Prototyping Lab Technician, Robotics

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 physical constraints of physical systems to improve peoples’ lives.

About the Role

You will work with the cutting edge of OpenAI's robotics hardware, supporting both the hardware design and software research teams. You will build, modify, repair, and rework both mechanical and electrical components and assemblies.

You will also work with others to define, execute, and tear down experiments. Your critical thinking and creative problem solving will materially move these experiments forward to insightful results through successive iteration and not being afraid to fail fast and try again with lessons learned. You might have to design and build fixtures, design and fabricate wire harnesses, etc.  

We’re looking for people who are self-motivated, hands-on doers with experience in electromechanical systems and a keen attention to detail. This role will play an important part in accelerating robotics development by enabling quick iteration on concepts and technologies. The ideal candidate will have strong experience in high-velocity and early-stage hardware development environments, provide valuable feedback to engineering teams about the systems they’re working on, and set up processes and best practices for build, rework, and modification of low-volume hardware.

This role is based in San Francisco, CA, and requires in-person 5 days a week.

In this role, you will:

• Lead and run the robotics hardware prototyping lab:

  • Manage, maintain, and use lab equipment and prototype part inventory

  • Develop and implement processes for lab work tracking and execution

  • Manage small-volume builds and rework campaigns across robotic systems and components

• Build, modify, and rework electrical wire harnesses for robotic systems

• Build, modify, and rework complex PCB assemblies, including soldering rework

• Build, modify, and rework full robotics system and subsystem assemblies across PCB, harness, and mechanical systems

• Develop and execute hardware experiments alongside engineering teams, think critically about results, and apply lessons learned to future experiments

• Operate in-house and off-the-shelf software tools for interacting with equipment and prototype parts

You might thrive in this role if you: 

• Have demonstrated experience working hands-on with complex electrical, mechanical, and robotics systems

• Are a ninja with a multimeter and understand how to troubleshoot electronics systems

• Are comfortable interpreting schematics and wiring diagrams

• Are a great technical communicator

• Have familiarity with IPC electronics rework standards

• Are comfortable reworking complex PCB assemblies and wire harnesses

• Are detail-oriented and hold yourself and those around you to a high standard of work quality

• Thrive in fast-paced environments with a wide variety of projects and responsibilities

• Are comfortable with the Linux command line

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity. 

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. 

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For US Based Candidates: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.

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At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.