Systems Engineer - Automation
Bright Machines
Software Engineering
San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted on Aug 22, 2025
RETHINK MANUFACTURING
The only way to ignite change is to build the best team. At Bright Machines®, we’re innovators and experts in our craft who have joined together to create a new category of manufacturing that will help transform the industry. We believe software and data are the answer, thoughtfully applied to solve our customers’ unique challenges. Through intelligent automation, we give factories newfound flexibility, scalability, and resilience. We deliver products to meet the demands of today while building a platform to take advantage of what comes next.
Working with us means you’ll have the opportunity to make lasting, impactful changes for our company and our customers. If you’re ready to apply your exceptional skills to create the factory of the future, we’d love to speak with you.
ABOUT THE ROLE
At Bright Machines, we are transforming the future of manufacturing with intelligent, software-driven automation. Our applications help designers create products that are optimized for automated assembly, making factories more efficient and effective.
We are seeking an experienced Systems Engineer to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for the design, development, and deployment of advanced robotic automation systems. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, including mechanical and electrical engineers, software developers, and project managers to deliver innovative automation solutions that meet client requirements and business objectives.
This is a unique opportunity to be part of a greenfield development effort that will change the way companies build and produce products. If you’re ready to apply exceptional engineering practices and build software that will define the next generation in manufacturing, this is your opportunity to “Be Bright”.
WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING
- Collaborate with project teams to define system requirements and specifications.
- Integrate BM various hardware and software components into cohesive and functional systems.
- Create PFMEA, process flow and value stream maps (where required) and work with the design team to resolve all failure mode points within the design
- Develop and execute test plans to ensure system functionality and reliability.
- Ensure through each phase gate that all design metrics are being challenged and met
- Clearly define solution requirements, own ‘the product’ of the overall automation solution (and sub systems), and drive it to success through the entire project lifecycle in partnership with program management and engineering
- Travel up to 40%, primarily domestically
WHAT WE WANT TO SEE
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Robotics, or a related field.
- Minimum of 5 years of systems engineering experience, preferably with hands-on expertise in automation and lean engineering.
- Proven ability to demonstrate relevant experience through past projects and accomplishments.
- Strong technical skills with a systems-level mindset; execution-driven, process-oriented, collaborative, and a self-learner.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; able to work effectively with Sales, suppliers, System Architects, Design Engineers, Technical Program Managers, and senior leadership to ensure all PFMEA failure modes are addressed and SOW requirements are met.
- Ability to thoroughly analyze technical documents (RFQs and SOWs) and translate requirements into cost-effective, practical automation concepts.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU HAD
- AutoCAD and/or SolidWorks experience
- Technical Sales or Quoting experience responding to RFQs and SOWs
- Design for automation experience, queueing simulation, FMEA, and GR&R experience
- Vision systems experience, SMT, PLC programming, robot programming, and machine learning exposure.
- Industry 4.0, IoT, SPC and other smart factory concepts
BE EMPOWERED TO CHANGE AN INDUSTRY
Bright Machines is a next-generation, AI-enabled manufacturer focused on data center infrastructure assembly operations. Bright Machines uses its proprietary AI-based robotics and software to assemble AI infrastructure hardware products (i.e., data center servers) for hyperscalers and leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). With its new AI factory, Bright Machines addresses increasing market demands for computing power due to the surge of AI and the U.S. national mandate to reshore manufacturing by building data center infrastructure at scale with higher quality and shorter time-to-market.
Bright Machines is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with an integration center in Guadalajara, Mexico. The company has been recognized as one of Forbes’ AI 50, awarded “Best AI-based Solution for Manufacturing” by AI Breakthrough, named a “Technology Pioneer” by the World Economic Forum, and highlighted by several other leading technology and innovation organizations.