Teams at Astera

Build and evaluate wheeled robotic platforms and lifting systems. Responsibilities include mechanical prototyping, chassis and mechanism fabrication, drivetrain and lifting performance testing, motor and sensor integration, basic controls and data-collection scripting, CAD and wiring documentation, and maintaining experimental hardware. The intern will compare designs based on performance, reliability, cost, stability, and ease of integration under engineering mentorship.

Lead product strategy for the open-source Discourse Graphs project. Work directly with researchers to understand needs, prioritize an ordered product queue, develop prototypes, and collaborate closely with designers and engineers. The role involves shaping the product’s future across plugins, standalone applications, and research workflows; conducting regular user research; and working independently in a distributed, manager-free team.

Designs and builds robotic mechanisms, electronics, sensing systems, and experimental fixtures from concept through fabrication and testing. Responsibilities include CAD, PCB design and bring-up, actuator and sensor integration, embedded firmware, hardware characterization, troubleshooting, and reproducible test development. The engineer collaborates with controls and machine learning researchers on manipulators, dexterous hands, and humanoids, using physical experiments to improve robot hardware and exploring AI-assisted engineering workflows.