Robotics Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

We are looking for mechanically inclined builders who want substantial responsibility early in their careers.

You will help prototype and develop robotic hardware, create mechanical designs in CAD, assemble and modify systems, conduct testing, and solve the failures that inevitably appear when a design meets the real world.

The ideal candidate may have studied mechanical engineering, but a degree is not required. We care much more about what you have built, what you understand, how quickly you learn, and how you behave when the answer is not obvious.

People with experience in FIRST Robotics Competition (tell us what team), Formula SAE, BattleBots, university robotics teams, machine shops, personal engineering projects, or similar build-intensive environments are strongly encouraged to apply.

What We Do Not Require

• A college degree

• A traditional engineering résumé

• A specific number of years of professional experience

• Previous employment at a prestigious company

• Perfect knowledge of every tool or engineering discipline

A strong project portfolio will carry substantially more weight than formal credentials.

Please send a résumé and/or a short summary of your experience along with examples of things you have personally built. Photos, videos, CAD screenshots, project documentation, or portfolio links are encouraged.

We are building a team with different backgrounds and perspectives. Candidates from nontraditional paths are strongly encouraged to apply.

Compensation:

$90,000 - $120,000 yearly

Responsibilities:

• Design mechanical components, assemblies, fixtures, and prototypes in CAD

• Build and assemble robotic and electromechanical hardware

• Take loosely defined problems and turn them into working physical systems

• Test prototypes and identify the actual causes of failures

• Iterate rapidly based on test results and physical observations

• Improve designs for reliability, assembly, manufacturability, and serviceability

• Help establish the tools, processes, and standards of a growing hardware organization

• Own projects end-to-end, not just individual tasks within them

Qualifications:

What We Are Looking For

• Demonstrated experience building mechanical or robotic systems

• Working knowledge of mechanical design and CAD

• Comfort using tools and assembling physical hardware

• Strong mechanical intuition and practical problem-solving ability

• Ability to learn unfamiliar systems quickly and independently

• High personal ownership and follow-through

• Intellectual honesty: you surface problems clearly rather than hiding them

• Low ego and willingness to learn from anyone

• Direct, effective communication

• Genuine excitement about building difficult physical systems with a small team

Any of the following may help, but none is required:

• FRC or other serious robotics programs

• Personal mechanical, automotive, aerospace, or robotics projects; CNC machining, fabrication, welding, or additive manufacturing

• Design of mechanisms, drivetrains, structures, enclosures, or fixtures

• Prototype testing, failure analysis, and design iteration

• Systems where mechanical, electrical, and software decisions interact

• Fast-moving startup, shop, laboratory, or competition environments

About Company

CHIRP Robotics is a well-funded seed-stage startup operating in stealth mode and based in Torrance, California. The company aims to become a leading U.S. provider of modular intelligence and autonomous systems for a wide range of vehicles and applications. It has an impressive portfolio of patents on the hardware side and IP in software / algorithms. CHIRP’s CEO, a founding member of SpaceX, brings extensive technical expertise, a strong professional network, and significant business leadership experience.