Senior Mechanical Engineer- Mobile Base

About the role

We are seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to join our team and own the mobile base of our humanoid robot platform. The successful candidate will be responsible for the drivetrain architecture, actuator integration, battery interface, suspension strategy, and structural design of the base.

Responsibilities

• Own the drivetrain architecture for the mobile base, including wheel design and sourcing — evaluating off-the-shelf wheel vendors against a custom wheel development, and driving that decision to closure
• Lead actuator selection and integration for the drivetrain, interfacing directly with motor and gearbox vendors on specifications, customization, qualification, and supply
• Select and integrate braking solutions, including the mechanical and electrical interface with driver boards packaged inside the actuator
• Own the mechanical side of the battery interface — supporting the EE team on connector selection, tolerances, and blind-mate strategy, and designing an ergonomic, human-friendly battery pack that's easy to carry, insert, and remove
• Determine the optimal suspension strategy for the base — evaluating architectures against payload, floor conditions, stability, ride quality, and cost — and carry the chosen approach through design and validation
• Design the battery latch and retention mechanism, balancing retention security, tactile feedback, cycle life, and IPX sealing requirements
• Packaging of compute and power boards within the base, including thermal architecture: heat sinking, airflow or conduction paths, and validation of thermal performance under real duty cycles
• Design the structural cast base, working with casting vendors on alloy selection, draft, wall thickness, tolerances, machining strategy, and structural validation
• Define and execute the ingress protection strategy for the entire base — seals, gaskets, cable pass-throughs, vents, and drainage — and validate against target IP ratings
• Create and maintain CAD models, drawings, tolerance stacks, and BOMs to support design reviews, prototyping, and manufacturing handoffs
• Plan and execute prototype builds and test campaigns — structural, thermal, ingress, and durability — and lead root cause analysis when issues arise
• Mentor junior engineers and raise the bar on design practices, documentation, and design review rigor across the team

Requirements

• BS in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field (MS preferred)
• 5+ years of experience in mechanical design of mobile robots, vehicles, or complex electromechanical products
• Track record of working directly with vendors on custom or semi-custom components: driving specifications, evaluating quotes, and managing qualification
• Experience designing battery packs, battery interfaces, or other user-serviceable electromechanical modules with attention to ergonomics and cycle life
• Experience packaging electronics with real thermal constraints, and validating thermal performance through analysis and test
• Working knowledge of ingress protection design and testing — sealing strategies, gasket design, and IP rating validation
• Expert-level proficiency with CAD software (Catia, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Onshape, or similar) for complex part and assembly design
• Comfort working hands-on with hardware: building prototypes, running tests, and troubleshooting physical systems
• Strong communication skills and the ability to drive requirements to closure across mechanical, electrical, software, and design disciplines

Qualifications

• Nice to have (but not required):
• Experience designing suspension systems for mobile robots, AGVs/AMRs, or small vehicles
• Experience with custom wheel development — tread compounds, hub design, and durability testing
• Familiarity with spring-applied or electromagnetic brakes and their integration into compact actuators
• Background in latch, hinge, or mechanism design for high-cycle consumer or industrial products
• Experience achieving and certifying IP ratings (IPX4 and above) on sealed enclosures
• Familiarity with battery safety, transport regulations, or working alongside battery/BMS engineering teams

Skills

• Expert-level proficiency with CAD software (Catia, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Onshape, or similar)
• Comfort working hands-on with hardware: building prototypes, running tests, and troubleshooting physical systems
• Strong communication skills and the ability to drive requirements to closure across mechanical, electrical, software, and design disciplines

Benefits

We offer a competitive compensation range of $175K - $250K, along with a comprehensive benefits package that includes health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

Pay

$175K - $250K

Schedule

Full-time