The Actuator Systems Engineer role at Fauna Robotics involves developing and testing actuator systems for robots. This position requires collaboration across electrical, mechanical, and firmware design to ensure actuator performance meets specifications. The team focuses on creating robots that are safe, reliable, and efficient for everyday use. Candidates will have the opportunity to influence the design and functionality of robotic systems that interact with people in natural environments.

• PhD in EE, ME, Robotics, Physics, or a related field, or a Master’s degree in one of these fields and 4+ years of industry experience developing actuators, motors, or other electromechanical systems.
• Experience in developing functional specifications, design verification plans, and functional test procedures.
• Hands-on experience testing and characterizing motors or actuators.
• Experience writing embedded motor control firmware in C or C++, and analyzing data in Python.
• Experience leading a technical project from early concept through validation.
• Experience designing actuators for robots.
• Experience with brushless motor design, field-oriented control, or power electronics.
• Experience designing gear trains such as planetary, cycloidal, or harmonic drives.
• Experience with thermal modeling and with reliability or life testing.
• Experience taking an actuator design from prototype into production with suppliers.
• Publications or patents related to actuation, motor control, or electromechanical design.

• Plan and run characterization testing on actuators, covering aspects like torque constant, friction, efficiency, thermal behavior, and wear over time.
• Build and maintain electromechanical and thermal models of actuators to predict robot performance and set safe operating limits.
• Contribute to the electrical design of the actuator, including motor selection, motor drivers, sensing, and protection.
• Contribute to the mechanical design of the actuator, focusing on torque density, efficiency, and manufacturability.
• Write and tune motor control firmware, including current and position control, current and thermal limiting, calibration, and fault detection.

• Employees at Amazon are often offered comprehensive health benefits—including multiple medical plan options (no pre-existing condition exclusions, 100% covered in-network preventive care), dental and vision plans, a 24/7 medical advice line from day one, expert second-opinion services, and broad mental-health support with several free counseling sessions (including pediatric). Financial wellness typically includes a 401(k) with company match (up to 2%), Restricted Stock Units (equity), FSAs, an emergency savings program, product and partner discounts, and even college-savings and home-purchase programs. Overall, the package is designed to support employees and their families’ health, finances, and day-to-day life.