrastructure designs, identify system-level constraints, and improve efficiency, reliability, cost, and speed of deployment. The ideal candidate can move fluidly between first-principles analysis, facility and equipment design, computational modeling, engineering review, and real-world implementation. You should be comfortable working across disciplines rather than operating solely within electrical, mechanical, or software boundaries. Key Responsibilities Define system-level architectures for high-density AI data centers across power, cooling, IT equipment, controls, and facility infrastructure. Develop digital twins and other computational models that represent the behavior of data center systems under changing workloads, environmental conditions, equipment configurations, and failure scenarios. Use design and operational data to identify constraints, improve PUE and related efficiency metrics, and optimize
About the Role OpenAI’s Applications organization spans rapidly growing Consumer, Enterprise, Developer, and Hardware businesses. As we scale across EMEA, APAC, and LATAM, we’re building the financial and operating model that will help our regional teams make faster, better decisions. We are hiring a senior Strategic Finance partner to help shape that work. You’ll serve as a trusted advisor to regional GMs, connecting market strategy with business performance and guiding where and how we invest. By bringing together insights across growth, revenue, OpEx, headcount, and marketing effectiveness, you’ll help leaders understand market health, set priorities, and drive measurable outcomes. You’ll create the frameworks, operating rhythms, and decision processes needed to scale our international business, while contributing to broader Strategic Finance priorities across Marketing. This role is based in our San Francisco HQ. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees. Periodic international travel is expected. In this role, you will: Own an integrated view of OpenAI’s international performance—spanning countries, regions, and Consumer, Enterprise/API, and Developer businesses—to guide growth, resource allocation, and investment decisions. Partner with regional GMs and functional leaders to shape country strategies spanning Product, Sales, Growth and Brand Marketing, Partnerships, Communications, and Policy. Lead regional financial planning and forecasting, tracking budgets, headcount, capacity, investments, and risks against the company plan. Build and operationalize investment frameworks across markets, channels, and programs, evaluating expected returns, opportunity costs, and tradeoffs to recommend what to fund and when. Create regional and country scorecards and lead regular business reviews that track key metrics, surface risks, drive decisions, and ensure follow-through. Design decision rights and escal
About the Team OpenAI Consumer Devices is building the next generation of products that bring powerful AI into people’s everyday lives. Guided by OpenAI’s mission to ensure AGI benefits all of humanity, our team combines world-class researchers, engineers, designers, and operators who care deeply about creating useful, intuitive, and responsible technology. You’ll have the opportunity to work alongside exceptional people on ambitious, zero-to-one challenges at the intersection of hardware, software, and AI. This is a chance to help define an entirely new category of products—and shape how people experience AI in the future. The Systems Integration team is critical in this mission, turning complex hardware-software development into reliable product signals. We build the shared infrastructure, tooling, and lab environments that let teams test quickly, understand failures, and ship with confidence. About the Role As a Systems Integration Manager , you will lead the team responsible for device validation infrastructure, test automation, developer tooling, and lab operations. This is a player-coach leadership role: you’ll set technical and operational direction, build and develop a team of engineers and lab operations professionals, and stay close to the architecture and hardest systems problems. You will partner closely with device software, OS, firmware, hardware, reliability, QA, and release infrastructure teams to define validation strategy, improve release readiness, and ensure our test environments and quality signals scale with the product. Because this is a new category of devices, you’ll have the rare opportunity to build the validation foundation early—shaping the systems, standards, and operating model that will support products from prototype through launch. We’re looking for a leader who combines strong technical judgment with people leadership, operational rigor, and experience building reliable systems for complex hardware-software products. This role is b
