Embedded Software Engineer, Hands, Optimus

About This Role

This engineering role focuses on developing embedded software for the fingers, hand, and forearm of humanoid robots, with the goal of automating repetitive tasks at scale. It involves architecting and bringing up sensors, motor drivers, and communication buses, as well as integrating the hand subsystem onto the robot and building diagnostics for telemetry. The robotics firmware team is small, passionate, and fast-moving, striving to build robust and reliable embedded systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop scalable real-time embedded software for low-latency actuator control, tactile and position sensing, hand diagnostics, and safety management
• Bring up sensors, actuator interfaces, communication networks, and new boards for finger, hand, and forearm
• Develop fault detection and diagnostics that influence robot-level fault behavior
• Build calibration and diagnostic routines for manufacturing and robot fleet to improve hand control and catch failures
• Support development and integration of human data collection systems
• Develop automated testing to ensure high-quality software releases and complete functionality
• Be involved in the full life cycle of firmware development from concept through integration, test, and release as the fleet of robots grows
• Collaborate closely with hand designers, manufacturing, actuator, tactile sensing, and RL controls teams to specify actuation and sensing requirements, influence electronics designs, and unlock system-level hand performance

Requirements

• 2+ years of relevant experience in real-time embedded software development
• Degree in Computer Science, Physics, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering or proof of exceptional skills in related fields, with practical software engineering experience, or equivalent experience
• Strong C and C++ skills
• Familiarity with Python is a plus
• Working knowledge of microcontroller peripherals and buses: SPI, I2C, ADC, PWM, CAN, Ethernet, and UART
• Experience with sensors and digital signal processing
• Familiarity with RTOS
• Experience reading electrical schematics and understanding circuit behavior
• Experience with multi-core embedded systems is a plus
• Experience with actuator or motor control, including closed-loop coordination of multiple axes, is a plus
• Experience bringing up tactile, force, or other contact-sensing hardware is a plus

Benefits

• Medical plans with $0 payroll deduction options
• Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both with $0 paycheck contribution options
• Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) with employer match
• Employee Stock Purchase Plans and other financial benefits
• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions)
• Paid Holidays
• Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
• Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance
• Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs
• Tesla Babies program
• Commuter benefits
• Employee discounts and perks program
• Earned Wage Access: Real-time pay access paid daily, subject to eligibility and schedule (applicable for below Sr. Managers levels)

About the Company

Tesla is on a path to building humanoid robots at scale to automate repetitive and boring tasks.