Staff Test Engineer - Actuation

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Our flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is built to collaborate thoughtfully with people, starting with critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond. We operate at the cutting edge of embodied AI, applying our expertise across the full robotics stack to solve some of society's most important problems. You will join a team dedicated to bringing Apollo to market at scale, tackling the complex challenges like safety, commercialization, and mass production to change the world for the better.

JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking a Staff Test Engineer – Actuation to own the design validation and NPI test process for Apptronik's custom actuator systems. This is a hands-on, multi-disciplinary role spanning mechanical, electrical, firmware, and software testing — requiring someone who can independently drive actuator characterization and validation from initial bringup through design verification, and build the test methods and automation that transfer to test ops as programs move into production.

You will design and execute actuator test campaigns, develop robust bringup and calibration workflows, diagnose hardware issues across the full electromechanical stack, and deliver validated, well-documented test processes that are ready for handoff. You will work closely with mechanical, electrical, firmware, and controls engineers — connecting test data to root-cause analysis and hardware design improvements.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Actuator Bringup & Calibration: Lead the bringup process for new actuator hardware — including firmware deployment, motor and encoder calibration, and functional verification. Develop documented, repeatable procedures that can be transferred to test ops for production use.
• Design Validation Testing: Plan and execute design validation campaigns to characterize actuator performance across the operating envelope. Tests span mechanical (e.g., efficiency, stiffness, backlash, life), electrical (e.g., peak current, thermal limits, drive performance), and system-level (e.g., positional accuracy, off-axis loading, effort production) domains.
• Test Method Development for Production: Design and validate the production test methods used during NPI — including test scripts, post-processing, pass/fail criteria, and operator documentation — then hand off to the test ops team with the tooling and training needed to run them at scale.
• Test Automation & Data Infrastructure: Build Python-based test automation, data pipelines, and analysis tools that enable repeatable, scalable validation across multiple actuator types and hardware revisions.
• Test Equipment Operation: Operate and configure dynamometer, benchtop, and custom test setups. Manage fixture configurations and load motor modes across different actuat