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Tutor Intelligence is an AI robotics company deploying general-purpose robots into real-world facilities. The company designs and manufactures hardware in-house and sources components from suppliers, many based in China. This role bridges hardware evaluation, supplier integration, and cross-functional engineering.
You will evaluate new hardware components (arms, actuators, sensors) through bench characterization, measuring torque, stiffness, backlash, thermal behavior, and electrical noise. You will review supplier designs by reading drawings and schematics, identifying weak points, and proposing improvements. You will design mechanical mounts, harnesses, and electrical interfaces to integrate new hardware onto robots, then conduct testing to ensure reliability. A significant portion of your time will be spent at supplier sites in China—roughly one-third to one-half of your year—working directly with their engineering teams to agree on design changes and maintain project momentum between visits.
You will also carry the company's requirements to suppliers, ensuring they understand what is needed and why. You will run small prototype builds and feed learnings back to the internal design team. This role has growth potential: as the work scales, there is opportunity to hire and lead other engineers in this function.
The company emphasizes that all R&D staff hold the title "Member of Technical Staff" (MoTS) with levels determined during interviews. Work is expected to evolve quarterly based on team needs, requiring flexibility and a high technical bar.
Requirements:
- Depth in mechanical or electrical engineering with shipped hardware design experience and ability to explain design decisions
- Working ability in the complementary discipline (mechanical engineers must read schematics and probe boards; electrical engineers must read drawings and reason about loads and tolerances)
- Proven experience developing hardware with suppliers or factories in China, taking products from prototype toward production
- Fluent Mandarin and English, capable of holding technical discussions and writing specifications in both languages
- Strong test and measurement habits: building test setups, taking measurements, and documenting findings
- Willingness to travel frequently and for extended periods
Nice to have:
- Experience with robot arms, actuators, or motor drives
- Firmware or embedded systems experience
- Experience hiring or leading engineers
- Time spent living and working in China
