Robotics Maintenance Technician

About the role

We're ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life-from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.

As part of the global ALTEN Group-57,000+ engineers in 30 countries-we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you'll collaborate on some of the world's toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.

• Workplace: On-Site, Monday-Friday
• Location: San Francisco, CA (Dogpatch neighborhood)
• Salary: $100-115k/year

As a Robotics Maintenance Technician, you will help maximize the availability, reliability, and performance of robotic systems and associated equipment. This role combines hands-on mechanical, electrical, and mechatronics maintenance with software-level troubleshooting and system diagnostics.

Beyond routine preventive maintenance and standard troubleshooting procedures, you will investigate complex robot failures that require deeper analysis of Linux-based systems, software applications, system logs, and hardware interfaces. You will work closely with software and hardware engineers to understand system behavior, isolate root causes, and restore robots to operation as quickly and safely as possible.

The ideal candidate is comfortable working with both physical robotic systems and software tools, can methodically troubleshoot unfamiliar technical problems, and enjoys investigating issues that cannot be resolved through standard procedures. System-specific training will be provided by engineering to help you develop a deep understanding of the robotic platform.

Responsibilities

Software, Linux & System Diagnostics

• Develop a strong understanding of robotic system architecture, including the relationships between software, operating systems, controllers, sensors, actuators, and other hardware components.
• Use Linux command-line tools to investigate system health, inspect logs, monitor processes and system resources, and troubleshoot service or application failures.
• Diagnose robot failures that cannot be resolved through standard operating procedures by collecting evidence, analyzing system behavior, and systematically isolating the underlying fault.
• Use software tools provided by robot suppliers and manufacturers to monitor system health, review error codes, inspect diagnostics, and support fault isolation.
• Troubleshoot software, configuration, communication, and hardware-interface issues; distinguish software-related faults from physical component failures.
• Collaborate with software and hardware engineers to investigate complex issues, provide detailed diagnostic findings, and escalate problems requiring software changes or engineering intervention.

Robotic Hardware Maintenance & Repair

• Read and interpret mechanical drawings, electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and technical documentation.
• Troubleshoot robotic and mechatronic systems, including mechanical assemblies, electrical systems, motion control, power systems, sensors, and actuators.
• Perform preventive and corrective maintenance, hardware modifications, component replacement, installation, and integration of robotic equipment.
• Execute approved hardware repairs after identifying the underlying failure and verify proper system operation before returning equipment to service.
• Safely use hand tools, power tools, and appropriate diagnostic equipment to maintain and repair robotic systems.
• Assist with building, modifying, and maintaining test fixtures, obstacles, and structures used for robotic testing and development.

Reliability, Documentation & Continuous Improvement

• Perform routine equipment inspections, preventive maintenance, and operational monitoring to maximize uptime.
• Document troubleshooting steps, diagnostic evidence, identified root causes, repairs, and post-repair validation results.
• Develop and improve troubleshooting guides, maintenance procedures, and standard operating procedures based on lessons learned from actual failures.
• Identify recurring failure patterns and recommend corrective or preventive actions to improve system reliability.
• Maintain spare parts inventory, coordinate parts ordering, and work with suppliers on technical diagnostics and repairs.
• Collaborate with operations, maintenance, and engineering teams to prioritize incidents and minimize operational downtime.

Required Qualifications

• 2-3+ years of experience in robotics, automation, mechatronics, equipment maintenance, field service, or a related technical environment.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting, maintaining, repairing, or modifying electromechanical systems.
• Practical experience using Linux systems, including command-line navigation, basic shell commands, log inspection, process monitoring, and troubleshooting system or application issues.
• Demonstrated ability to investigate technical problems systematically, interpret diagnostic information, and identify root causes beyond following predefined procedures.
• Ability to work with software-based diagnostic tools and interpret system status, error codes, logs, and equipment telemetry.
• Ability to read and interpret mechanical and electrical diagrams and technical documentation.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and willingness to perform hands-on repairs involving robotic, electrical, and mechanical components.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, documentation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with engineers, technicians, suppliers, and operations teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience troubleshooting Linux-based robotic platforms, autonomous systems, embedded systems, or industrial automation equipment.
• Familiarity with shell scripting, Python, or other scripting languages for diagnostics, log analysis, or task automation.
• Experience troubleshooting network connectivity, inter-process communication, hardware interfaces, or distributed system components.
• Experience with robotics middleware, such as ROS or ROS 2, or similar robotic software frameworks.
• Experience with sensors, actuators, motor controllers, motion control systems, and industrial electronics.
• Experience performing root-cause analysis, failure investigations, testing, validation, and corrective maintenance.
• Associate degree, technical certification, or equivalent hands-on experience in mechatronics, robotics, electronics, computer engineering technology, industrial automation, or a related field.

Salary Range

• $100,000 - 115,000
• The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate's combination of job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience

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