Senior Test Engineer (Actuators)

Title: Staff Actuator Test Engineer
Location: Onsite in Austin, TX
Type: Full time, Direct Hire

Summary
Lorien has an exciting opportunity for a Staff Actuator Test Engineer to join our Robotics client on a direct hire basis. This role owns verification & new product introduction (NPI) testing for in-house actuators, from first power-up through validation & hand-off to production. The work spans mechanical, electrical, firmware & software testing. The ideal candidate has 6+ years of experience (fewer with an advanced degree), works independently, & is comfortable leading technical workstreams at a staff level. Onsite in Austin, TX.

Responsibilities:

• Run bring-up on new actuator builds: deploy firmware, calibrate motors & encoders, & confirm basic function
• Write documented, repeatable bring-up & calibration procedures that production test teams can take over
• Plan & run verification tests that confirm actuator performance against requirements across its full operating range
• Characterize mechanical behavior (efficiency, stiffness, backlash, life), electrical behavior (peak current, thermal limits, drive performance) & system-level behavior (positional accuracy, off-axis loading, force & torque output)
• Find & close gaps in requirements & test plans
• Set up & operate dynamometers, benchtop rigs & custom test stands, including fixture changes & load-motor modes across actuator & gearbox variants
• Partner with the manufacturing test team to design & validate the production test methods used during NPI
• Reproduce failures, find root causes where possible, & send clear defect reports & design-for-test recommendations back to design engineering
• Apply system identification to measure actuator dynamics (inertia, friction, bandwidth, torque constant), supporting both hardware validation & simulation accuracy
• Work closely with mechanical, electrical, firmware & controls engineers, linking test data to root-cause findings & design improvements

Qualifications:

• 6+ years of relevant experience with a BS in mechanical or electrical engineering, robotics, computer science or a related field (4+ years with an MS, 2+ years with a PhD)
• Direct experience testing & characterizing actuators, motors or gearboxes, including running dynamometers or motor test stands
• Experience with motor bring-up & calibration, with enough firmware & electrical knowledge to diagnose calibration & drive faults independently
• Strong debugging skills across mechanical, electrical & firmware domains
• Experience designing test methods & procedures, including pass/fail limits & handoff documentation, beyond running scripts written by others
• Ability to read electrical schematics, mechanical drawings & motor datasheets
• Experience on cross-functional hardware teams with quick design turns
• Staff-level scope: leading technical workstreams, influencing decisions with data & mentoring others
• Experience moving test methods from R&D into production or manufacturing
• Able to work at a computer for long periods & lift 15 lbs at times
• Candidates with non-traditional backgrounds & equivalent hands-on actuator testing & robot bring-up experience are encouraged to apply
• Experience with actuators for legged or multi-limbed robots (preferred)
• Thermal modeling & thermal test methods for electric motors (preferred)
• Knowledge of motor drive electronics, power electronics & power-stage design margins (preferred)
• System identification background: frequency-domain analysis, bandwidth measurement & dynamic model extraction (preferred)
• Simulation experience (MuJoCo, Isaac Sim/Lab or similar) & sim-to-real validation (preferred)
• Docker, scripting or infrastructure tooling for test automation at scale (preferred)

Impellam Group and its brands are equal-opportunity employers committed to diversity and inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other factor determined to be unlawful under applicable law. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application, interview process, pre-employment activity, and the performance of crucial job functions.

If you require additional disability considerations, modifications, or adjustments please let us know by contacting HR-InfoImpellamNA@impellam.com or fill out this form to request accommodations.