SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Salary: USD 120,000 - 150,000 / annual
Outrider is pioneering autonomous yard operations for logistics hubs, helping large enterprises improve safety and efficiency through zero-emission autonomous systems. The company is backed by top-tier investors including NEA, 8VC, and Koch Disruptive Technologies.
The Hardware Platform Engineer II will report to the Sr. Manager of Hardware Engineering and play a critical role in developing and testing hardware systems for autonomous vehicles and robotic manipulation. This position requires strong test and integration skills, with responsibility for executing test plans and troubleshooting electro-mechanical systems to ensure products meet rigorous durability, performance, and lifecycle requirements before and after field deployment.
Key responsibilities include:
- Contributing to test strategies for mechanical and electro-mechanical subsystems by defining test plans, acceptance criteria, and pass/fail requirements aligned to product specifications and customer use cases
- Designing, building, and maintaining reliability test fixtures and test rigs that simulate real-world operating conditions for life testing, fatigue, thermal cycling, and environmental stress screening, with guidance from senior team members
- Supporting reliability initiatives by analyzing failure modes, assisting with design and process improvements, and contributing to corrective actions that improve product performance, durability, and lifecycle cost
- Supporting field testing and debugging, both locally and at remote customer sites
- Supporting manufacturing operations by running and maintaining assembly test fixtures
Successful candidates will have demonstrated experience contributing technically to the design and implementation of robotic systems components and are eager to grow into greater ownership of complex systems under the mentorship of senior engineers. This role is mission-critical for delivering a safety-critical system for industrial automation and offers a technical, hands-on opportunity to help develop a market-defining enterprise product combining autonomous vehicle technology with a SaaS business model.
**Requirements:**
- 2–4 years of experience with integrated software/hardware systems such as robotics, autonomous vehicles, or automotive/aerospace products, ideally with some exposure to test engineering or reliability
- BS in mechanical engineering, computer engineering, electrical/electronics engineering, or similar discipline
- Experience designing or supporting test fixtures and reliability test rigs for electro-mechanical systems
- Exposure to accelerated life testing (ALT) methodologies (academic, internship, or professional experience)
- Experience with data acquisition and instrumentation (DAQ systems, sensors, oscilloscopes, multimeters) for capturing and interpreting test data
- Experience using basic shop equipment (3D printer, bandsaw, mill, drill, etc.) to build rapid prototypes
- Strong technical analysis skills and eagerness to learn
**Ideal qualifications:**
- Working knowledge of Python and/or C++ for test automation or hardware-in-the-loop validation
- Familiarity wiring sensors and designing cable harnesses
- Experience with industrial automation equipment and/or systems for use in hardened environments
- Background in electrical engineering, controls, or mechatronics, with experience integrating sensors, actuators, or embedded systems into test setups
- Experience in manufacturing, industrial, or process engineering, particularly around production test stations, fixture uptime, or line troubleshooting
- Experience working in a multidisciplinary robotics team
