Staff Mechanical Engineer - End Effector Structure Tech Lead

Job Summary

We are seeking a Staff Mechanical Engineer to lead the structural design and architecture of a next-generation robotic hand for a humanoid platform. This role goes beyond traditional end effectors—focusing on highly dexterous, human-like manipulation in unstructured environments.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities or Key Accountabilities

• Own the robotic hand structural architecture
• Define the mechanical architecture of a multi-fingered humanoid hand, including finger topology, joints, palm structure, and load paths, balancing dexterity, strength, and weight.
• Lead design of fingers and joints
• Develop robust, multi-DOF mechanisms with appropriate joint types, ensuring durability under off-axis loads, impacts, and real-world use.
• Co-design with actuation systems
• Partner with actuation team on tendon-driven or remote actuation designs, including cable routing, transmission efficiency, and wear reduction.
• Engineer for contact-rich, human-like interaction
• Design for grasping, pinching, sliding, and tool use, balancing compliance and stiffness for both precision and safe interaction.
• Drive structural analysis and durability
• Own FEA and validation for stress, fatigue, and impact. Design for high cycle life and address failure modes like wear, loosening, and material fatigue.
• Enable compact, integrated designs
• Build high-density mechanical systems that integrate actuation, sensing, and wiring within tight space constraints.
• Lead prototyping and iteration
• Rapidly prototype, test, and refine designs based on hands-on evaluation and system-level feedback.
• Own manufacturability and scale-up
• Drive DFM/DFA, process selection, tolerancing, and supplier collaboration to ensure production-ready designs.
• Collaborate cross-functionally
• Work closely with controls, perception, electrical, and software teams to deliver a cohesive manipulation system.
• Provide technical leadership
• Mentor engineers, lead design reviews, and set best practices for dexterous manipulation systems.

Skills and Requirements

• Drive Through Influence: A proven ability to lead technical initiatives and align cross-functional stakeholders without direct reporting authority. You must be able to build consensus on complex architectural trade-offs.
• Surfacing Expertise: Proven ability to work with Class-A surfaces and complex geometries; expert-level proficiency in surfacing tools within SolidWorks, NX, Catia…
• Subject Matter Expertise: Proven track record of designing multi-axis robotic arms or high-DOF dynamic mechanisms.
• Packaging Mastery: Exceptional skills in "tight-space" integration; experience with ruggedized electronics packaging or automotive/aerospace interiors is a plus.
• Education: BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field.
• Experience: 8 years of experience in mechanical design of complex robotic systems.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
• Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
• Hearing and speech to communicate

Education and/or Experience

• Education: B.S in Mechanical Engineering
• Experience: 8 years of experience in mechanical design of complex robotic systems