Human Computer LAB

Intern - Controls Engineer

San Francisco · Intern · Internship

Sponsorship not specifiedDetected 77 days ago

PythonC++AlgorithmsSolidWorksRoboticsElectrical EngineeringSensorsControlsResearchActuators

About the role

Our first robot, LeLamp, explores a new category of consumer robotics where everyday objects become interactive and help us reshape our attachment to technology.
Our goal is to push the frontier of human-robot interaction by making technology more legible, emotionally intuitive, and human-centered.
You'll work at the intersection of hardware and software, designing and tuning control systems, integrating actuators and sensors, and debugging real hardware at the bench to translate intent into expressive motion.

Design and tune control systems for actuated subsystems including motion control, feedback, and dynamic response.
Develop control algorithms in C++ and/or Python from simulation through deployment on hardware.
Build and maintain URDF models and simulation environments aligned with the physical platform.
Collaborate with animators, mechanical and electrical engineers on actuator selection, structure, sensing strategy and motion fine-tuning
Develop motion primitives and expressive behaviors that shape how the robot moves.
Maintain documentation of control architecture and tuning decisions as the system evolves.
Human Computer Lab is a robotics startup and research lab building expressive robots that feel alive and responsive.

Have hands-on experience tuning control systems on real robotic hardware.
Have experience with ROS or ROS2 and real-time robotics software stacks.
Have experience with actuators, motor drivers, encoders, and IMUs across the full signal chain.
Have experience with impedance control, torque control, or whole-body control on physical robots
Have experience with sensor fusion, state estimation, or Kalman filtering on hardware systems

Are drawn to the physical reality of robotics. You want to see the system move, not just pass a simulation.
Move quickly through iteration cycles and don't wait for perfect conditions to make progress.
Take ownership over the feel of the robot's motion, not just its correctness.
Work well in small, collaborative teams where controls, mechanical, and electrical are in constant conversation.
Care about the person on the other end, and understand that how the robot moves is a big part of how it feels to live with.
We are building the foundation for a new generation of robots designed for everyday environments.
We're looking for a controls/mechatronics engineer who wants to own the systems that make LeLamp move, respond, and feel alive.

This listing is sourced directly from Human Computer LAB's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.