Automation Engineer

Key Responsibilities

• Process & Workflow Optimization: Travel to client manufacturing facilities to analyze existing production lines and material handling workflows. Redesign and streamline these processes to make them highly "robot-friendly."
• Hardware & Fixture Design: Design custom jigs, fixtures, end-effectors, and optimized material bins. Utilize physical guides, chamfers, indexing pins, and mechanical compliance to lower the precision requirements for robotic vision and motion planning.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with our robotics software and AI teams. Understand the current boundaries of our Sim2Real workflows and VLA models, and use hardware solutions to eliminate complex software edge cases.
• Field Deployment & Commissioning: Serve as a core technical member on-site during PoC deployments. Manage the installation, testing, and troubleshooting of your hardware designs in tandem with the robotic systems.
• Vendor Management: Source and collaborate with external machine shops and hardware suppliers to ensure the rapid, high-quality fabrication of custom mechanical components.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience: BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Industrial Engineering, or a related field. 5+ years of hands-on experience in industrial automation, custom machine design, or manufacturing process engineering.
• Design Proficiency: High proficiency in 3D CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Creo) and creating detailed 2D manufacturing drawings.
• Mechatronics & Controls Literacy: Working knowledge of industrial control components (pneumatics, actuators, sensors) and familiarity with PLCs (e.g., Siemens, Allen-Bradley, Beckhoff) and industrial communication protocols (EtherCAT, Profinet, Modbus) to interface hardware with our robot control stack.
• Material Handling & Manufacturing Processes: Deep understanding of industrial material flow, including conveyor systems and custom design for automotive or heavy manufacturing.
• Engineering Intuition: A sharp eye for identifying bottlenecks in traditional manufacturing processes and a proven track record of designing low-cost, highly reliable mechanical interventions.
• Travel Readiness: Willingness and ability to travel to client sites across the US and internationally for hands-on deployment and site assessments.
• Communication: Strong ability to articulate mechanical constraints to software/AI engineers and present technical solutions confidently to client stakeholders on the factory floor.
• Bonus Points: Experience working alongside cutting-edge robotics, AI, or computer vision teams. Background in heavy industry, metalworking, or automotive manufacturing automation. Familiarity with the physical deployment of advanced robotic arms or humanoid platforms in industrial settings. Travel: Across the US and internationally is a plus.