Senior Mechanical Engineer (Actuators)
About the role
Join a small, high-impact team building the next generation of rotary actuators that will power every degree of freedom in our humanoid robots.
Own the mechanical design of high-performance electromechanical systems, pushing the limits of torque density, efficiency, manufacturability, reliability, and packaging.
Span the entire product lifecycle—from concept generation and rapid prototyping through testing, validation, and production—giving you end-to-end ownership of the hardware you create.
Work alongside experts in electrical engineering, motor design, controls, embedded systems, and manufacturing to develop tightly integrated actuator systems where every gram, millimeter, and watt matters.
Responsibilities
- Design high-performance electromechanical systems with a focus on precision and reliability.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate mechanical designs with electrical and software components.
- Conduct thermal analysis, finite element analysis (FEA), and use 3D CAD programs to optimize designs.
- Develop and validate prototypes, ensuring they meet performance and reliability standards.
- Lead reliability testing and implement design changes based on failure analysis.
- Work closely with manufacturing partners to ensure production feasibility and quality.
Requirements
- 3+ years of design experience, with a preference for high precision mechanism assemblies and/or rotational assemblies (gears, motors, etc.)
- Strong fundamentals in statics, dynamics, electromagnetism, and related studies
- Experience with thermal analysis, FEA, and 3D CAD programs in a professional environment
- Familiarity with various electric motor, motor driver, gear reduction mechanisms, and motion control technologies
- Hands-on fabrication and prototyping experience
- Experience in reliability testing, failure analysis, and potential implementation of design changes in production environments
Culture
Please read more about our culture here https://foundation.bot/culture.
Who Should Join
You like working in person with a team in San Francisco.
You deeply believe that this is the most important mission for humanity and needs to happen yesterday.
You are highly technical - regardless of the role you are in.
We are building technology; you need to understand technology well.
You care about aesthetics and design inside out.
If it's not the best product ever, it bothers you, and you need to “fix” it.
You don't need someone to motivate you; you get things done.
Why are We Hiring for this Role
Join a small, high-impact team building the next generation of rotary actuators that will power every degree of freedom in our humanoid robots.
Own the mechanical design of high-performance electromechanical systems, pushing the limits of torque density, efficiency, manufacturability, reliability, and packaging.
Span the entire product lifecycle—from concept generation and rapid prototyping through testing, validation, and production—giving you end-to-end ownership of the hardware you create.
Work alongside experts in electrical engineering, motor design, controls, embedded systems, and manufacturing to develop tightly integrated actuator systems where every gram, millimeter, and watt matters.
As our actuator organization grows, you'll have the opportunity to help define new architectures, influence technical direction, and shape the future of one of the most critical technologies in humanoid robotics.