Electrical Engineer, Actuator test infrastructure

📋 Job Overview

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 constraints of physical systems to improve peoples’ lives.

🏢 About OpenAI

OpenAI is a research organization focused on artificial intelligence. Our mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.

🎯 The Role

We are seeking an Electrical Engineer to build and own the electrical backbone of our robotic actuator dynamometer and test infrastructure. You will design, integrate, and operate the load motor drives, power distribution, instrumentation wiring, DAQ interfaces, and safety systems that make high-performance robotic actuator testing repeatable, safe, and scalable.

✅ Key Responsibilities

• Own the electrical architecture of dynamometer and actuator test cells, from mains distribution and protection through load motor drives, braking, and auxiliary power.
• Specify, integrate, commission, and tune motor drives and load machines for robotic actuator torque, speed, efficiency, thermal, and durability testing.
• Design power distribution, grounding, shielding, cable routing, and connectorization for high-current, high-voltage, and low-level measurement systems.
• Integrate torque, position, speed, temperature, voltage, current, vibration, and other instrumentation from robotic actuators into DAQ and control systems.
• Develop electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, panel layouts, harness documentation, and test-cell interface definitions.
• Build, debug, and maintain test-cell electrical hardware, rapidly diagnosing noise, EMI, grounding, drive, sensor, and power-quality issues.
• Design and validate safety circuits including E-stops, interlocks, contactors, safe torque off, guarding interfaces, and fault detection.
• Partner with mechanical engineers on packaging, cooling, fixturing interfaces, and serviceability of test infrastructure.
• Partner with software and controls engineers on I/O maps, real-time signals, calibration, automated sequences, and reliable data capture.
• Establish commissioning, calibration, inspection, and preventive-maintenance procedures for lab electrical systems.
• Evaluate vendors and components for drives, motors, sensors, DAQ hardware, protection devices, and electrical enclosures.
• Analyze test and diagnostic data to improve measurement quality, cell uptime, and hardware reliability.
• Set practical electrical standards that enable a growing dyno lab to operate safely and consistently.

🎁 Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family, with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts
Pre-tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses (parking and transit)
401(k) retirement plan with employer match
Paid parental leave (up to 24 weeks for birth parents and 20 weeks for non-birthing parents), plus paid medical and caregiver leave (up to 8 weeks)
Paid time off: flexible PTO for exempt employees and up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees
13+ paid company holidays, and multiple paid coordinated company office closures throughout the year for focus and recharge, plus paid sick or safe time (1 hour per 30 hours worked, or more, as required by applicable state or local law)
Mental health and wellness support
Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
Annual learning and development stipend to fuel your professional growth
Daily meals in our offices, and meal delivery credits as eligible
Relocation support for eligible employees
Additional taxable fringe benefits, such as charitable donation matching and wellness stipends, may also be provided.

🛂 Visa & Eligibility

This role is at-will and OpenAI reserves the right to modify base pay and other compensation components at any time based on individual performance, team or company results, or market conditions.