About the Team Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings. Working across the entire model stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the constraints of physical systems to improve peoples’ lives. About the Role We are seeking an Electrical Engineer to build and own the electrical backbone of our robotic actuator dynamometer and test infrastructure. You will design, integrate, and operate the load motor drives, power distribution, instrumentation wiring, DAQ interfaces, and safety systems that make high-performance robotic actuator testing repeatable, safe, and scalable. This role spans hands-on lab execution and system architecture: selecting and commissioning power electronics, designing robust test-cell electrical systems, bringing up sensors and DAQ, and partnering with mechanical and software engineers to turn robotic actuator hardware into trustworthy data. In this role, you will Own the electrical architecture of dynamometer and actuator test cells, from mains distribution and protection through load motor drives, braking, and auxiliary power. Specify, integrate, commission, and tune motor drives and load machines for robotic actuator torque, speed, efficiency, thermal, and durability testing. Design power distribution, grounding, shielding, cable routing, and connectorization for high-current, high-voltage, and low-level measurement systems. Integrate torque, position, speed, temperature, voltage, current, vibration, and other instrumentation from robotic actuators into DAQ and control systems. Develop electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, panel layouts, harness documentation, and test-cell interface definitions. Build, debug, and maintain test-cell electrical hardware, rapidly diagnosing noise, EMI, grounding, drive, sensor, and power-q
About Team Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and advancing toward AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world environments. Working across the full model and systems stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the physical constraints of real-world systems to improve people’s lives. About the Role We are looking for a TPM to drive development and integration of a range of sensor systems for robotics. This role will drive cross-functional alignment across requirements, engineering design, integration, validation, manufacturing, supply chain, and release processes, helping turn complex sensor-system needs into clear plans, decisions, and milestones. Location and in-person expectations: This role is based in San Francisco, CA and requires in-person presence 4 days a week. In this role you will: Drive requirements alignment across engineering design, integration, testing, and validation for camera modules, LiDAR, IMUs, RADAR, proximity sensors, audio components and the systems they interact with. Coordinate the integration of modules including electrical, mechanical, harnessing, and software interfaces with the full robotic system with deep understanding of timelines to drive the respective PCBAs, enclosures, build and test fixtures, connectors and cables. Establish effective cadences for technical reviews, BOM readiness, change management, production releases, approvals, and decision tracking. Align harnesses, fasteners, assembly fixtures, test fixtures, and documentation so cross-functional teams can execute against a clear plan. Lead validation planning around functional, reliability, NVH failure modes, including testing needs, schedules, and exit criteria. Partner with manufacturing and supply chain to manage handoffs, lead times, dependencies, and production readiness. Drive tradeoff decisions across cost, qua
About Team Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and advancing toward AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world environments. Working across the full model and systems stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the physical constraints of real-world systems to improve people’s lives. About the Role We are looking for a Technical Program Manager to own actuator development and integration from system goals through production readiness. The actuator program spans mechanical, electrical, firmware, harnessing, controls, test, reliability, manufacturing, and supply chain, and needs a TPM who can turn cross-functional decisions into clear scope, executable milestones, and timely decisions. In this role, you will help the team converge on the right technical plan, surface risks early, and deliver reliable actuator systems on schedule. This role is based in San Francisco, CA and requires in-person presence 4 days a week. In this role you will: Drive actuator programs end-to-end, aligning scope, milestones, interfaces, dependencies, and exit criteria across engineering teams. Drive scope lock and technical convergence for sprints, MVPs, and stretch goals while connecting component decisions to system performance. Coordinate actuator development across motors, gears, sensing, electronics, and firmware, and align the electrical and mechanical interfaces that connect actuators to the broader robot. Lead validation planning from early prototypes through engineering validation, reliability testing, and production readiness. Drive tradeoff decisions across cost, quality, performance, schedule, and lead time by collaborating cross-functionally and quantifying impact to meet program deliverables. Establish effective mechanisms for technical reviews, change control, design releases, decision tracking, and manufacturing readiness.
