Senior Mechanical engineer

About the role

This role owns the mechanical backbone of a physical AI robot that must move reliably in the real world. You will define requirements, simulate behavior, and translate those insights into hardware that can be manufactured at scale. You will see your parts move, interact with the world, and eventually ship to customers. The work spans analysis, prototyping, validation, and production handoff in a single continuous workflow. You will partner daily with electrical, firmware, and controls engineers to ensure electromechanical harmony. If you want your designs to be the literal skeleton of a robot, this is the role to join.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Design parts and assemblies in 3D CAD that satisfy load conditions, form factor constraints, range-of-motion requirements, and durability targets.
• Determine component-level mechanical requirements such as stiffness, strength, fatigue, and thermal performance from system-level functional specs.
• Apply analytical methods including FEA, tolerance stack-up analysis, and kinematic analysis before releasing designs for prototyping or production.
• Generate accurate 2D drawings with GD&T per ASME Y14.5 appropriate for both prototype inspection and production manufacturing.
• Build prototypes to validate assembly sequence, range of motion, wire routing, and integration with adjacent subsystems.
• Design and build test stands and fixtures; conduct structured validation testing and document results rigorously for traceability.
• Own the prototype-to-production transition for your subsystems, applying DFM and DFA principles from the first design iteration instead of as an afterthought.
• Work with suppliers to select and qualify parts, inspect first articles, perform root cause analysis on failures, and drive corrective action through to closure.
• Conduct DFM and DFA reviews with contract manufacturers, define and own mechanical acceptance criteria, support tooling bring-up, and stay engaged through production ramp.
• Define and execute validation plans that include environmental, fatigue, and functional testing to prove out designs before they lock for production.
• Collaborate closely with electrical engineers on electromechanical integration, including motor mounting, sensor placement, wire harness routing, and connector access.
• Contribute to materials selection, surface finishing, and manufacturing process decisions across the robot to balance performance, cost, and producibility.

Requirements

• 5+ years of mechanical engineering experience in robotics, industrial automation, automotive, aerospace, or consumer electronics, with at least one product shipped to production.
• Expert proficiency in 3D CAD such as SolidWorks, NX, CATIA, or Onshape for complex parts and assemblies with tight tolerances.
• Mastery of GD&T per ASME Y14.5 and the ability to create production-ready 2D drawings.
• Experience with actuators and transmission systems, including strain-wave (harmonic), planetary, cycloidal gearing, or direct-drive.
• Hands-on experience with structural analysis using FEA and tolerance stack-up analysis as part of routine design validation.
• Proven electromechanical integration experience with motors, sensors, encoders, wire harnesses, and connectors in tight mechanical envelopes.
• Demonstrated ability to take a mechanical design from working prototype to production-ready, including DFM iterations, supplier qualification, first-article inspection, and manufacturing yield validation.
• Candidates who have only operated in R&D or prototype-only environments are not a fit for this role.

Nice to have

• Deep familiarity with modern manufacturing processes and when to apply each: CNC machining (3- and 5-axis), injection molding, die casting, sheet metal fabrication, MIM (metal injection molding), investment casting, and surface finishing processes such as anodizing, PVD, and powder coat; understanding of process tradeoffs across cost, tolerance, lead time, and volume.
• Direct experience working with actuators, sensors, and control systems in demanding motion control or human-facing applications.
• Experience with rapid prototyping techniques such as 3D printing, machining, and low-volume fabrication to accelerate iteration.
• Knowledge of robotics software stacks and how mechanical design choices impact firmware and control performance.
• Experience in high-volume production environments, including tooling qualification, line balancing, and yield improvement.
• Background in safety-critical systems and understanding of relevant standards or compliance considerations for industrial or collaborative robots.
• Familiarity with design for assembly techniques, including self-assembly, modularity, and field serviceability.

Practical notes

This is a full-time position based at the Fremont Office. The role may require travel to supplier sites, contract manufacturers, or test facilities as needed. No specific visa sponsorship details are provided in the source material. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications listed, and only candidates whose experience aligns with the required scope of design, validation, and production release responsibilities will be considered.