Staff Electrical Engineer (Sensors & Imaging Systems)

Job description

At Rhoda AI, we’re building the next generation of generalist intelligent robots. We own the full robotics stack from high-performance hardware and robot systems to the infrastructure and state-of-the-art foundation world models that control our robots. Our robots are designed to be generalists capable of operating in complex, real-world environments and handling long-tail edge cases, made possible by our cutting edge research and end-to-end system design. We've raised over $450M and are investing aggressively in model research, infrastructure, hardware development, and manufacturing scale-up to make generalist robotics a reality. We are seeking a Staff or Principal Member of Technical Staff (MTS) – Electrical to lead the architecture, design, and technical execution of advanced multi-sensor imaging and perception systems. This is a senior individual-contributor role for an electrical engineer with deep, hands-on expertise across camera and imaging pipelines, depth and ranging sensors (ToF, Radar, LiDAR), thermal imaging, and the surrounding electrical and signal-integrity considerations that make these systems work in production. The successful candidate will set the technical direction for sensor selection, integration, and validation; partner closely with optics, mechanical, firmware, ML, and systems teams; and serve as a recognized technical authority across the organization. This role is ideal for an engineer who has taken multiple sensor-driven products from concept to volume production and is energized by solving hard, cross-disciplinary problems. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Architect end-to-end imaging and sensing subsystems, including camera selection, optics interface, illumination, and electrical integration, to meet product-level performance, power, and cost targets. - Drive camera and sensor selection across CMOS image sensors, ToF, mmWave radar, LiDAR, and thermal modules — evaluating resolution, FOV, sensitivity, dynamic range, frame rate, latency, and SWaP (size, weight, and power). - Own the camera signal chain, including ISP tuning and configuration, RAW/RGB pipelines, MIPI CSI-2 / parallel RGB interfaces, and characterization across lighting, temperature, and motion conditions. - Lead sensor fusion hardware design combining cameras, depth sensors, radar, and LiDAR for perception and object-detection workloads. - Define lighting and illumination strategies for active and passive imaging, including IR illuminators, structured light, and synchronized strobe designs. - Specify and review schematics, layouts, and BOMs for sensor boards, flex cables, connectors, and power-delivery networks; ensure signal-integrity and EMI/EMC compliance for high-speed interfaces. - Develop characterization and validation plans with lab measurements (oscilloscope, spectrum analyzer, optical bench) and statistical bring-up/qualification methodologies. - Collaborate cross-functionally with firmware/embedded, computer-vision/ML, mechanical, optical, and manufacturing engineering to drive designs from prototype through DVT, PVT, and mass production. - Mentor and influence engineers across the org; review designs, set best practices, and represent electrical engineering in architectural decisions. - Engage with external vendors and partners (sensor suppliers, module houses, ODMs) to evaluate roadmaps, negotiate specs, and resolve technical issues. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE - B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related field. - Staff level: 10+ years of relevant industry experience designing electrical/sensor subsystems for shipping products. - Principal level: 15+ years with a demonstrated track record of leading the technical direction of multiple high-volume sensor-based products. CAMERAS & IMAGING - Deep, hands-on knowledge of CMOS image sensors and end-to-end camera systems, including the trade-offs that drive camera selection (resolution, pixel size, QE, SNR, HDR, rolling vs. global shutter). - Strong understanding of optics fundamentals — Field of View (FOV), focal length, F-number, depth of field, distortion, and lens/sensor matching. - Image Signal Processing (ISP): demosaic, AE/AWB/AF, denoise, tone-mapping, color correction, lens shading, and ISP tuning for target use cases. - Camera interfaces: MIPI CSI-2 / D-PHY / C-PHY, parallel RGB, and RAW pipelines — including timing, lane allocation, signal integrity, and bring-up. - Experience designing illumination / lighting subsystems for cameras (visible, IR, NIR, synchronized strobes). DEPTH, RANGING & PERCEPTION SENSORS - Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors: iToF and dToF principles, modulation schemes, multipath and ambient-light mitigation, depth accuracy characterization. - mmWave radar for object detection: FMCW radar fundamentals, antenna arrays, range/Doppler/angle estimation, and integration of radar modules at the board and system level. - Thermal cameras: microbolometer-based LWIR sensors, NUC, thermal calibration, and integration trade-offs. - LiDAR: working knowledge of mechanical, MEMS, and solid-state LiDAR architectures and their electrical/interface requirements. CORE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING - Strong fundamentals in analog and digital design, schematic capture, PCB layout review, power delivery, and signal integrity for high-speed interfaces. - Hands-on lab debug skills: oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, optical/imaging test equipment. - Experience taking products through EVT → DVT → PVT → MP and resolving production issues. - Excellent written and verbal communication; able to drive alignment across hardware, firmware, ML, and product stakeholders. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS (NICE-TO-HAVE) - NVIDIA platform experience — Jetson (Orin, Xavier), DRIVE, or other NVIDIA SoC/GPU platforms used for camera and perception workloads. - Other high-end GPU / accelerator exposure — Qualcomm, Ambarella, AMD, or comparable platforms for vision and AI inference at the edge. - FPGA exposure — familiarity with FPGA-based sensor interfacing, bridging, and prototyping (Xilinx/AMD, Intel/Altera, Lattice). Embedded HDL coding is not required; an architectural and integration-level understanding is sufficient. - Acoustic & audio hardware — experience with MEMS microphones, microphone arrays, 3D acoustic field capture / beamforming, and audio front-end design. - Speaker driver / amplifier design — Class-D amplifiers, transducer selection, and audio output subsystem integration. - Experience with sensor fusion software stacks, ROS, or working closely with computer-vision / ML teams. - Published work, patents, or conference contributions in imaging, sensing, or perception. WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE - Within 6 months: become the go-to technical authority for sensor and imaging subsystems; deliver a clear technical roadmap for the imaging stack. - Within 12 months: lead the electrical architecture of at least one major sensor-driven product or platform release. - Ongoing: raise the engineering bar through design reviews, mentorship, and reusable architectures that scale across product lines.