Head of Hardware Engineering, Humanoid Team
Tokyo
Humanoid – Product Development - Hardware /
Full-time /Part-time /Contract (English) /
Hybrid
Position Summary
As the Head of Hardware Engineering, Humanoid Team, you will own both the strategic leadership and hands-on engineering of a general-purpose humanoid robot - initially centred on a dual-arm mobile manipulator for data collection on robotics-foundation models. You will utilize your deep understanding of mechanical systems, robotics, and mechatronics to create reliable, cost-effective designs that can be produced at scale.
You will scale the hardware organisation from early-prototype to production, combining team-building, budget oversight, supplier strategy, and product-lifecycle management with deep individual technical contribution.
Key Responsibilities
- Leadership & Management
- Mechanical System Architecture & Design
- Mechatronic Integration
- Cost & Reliability Management
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
○ Hardware Product Management: Define and deliver the hardware specifications for our robotic solutions - ensuring they satisfy customer value, economic viability, and technical feasibility - then shepherd those specs through design, validation, and release so they become real, shipping products. Work in tight alignment with internal and external stakeholders to drive every stage from concept to market readiness.
○ Roadmap Planning and Execution: Build an end-to-end roadmap that spans development, validation, production, and customer deployment and drive it to completion. Your primary mandate is not the plan itself but its successful realization: securing head-count, allocating resources, controlling budgets, and removing roadblocks until the hardware is in customers’ site - on schedule and within cost and quality targets.
○ Lead the end-to-end mechanical design of humanoid robots (including arms, torso, and mobility base) to meet performance, safety, and cost targets.
○ Develop robust and manufacturable designs in SolidWorks, ensuring structural integrity, ergonomic accessibility for service/maintenance, and ease of assembly.
○ Optimize designs for affordability (critical for large-scale deployments), without compromising reliability or functionality.
○ Manage electrical and embedded systems engineers to ensure seamless integration of actuators, sensors, PCBs, and wiring harnesses.
○ Integrate various sensor systems (force, current, IMUs, etc.) into the mechanical design to support advanced robotics control and data-collection needs.
○ Provide mechanical expertise for motor control systems (especially BLDC motors), ensuring proper thermal management, structural support, and alignment with force/torque requirements.
○ Drive design-to-cost strategies, balancing material selection, manufacturing processes, and component sourcing to meet budgetary constraints.
○ Establish and maintain quality standards for production, working closely with suppliers and manufacturing partners to ensure consistent, high-quality output.
○ Work closely with software, controls, and teleoperation teams to align mechanical design with overall robotics system requirements.
○ Coordinate with external research and industry partners to incorporate cutting-edge mechanical design techniques for humanoid robots.
○ Collaborate with product management and operations teams to define production roadmaps, scaling from initial prototypes to mass production.
Qualifications
- Professional Experience
- Technical Skills
- Soft Skills & Culture Fit
○ 3+ years leading multi-disciplinary hardware teams (or equivalent tech-lead experience with clear people-management potential).
○ Demonstrated P&L or budget responsibility for prototype and/or production hardware programs.
○ Proven track record of delivering commercial-grade hardware designs (not just PoC or lab prototypes) that scale to meet real-world demands.
○ Demonstrated ability to optimize for reliability under harsh operational environments and manage cost in mechanical systems.
○ Manufacturing knowledge (selection of processes, material properties, DFM/DFA) and supplier engagement experience.
○ Strong background in robotics mechanical design, especially for manipulators or humanoid systems.
○ Proficiency in CAD (SolidWorks) for complex assemblies, including the use of simulation tools for stress, thermal, and kinematic analyses.
○ Familiarity with motor control principles (e.g., BLDC motors, gearboxes, force/torque sensors) and their mechanical integration.
○ Experience in mechatronics and hardware architecture (sensor integration, actuator selection, wiring design, etc.).
○ Ownership mentality: Takes responsibility for outcomes and problem-solves proactively.
○ User-Centric Mindset: Demonstrates the ability to understand how diverse stakeholders (including end users, partners, and internal teams) will interact with the product, envision optimal workflows, communicate these concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences, and translate them into actionable technical requirements.
○ Comfortable in a performance-driven environment (high rewards for results, potential demotion for underperformance).
○ Communication skills in English; Japanese proficiency is a plus.
[IMPORTANT] Application & Evaluation
・To help us evaluate your candidacy effectively, please provide detailed examples of your past mechanical designs that demonstrate your ability to deliver robust, cost-effective humanoid robot solutions. Submitting generic or unrelated work (e.g., simply stating “I have extensive automotive experience—trust me”) will not suffice. Instead, please explicitly detail how your skills, experience, and achievements translate to humanoid robotics at a high professional level. Portfolio or Video Demonstrations: Whenever possible, include links to a portfolio page or video showcasing your work.
・Relevant Explanations: Describe the scope of each project, your specific contributions, and how your work addresses challenges in humanoid robotics (e.g., mechanical integration, cost optimization, reliability).
Applications consisting solely of a standard resume without addressing these points will not proceed in our selection process. We look forward to reviewing concrete evidence of your expertise in designing and leading mechanical systems for humanoid robots.
