About the Role
A lean, venture-backed robotics startup operating in the defense, emergency response, and industrial sectors is looking for a Mechanical Engineer to own the mechanical systems of their next-generation autonomous ground robots. You'll be joining a small, high-caliber team — with roots at organizations like NASA, Lockheed Martin, and Southwest Research Institute — building platforms engineered to operate in the most demanding environments on earth: extreme heat, corrosive conditions, hazardous atmospheres, and complex terrain.
This is a hands-on, ownership-heavy role that spans concept through production and field deployment. You'll design, build, test, and iterate on electro-mechanical assemblies that need to perform with precision and reliability at scale. Visa sponsorship is available for this position.
What You'll Do
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Own complex mechanical systems through all stages of product maturity, from concept to field deployment.
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Design innovative solutions given system requirements, producing 3D CAD models and proof-of-concepts.
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Drive rapid concept validation and critical learnings through fast iteration; build test platforms when it's quicker than waiting.
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Conduct analyses (strength, reliability, assembly) to ensure designs meet requirements.
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Lead and participate in design reviews and issue triages with cross-disciplinary engineers.
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Generate assembly layouts and detailed engineering drawings using GD&T concepts.
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Collaborate with suppliers and manufacturers to ensure part producibility and quality.
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Develop and execute testing plans; perform root cause analysis on failures in development and deployment.
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Design and build jigs, test fixtures, and tooling as required.
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Assemble systems to test performance, integration, and manufacturing processes.
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Document design justifications, analyses, test results, and recommendations for traceability.
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Communicate with end users to clarify requirements and guide feature direction.
What We're Looking For
Required:
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Strong engineering fundamentals backed by a rigorous academic background or experience at engineering-intensive organizations.
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Proven track record of leading, building, testing, and troubleshooting mechanical systems — with clear ownership and decisive problem-solving.
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Prior experience building robots — this is a firm requirement.
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Experience designing mechanical systems for high-temperature, corrosive, or water-heavy environments.
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Proficiency with SolidWorks and ANSYS (or equivalent FEA tooling).
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Experience generating and approving manufacturing drawings with GD&T annotations to industry standards.
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Experience designing and building jigs, test fixtures, and tooling for mechanical systems.
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Ability to perform root cause analysis on mechanical failures and drive corrective actions.
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Experience collaborating with suppliers and manufacturers on part producibility and quality.
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Strong written and verbal communication skills; comfortable engaging directly with users and customers to clarify requirements.
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Willingness to work on-site in Austin, Texas.
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2–8 years of relevant mechanical engineering experience.
Nice to Have:
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Experience with defense, aerospace, or industrial automation hardware.
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Background in prototyping and hardware testing in lab or manufacturing environments.
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Familiarity with electro-mechanical integration in autonomous or remotely operated systems.
Compensation & Benefits
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Salary: $90,000 – $150,000 USD annually, depending on experience.
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Equity participation in a well-funded early-stage company.
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Visa sponsorship available.
Location
This is a fully on-site role based in Austin, Texas. Candidates must be willing to work on-site full time.
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