Power Electronics & Actuation Engineer
1. Humanoid
Power next-gen robotics – engineer efficient systems, optimize actuation, and energize the Humanoid's movement!
Responsibilities & Tasks
Design and optimize the power supply system for the humanoid robot, ensuring efficiency and reliability.
Develop and integrate actuators, motor controllers, and custom electronics to drive the robot’s joints.
Work on power management, including battery selection, energy storage, and power distribution.
Analyze and simulate electrical and thermal loads to improve system performance.
Implement safety features, such as overcurrent protection, thermal management, and fail-safe mechanisms.
Prototype, test, and iterate motor drivers, sensors, and power circuits to refine the actuation system.
Collaborate closely with the Leg Mechanics and Software Teams to ensure seamless system integration.
Document and communicate findings, design choices, and improvements for knowledge transfer.
General Responsibilities: Attend weekly/bi-weekly departmental & organizational RoboTUM meetings, as well as occasional spontaneous meetings as needed. Answer emails and messages within 24 hours (be comfortable using Slack). Adhere to RoboTUM policies and be willing to help when the team needs you.
Mininum Qualifications
Passion for robotics, electronics, or power systems.
Basic experience with circuit design and PCB layout (e.g., KiCad, Altium, or Eagle).
Understanding of electric motors, motor control, and power electronics.
Basic knowledge of battery management systems (BMS) and power distribution.
Ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary team and tackle complex technical challenges.
Willingness to learn, test, and iterate based on real-world performance.
Basic understanding of ML & RL fundamentals.
Ideal Qualifications
Experience with motor drivers, inverters, and BLDC control systems (e.g., FOC, PWM control).
Knowledge of embedded systems and microcontrollers (e.g., STM32, ESP32, or TI C2000) for real-time motor control.
Familiarity with thermal management techniques, such as heat sinks, active cooling, or liquid cooling.
Understanding of high-power circuit design, including noise reduction and EMI mitigation.
Experience in rapid prototyping of electronic circuits and debugging with oscilloscopes and multimeters.
Background in control theory and integration of sensor feedback for actuation.
Estimated Time Commitment
6-10 hours/week