Advanced Robotics Controls Engineer, Frontier AI - San Francisco, California, USA

About the Role: · We are seeking a highly skilled Mechatronics or Controls Engineer with deep expertise in actuation systems, low-level motor control, sensor integration and system characterization to help design, prototype, and refine high degree-of-freedom systems. · You will b ...

Job description

About the Role:

We are seeking a highly skilled Mechatronics or Controls Engineer with deep expertise in actuation systems, low-level motor control, sensor integration and system characterization to help design, prototype, and refine high degree-of-freedom systems.

You will be a core contributor in the hardware–software integration loop, ensuring that our systems meet strict performance, safety, and research requirements.

This role demands a blend of rigorous engineering skill, hands-on prototyping ability, and close collaboration with AI researchers and software engineers.

Core Requirements

• Master's or PhD in Controls Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field
• Strong background in actuator and control system design, including characterization and integration
• Proficiency in embedded firmware development for real-time control
• Experience in robotic system calibration and system identification
• Strong grasp of control theory, dynamics, and kinematics of robotic systems
• Experience with sensor integration (encoders, force–torque sensors, tactile, MUs)
• Proven ability to work hands-on in a fast-moving, multidisciplinary team

Preferred Skills

• Experience with high-DOF robotic systems.
• Experience developing inverse kinematics (IK) solvers, kinematic calibration, and running motion simulations (e.g. MuJoCo, IsaacSim, MATLAB/Simulink).
• Ability to spec or design force/torque sensors, or develop algorithms for estimating forces from motor currents for compliance and collision handling.
• Ability to implement and tune inverse kinematics and dynamics algorithms; build and run simulations for system performance validation and motion planning
• Specify, source, or design force–torque sensing capabilities, including developing algorithms for estimating forces from motor currents. Integrate sensing into system-level control strategies for collision response, compliance, and back-drivability
• Knowledge of estimating and improving actuator back-drivability
• Knowledge of ROS/ROS 2 or similar robotic middleware.
• Experience with programming languages like C++, Python, MATLAB
• Experience with high-performance, safety-critical mechatronic systems.

Key job responsibilities

• Own motor & actuator selection, characterization, and integration into electromechanical subsystems to meet system-level performance specifications
• Design and tune low-level control systems, including position, velocity, torque, and impedance control loops
• Interface control systems with higher-level AI and motion-planning platforms, ensuring reliable, low-latency communication and robust operation
• Maintain and update motor control board hardware and firmware, including environments for executing control loops, reading encoders, and managing outputs
• Develop and execute SysID routines for electromechanical subsystems; design calibration procedures for sensors, actuators, and kinematic chains to ensure precision and repeatability
• Ensure actuator and control systems meet safety, robustness, and maintainability requirements for advanced robotic system operation
• Work hands-on with mechanical, electrical, and AI teams to rapidly prototype and iterate on hardware solutions

About the team
Frontier AI & Robotics (FAR) is the team at Amazon building the next generation of embodied intelligence.

FAR drives the development and implementation of advanced AI models within Amazon's operations that enable robots to see, reason, and act on the world around them, supporting a number of different warehouse automation tasks.

• Experience in automating, deploying, and supporting largescale infrastructure
• Experience programming with at least one modern language such as Python, Ruby, Golang, Java, C++, C#, Rust
• Experience with Linux/Unix
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines build processes
• Experience with distributed systems at scale

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Los Angeles County applicants:

Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies.

Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position.

These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company's reputation.

Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers.

If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit for more information.

If the country/region you're applying in isn't listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location.

Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave.

Learn more about our benefits at
USA, CA, San Francisco - 148, ,200.00 USD annually