What are the responsibilities and job description for the Hardware Systems Intern position at Physical Intelligence?
We’re looking for a versatile Hardware Systems Engineering Intern to join our core hardware team this fall. This individual will support the development and improvement of critical infrastructure that supports our fleet’s health and uptime in a demanding 24/7 hardware operation. What happens when you ask a robot to run a dishwasher for 8 hours a day? How hard is it really to make a cup of coffee? You’ll work alongside experienced engineers who are building the systems that enable robots to perform diverse tasks in warehouses as well as uncontrolled environments out in the wild.
The Team
The core hardware team sits at the intersection of mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering. They partner closely with software, controls, and manufacturing engineers to take PI’s robots from prototype through production — developing test protocols, diagnosing field failures, and building the infrastructure that keeps the fleet running reliably in warehouses and real-world environments.
In This Role You Will
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
The Team
The core hardware team sits at the intersection of mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering. They partner closely with software, controls, and manufacturing engineers to take PI’s robots from prototype through production — developing test protocols, diagnosing field failures, and building the infrastructure that keeps the fleet running reliably in warehouses and real-world environments.
In This Role You Will
- Cross-Disciplinary Problem Solving: Deeply engage with problems at the intersection of mechanical, electrical, and controls for robot hardware — take an ambiguous problem, root-cause it, and design and build a solution that addresses it.
- Reliability Analysis: Lead data collection and reliability analysis to identify recurring failure modes, log uptime and cycles, and support root-cause investigations (RCCA/FMEA).
- Failure Pareto & System Tracking: Develop a failure pareto identifying the core issues that cause robots to fail and when. Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and software engineers to track system performance across builds and deployments.
- Tooling & Process Design: Build tools, jigs, and architect processes that make the robot fleet faster, safer, and more reliable.
- Test Protocols: Run and improve test protocols for new hardware releases, field repairs, and after-service verification.
- Build & Production Support: Support hardware builds and production operations, including tracking inventory, materials, and vendors.
- Configuration & Serialization: Help implement configuration, serialization, and test tracking systems to enable quick service and replacement of our systems.
- Completed 2B Mechanical or Mechatronics Engineering. Students below 2B with exceptional projects, GitHubs, portfolios, and work experience will also be considered.
- Familiarity with power analyzers, oscilloscopes, and debugging of electromechanical systems, with a strong understanding of control systems and communication protocols (CAN, ethernet, high- and low-speed systems).
- Basic scripting (Python, Bash) or data visualization experience for fleet analytics.
- Exposure to program management tools including Notion and Linear, or the ability to create strong processes with Excel and Google Docs.
- Thrive in fast, interdisciplinary environments with tangible outcomes.
- Prior experience with hardware lab, prototype, or production setups — in automotive, consumer electronics, or robotics.
- Prior co-op experience in robotics, manufacturing, or product engineering.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.