Mechanical Engineer, Robot Hardware

Start Date: ASAP

About

You'll design and build the physical hardware of our teleoperated humanoid robots: actuators, limbs, end effectors and the structures that hold them together. Few people have done this before, so you'll make the calls on architecture, materials and manufacturing with no playbook to follow.

This is a hands-on role for someone who builds things because they can't help it. You'll go from napkin sketch to CAD to machined part to a working robot in days, not quarters. You'll work closely with the controls, electrical and software teams, and you'll own the mechanical side of the robot from first prototype through field deployment.

Responsibilities

• Own mechanical design of major robot subsystems (arms, hands, torso, actuators and end effectors) from concept through production
• Set mechanical architecture and technical direction, making fast, well-reasoned tradeoffs between weight, stiffness, cost, packaging and manufacturability
• Design and integrate actuators, transmissions and drivetrains (e.g., harmonic, cycloidal or planetary reducers, belt and cable drives) for high torque density and low backlash
• Rapidly prototype using in-house machining, 3D printing and fabrication; you'll be the person on the mill at 11pm when the part has to be ready tomorrow
• Design parts for real-world manufacturing processes (CNC, sheet metal, casting, injection molding) and build relationships with vendors and machine shops
• Run first-principles analysis (structural, thermal, kinematic) to make design decisions quickly and with confidence
• Build test rigs and fixtures, then break, iterate and harden hardware based on what fails
• Work with controls and electrical teams on sensor integration, cable routing, thermal management and URDF/model accuracy
• Help build the hardware team and its culture, and mentor junior engineers and interns

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, or a related field (or equivalent demonstrated ability)
• 3+ years designing and shipping complex electromechanical hardware at a high-intensity hardtech company (e.g., aerospace, defense, EV, robotics)
• Strong CAD skills (SolidWorks, Onshape, NX or similar), with a portfolio of parts and assemblies you designed that were actually built
• Deep, practical knowledge of mechanisms, materials, fasteners, bearings and power transmission
• Strong grasp of design for manufacturing, tolerancing and GD&T
• Hands-on machining and fabrication skills: you can run a mill, lathe or CNC yourself, not just send drawings out
• A track record of owning hardware end to end, from blank page to working system
• Bias for action: comfortable making high-stakes decisions with incomplete information and moving fast

Bonus

• Serious personal hardware projects (built your own CNC, engines, vehicles, robots, etc.); please tell us about them
• Experience with robotic actuators, legged robots, humanoids or dexterous hands
• Experience designing for harsh or hazardous environments (high voltage, outdoor, field-deployed)
• FEA and thermal simulation experience (ANSYS, Abaqus or similar)
• Experience at an early-stage startup or as a founding hardware engineer