About the Team OpenAI's Industrial Compute organization is building the world's most advanced AI infrastructure ecosystem. In partnership with leading cloud providers, hardware manufacturers, utilities, construction partners, and internal engineering organizations, we are delivering hyperscale AI campuses that power the next generation of frontier AI models. Infrastructure Delivery Operations sits at the center of this effort. Our team develops the operating model that connects infrastructure strategy, supply planning, manufacturing operations, and delivery into a single, integrated system that enables OpenAI to deploy AI infrastructure predictably at scale. We partner across Hardware Engineering, Network Engineering, Capacity Delivery, Hardware Operations, Security, Finance, Strategic Sourcing, and external infrastructure partners to create a single, integrated view of program health. Through governance, operational analytics, executive reporting, and scalable operating mechanisms, we enable leaders to proactively manage risk, optimize capacity, and deliver infrastructure predictably at Industrial Compute speed. About the Role We are seeking a Technical Program Manager, Infrastructure Delivery Operations to drive integrated strategy and delivery across OpenAI's rapidly expanding AI infrastructure portfolio. This role sits at the intersection of infrastructure strategy, New Product Introduction (NPI), supply planning, manufacturing operations, and infrastructure delivery. You will lead highly cross-functional programs spanning engineering, supply planning, manufacturing, logistics, construction, commissioning, and operations, ensuring technical and operational dependencies remain synchronized from planning through production readiness. Beyond driving program execution, you will leverage operational insights to improve capacity planning, infrastructure strategy, and deployment readiness. You will also help operationalize new technologies and suppliers by partnering w
About the Team Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings. Working across the entire model stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the constraints of physical systems to improve peoples’ lives. About the Role We are seeking an Actuator Gear Design Engineer to lead the development of custom gears and gear stages for advanced robotic systems. You will own actuator development from early architecture and concept generation through prototype validation and system integration, partnering closely with mechanical, electrical, controls, firmware, and reliability teams. You will partner with external suppliers and internal manufacturing to create full gearbox assemblies. This role focuses on the design, integration, and validation of precision gearing, including broader knowledge around motor electromagnetics, transmission types, sensing, structural components, and thermal architectures. You will help drive actuator development across the full engineering lifecycle while establishing scalable design, test, and integration practices for future robotic platforms. This role is based in San Francisco, CA, and requires in-person presence 4 days a week. In this role, you will: Lead the architecture, design, and integration of custom robotic actuator gearing. Define actuator requirements and system-level trade studies around torque density, bandwidth, efficiency, thermal performance, back drivability, inertia, reliability, manufacturability, and cost. Design precision electromechanical assemblies with strong attention to tolerances, alignment, load paths, thermal expansion, sealing, wear, and serviceability. Drive actuator integration into robotic systems, partnering closely with controls, firmware, electrical, and robotics software teams to optimize closed-lo
About the Team Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings. Working across the entire model stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the constraints of physical systems to improve peoples’ lives. About the Role We are seeking a senior Actuator Electromagnetic Design Engineer to lead the development of custom electromechanical actuators for advanced robotic systems. You will own actuator development from early architecture and concept generation through prototype validation and system integration, partnering closely with mechanical, electrical, controls, firmware, reliability, and manufacturing teams. This role focuses on the design, integration, and validation of precision electromechanical systems, including motors, transmissions, sensing, structural components, and thermal architectures. You will help drive actuator development across the full engineering lifecycle while establishing scalable design, test, and integration practices for future robotic platforms. This role is based in San Francisco, CA, and requires in-person presence 4 days a week. In this role, you will: Lead the architecture, design, and integration of custom robotic actuators, including the design, simulation, integration and sourcing of custom electromagnetic components. Define actuator requirements and system-level trade studies around torque density, bandwidth, efficiency, thermal performance, inertia, reliability, manufacturability, and cost. Design precision electromechanical assemblies with strong attention to tolerances, alignment, load paths, thermal expansion, sealing, wear, and serviceability. Drive actuator integration into robotic systems, partnering closely with controls, firmware, electrical, and robotics software teams to optimize closed-loop performance. Devel
