Hardware Engineer, Sensor Cleaning

Job description

## Join the team bringing autonomy to the built world At Bedrock, we're moving AI out of the lab and onto real job sites. Our team includes veterans who helped launch Waymo, scaled Segment to a $3.2B acquisition, and grew Uber Freight to $5B in revenue. We retrofit the heavy equipment contractors already own, starting with excavators, so experienced crews can safely take on more projects and deliver more of the critical infrastructure our society needs. In August 2026, Bedrock-equipped excavators began doing fully autonomous, paid work on live commercial job sites. We've more than doubled our customer base since 2025, and our machines now work with contractors across the South, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic In October 2026, we raised a $600M Series C co-led by CapitalG and Emergence Capital, bringing our total funding to nearly $1B. We're using it to put more autonomous machines to work, build the field and operations teams behind every deployment, and expand into new machine types and job-site tasks. This is where algorithms meet steel-toed boots. You'll work alongside construction veterans and world-class engineers to solve physical-world problems that simulations can't touch. If you're ready to do meaningful work on hard problems, we'd love to have you join us. We’re a group of veterans from the autonomous vehicle industry who are passionate about bringing the benefits of automation to areas in the construction industry. We’re growing our sizable fleet of retrofitted autonomous construction machines and we’re looking for a talented **Hardware Engineer** to help design, build, test, manufacture and integrate sensor cleaning systems that keep our lidar, camera, and radar apertures clear in all operating domains (dust, mud, rain/mist/fog, and ice). You will work alongside senior engineers responsible for sensor selection and integration to deliver robust and capable sensor cleaning systems to the field. ## **Key Qualifications** - Strong foundational knowledge in mechanical/mechatronic design, testing, and deployment of hardware systems in rugged outdoor environments - Hands-on design, build, and test of fluid systems, including air and liquid pumps, valves, control ECUs, solenoids, nozzles, reservoirs, fittings, and associated plumbing - Thermal design for mechanical assemblies, including heating and de-icing in cold and wet conditions - Understanding of aperture degradation (dust, mud, water, ice, condensation) and how to define and measure what “clean” means for lidar, camera, and radar apertures - Experience leading hardware development programs from ideation through proto, EVT, DVT, and production stages - Packaging and integration strategies for hardware systems in rugged environments, including high shock/vibe, wide temp ranges, IP, and solar loading - Working knowledge of lidar, camera, and radar apertures and how surface contamination affects their performance and downstream consequences for perception - Proficiency in Python or C/C++ to prototype and debug cleaning controls, and to run tests, data collection, analysis, and reporting ## **Description and Responsibilities** - Own the design, test, and integration of sensor cleaning systems (fluid, air, mechanical, and thermal) for autonomous machines - Work with integration team to package cleaning components and systems - Work with perception and safety teams to set cleaning requirements and performance metrics, such as what counts as clean, cleaning frequency, fluid consumption, and cold-weather operation - Build test rigs and run lab and field testing of cleaning performance in real site conditions: dust, mud, rain, and freezing temperatures - Establish and lead relationships and programs (design, manufacturing, reliability testing, QC, field failures) with external vendors for all cleaning components - Write reusable, high-quality test automation and data analysis software (Python and/or C/C++) ## **Education and Experience** - Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field - Strong fundamentals in mechanical and mechatronic hardweare engineering - 6+ years of relevant industry experience preferred ## **Ways to Stand Out From the Field** - Deep experience in any of these areas: - Hardware components for sensor cleaning, including sprayers, air puffers/air knives, wipers, ultrasonics, and other cleaning methods - Heaters and de-icing systems for sensor apertures or windows - Washer, de-icing, or fluid/air-handling systems in automotive, aerospace, or agriculture - Experience with system engineering requirements definition and V&V - Experience with common standards for hardware reliability testing in construction field - ISO 16750, SAE J1455, etc… - Familiarity with large commercial construction equipment electrical and mechanical hardware **Bedrock Robotics is an Equal Opportunity Employer** We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. **Reasonable Accommodations** We want our hiring process to be accessible to everyone. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please let your recruiter know so we can support you.