Hiring: Senior Mechanical Engineer

At Cargo, we’re backed by some of the best robotics investors in the Valley to transform a massive legacy industry and we’re more than doubling our engineering team to satisfy overwhelming customer demand. If you’re an exceptional mechanical engineer with a passion for robotics, we want to talk to you. See the JD and instructions on how to get in touch with us below. About us Cargo Robotics is creating the logistics infrastructure of the next 100 years by automating the entire delivery chain with containerized physical AI, starting at the delivery van. After taking jobs at UPS and FedEx, our founders realized that a new approach was needed. Delivery volumes have exploded 5x in the past decade, and the people and processes of parcel logistics are breaking under the load of trying to deliver this volume with a 1950’s network model. Today’s logistics has rampant injuries and attrition, nonstop errors and delays, and delivery drivers spending more time sorting packages than delivering. Our first product is the X1 Robotic Cargo Bay which reimagines the guts of every delivery van you see on the road, and saves hours of labor per day for each vehicle. This is the first step in fully automating the delivery chain with radically more efficient networks that reduce carbon emissions and congestion to enable a more prosperous and healthy future. We’re looking for an unstoppable and versatile mechanical engineer to play a central role on our hardware team, and own development of key robotic mechanical systems as we launch pilots for X1. You’ll rapidly iterate alongside our incredible founding team (alumni of Stanford, Georgia Tech, Caltech, Tesla, NASA JPL, Lockheed, Saildrone, Machina Labs, Roam Robotics and Stanford AI lab) and harden your designs to enable us to rapidly scale up and satisfy overwhelming demand from international carriers. We’re a user and product-centric company, so expect to deliver some actual parcels in your first week at work! What you’ll do Develop core mechanical subsystems through design, prototype, test, release, and coordination of initial and scaled manufacturing. This will include transmissions, actuated structures, end effectors, and user-facing mechanical systems integrating sensors, motors, mechanisms, and code. Brainstorm novel solutions to solve customer problems, collaborate tightly with our other teams to identify dependencies, and ensure the product achieves its overall goals. Use whiteboards, CAD, rapid prototyping, and elbow grease to design, test, and iterate. Codify promising designs with detailed engineering analysis, functional requirements, and test plans, anticipating and eliminating failure modes before they occur. Lead system pilot builds and drive transition to production with production-level documentation for manufacturing and assembly, international supplier visits and qualification, and refining your designs for high performance and reliability at low cost and weight. Help recruit, manage, and mentor new team members and contractors as we grow. Work hard and ship fast modeling ownership, integrity, hands‑on building, and a production mindset. Directly support and debug our pilots and customer deployments in the US and abroad, and tackle any and all mechanical and production issues on the way to 10’s, 100’s and 1000’s of X1 units in operating continuously. Personal characteristics: you are Biased toward action: take initiative and get stuff done Driven and gritty: can take punches and keep on going A quick study: learn fast and teach those around you Calm in chaos: keep your composure and work through the hurricane Self‑aware and low ego: take and give feedback with grace You need to bring this: BS or higher in ME, 8+ years experience, 2+ in production environments Fluent in CAD (SolidWorks preferred): complex assemblies, configurations, drawings Strong mechanical intuition and build skills crafting proof‑of‑concept prototypes Strong analytical capability with mechanical, structural, and pneumatic systems: statics and dynamics, FEA, hand calculations and computational methods (complex FBDs, tolerance analysis, process capability, vibration and fatigue analysis, FEA, Python or Matlab, CFD is a plus) At least one cycle owning a complex mechanical system from prototype to volume production: ideally involving significant mechanism design, motor and drivetrain specification, and integration of sensors, electronics, and cables Have diagnosed real‑world failures and worked with manufacturers to redesign systems for increased reliability, serviceability, and long cycle life under load Have owned cost targets for subsystem BOMs and driven reductions through design changes to reduce part counts, assembly steps, and substitute lower cost or OTS parts Expertise designing for volume manufacturing (production CNC mill and lathe, sheet metal cut/bend/weld, injection molding, etc.) Experience running processes and creating documentation for volume manufacturing including FMEA, DFM/A, BOMs, drawings, assembly fixtures and documentation, test and qualification procedures Experience sourcing and vetting overseas manufacturing partners, defining acceptance criteria, and developing reliability validation plans Experience breaking executive product goals down into detailed subsystem engineering plans, and owning the performance goals and deadlines from prototype to customer deployment Excellent verbal communication and writing skills conveying technical information to technical and non‑technical teammates and documenting technical work You thrive in startup environments, and can multi‑task and manage conflicting priorities We’d love if you also have this: Expertise with robot EOAT & manipulators such as vacuum pickup or soft robotics Experienced in managing product life cycle stages and development using PLM systems, and navigating supply chain process from concept to mass manufacturing Dab hand at 3D printing, laser cutting, wood and metal tools, Arduino/ESP32 Strong electronics and programming fundamentals including ROS or Python Familiarity with electrical design and integration (cable harnesses, wiring diagrams) Familiarity with software stack technologies (Linux, Git, etc.) What’s in it for you? Be one of the first 10 employees in a trailblazing startup transforming the delivery industry. Team culture driven by passion, ambition, empowerment, inclusion, curiosity, and fun! (One engineering offsite involved exploring temples and meeting with Softbank in Japan). Grow together – your professional growth and ours is critical to our company’s success. Help us build a culture that empowers individuals, emboldens teams, and rewards achievement. Early stage equity in a company backed by top founders and investors with multiple successful robotics exits. Competitive pay + equity plan, 401k with generous company match, company‑sponsored health and dental insurance, unlimited vacation. Benefits and Workplace Equity: 0.05- 0.15% Benefits: Healthcare plan, 401k, PTO, parental leave, and much more! On-site 5 days a week (Menlo Park) We’re a small team with a big mission, and are passionate about building the future. This takes a lot of time and focus, but we believe it’s also important to invest in the other parts of your life as well to maintain a fast pace long term. We work in person 5(+) days per week from our office in Menlo Park (industrial loft feel with high ceilings and tons of natural light). We believe this is important to enable tight collaboration and fast iteration. Does this sound like you? Does this sound like you? If you’re excited about Cargo’s mission and think you can rock this role, then we’d love to meet you! We also value generalists with the motivation to learn and solve important problems, so please reach out even if you don’t have every qualification. Cargo is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in the workplace. We encourage all qualified individuals to apply. We’re excited about the future Cargo is building and look forward to meeting you! #J-18808-Ljbffr