About the Team At OpenAI, our User Safety & Risk Operations (USRO) team helps protect our products and users from abuse, fraud, safety risks, and other forms of misuse. We operate at the front line of real-world safety and risk management, translating user and operational signals into timely decisions, effective interventions, and improvements to our systems. This role sits on a team focused on building operational capacity for new, ambiguous, and fast-moving areas of work. The team defines what needs to be built, creates the operating model to support it, and works with partner teams to make the work scalable and durable over time. About the Role We are seeking a Device Safety & Risk Operations Specialist to build the safety operating model for a new category of consumer hardware. This is a senior individual-contributor role for someone who can turn emerging product risks and incomplete requirements into practical workflows, controls, launch plans, and durable systems. You will define how product-safety incidents, critical escalations, regulated cases, and privacy-sensitive issues should be identified, investigated, escalated, resolved, and learned from. You will also establish operational requirements for case management, data access, decision logging, quality assurance, monitoring, and cross-functional response. You will stand up priority workflows through launch and early operations, then help transition them into durable homes across USRO and partner teams. The right person combines deep operational judgment with strong technical and hardware product fluency. They can move from executive-level risk framing to detailed workflow design, tabletop exercises, launch readiness, frontline guidance, and post-launch improvement. Location / work model: San Francisco, CA; hybrid, 3 days/week in-office. Please note: This role may involve exposure to sensitive or concerning material. Strong discretion, judgment, and resilience are essential. In This Role, You Will:
About Team Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and advancing toward AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world environments. Working across the full model and systems stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the physical constraints of real-world systems to improve people’s lives. About Role We are building a supply-chain organization capable of supporting our transition from laboratory-scale development to factory-scale operations. We are looking for an Inventory Manager to build and operate our inventory function from the ground up. This is a highly hands-on role. In the near term, you may start with an empty room and be responsible for determining what racks, shelving, bins, labels, scanners, workflows, and systems are needed to turn it into a functional stockroom. You will receive material, organize inventory, perform counts, move parts between buildings, resolve discrepancies, and establish the processes others will eventually follow. As we grow, you will have the opportunity to develop this foundation into a full-scale, multi-site factory inventory operation. You may hire and manage contractors or onsite inventory administrators, but this role will initially have a significant individual-contributor component and will remain accountable for day-to-day execution. This role owns inventory and internal logistics. It does not own purchasing, production planning, or inbound and outbound supplier logistics. This role is based in San Francisco, CA and requires in-person presence 5 days a week. In this role you will: Build inventory operations from the ground up across various OpenAI facilities. Design and set up stockrooms, receiving areas, and material-storage locations, including selecting racks, shelving, bins, carts, labeling equipment, scanners, and other infrastructure. Personally execute core inventory
About the Team At OpenAI, our User Safety & Risk Operations (USRO) team helps protect our products and users from abuse, fraud, safety risks, and other forms of misuse. We operate at the front line of real-world safety and risk management, translating user and operational signals into timely decisions, effective interventions, and improvements to our systems. This role sits on a team focused on building operational capacity for new, ambiguous, and fast-moving areas of work. The team defines what needs to be built, creates the operating model to support it, and works with partner teams to make the work scalable and durable over time. About the Role We are seeking a Device Safety & Risk Operations Specialist to build the safety operating model for a new category of consumer hardware. This is a senior individual-contributor role for someone who can turn emerging product risks and incomplete requirements into practical workflows, controls, launch plans, and durable systems. You will define how product-safety incidents, critical escalations, regulated cases, and privacy-sensitive issues should be identified, investigated, escalated, resolved, and learned from. You will also establish operational requirements for case management, data access, decision logging, quality assurance, monitoring, and cross-functional response. You will stand up priority workflows through launch and early operations, then help transition them into durable homes across USRO and partner teams. The right person combines deep operational judgment with strong technical and hardware product fluency. They can move from executive-level risk framing to detailed workflow design, tabletop exercises, launch readiness, frontline guidance, and post-launch improvement. Location / work model: San Francisco, CA; hybrid, 3 days/week in-office. Please note: This role may involve exposure to sensitive or concerning material. Strong discretion, judgment, and resilience are essential. In This Role, You Will:
Other cities to consider
More places hiring for this role
Get new hardware tools engineer jobs in San Francisco, United States by email
Daily job updates · Unsubscribe anytime