About the Role
A fast-moving, venture-backed robotics startup in Austin, TX — building multi-mission ground robots for emergency response, industrial operations, and defense — is hiring a Senior Mechanical Engineer to take end-to-end ownership of critical mechanical and electro-mechanical systems. You'll work directly with the founding team in a small, highly capable group with backgrounds from NASA, Lockheed Martin, and top defense research organizations, engineering hardware that operates in some of the most demanding environments imaginable: extreme heat, corrosive conditions, and water-heavy deployments.
This is a fully on-site, in-person role based in Austin, TX. Visa sponsorship is not available.
What You'll Do
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Own multiple mechanical and electro-mechanical systems across all stages of product maturity — from concept through production.
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Collaborate directly with the founding team to validate and translate requirements into final engineering solutions.
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Drive concept validation and rapid iteration; build representative test platforms as needed to generate critical learnings quickly.
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Develop solutions across systems — producing concepts, 3D CAD models, and physical prototypes.
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Lead design reviews to evaluate designs, engineering drawings, and assemblies; recommend actions to prevent issues before they arise.
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Conduct mechanical analysis (strength, reliability, assembly) on critical systems to verify designs meet requirements.
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Develop system-level testing procedures and methods; design jigs, test fixtures, and tooling as required.
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Perform root cause analysis on hardware failures encountered during development and field deployment.
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Assemble and build systems to support testing or manufacturing efforts.
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Document design rationale, analysis, test results, and engineering recommendations.
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Monitor progress across concurrent projects; diagnose blockers and keep stakeholders informed.
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Ensure compliance with relevant industry standards, regulations, and best practices across mechanical, thermal, and environmental design.
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Engage directly with end users to inform and refine engineering direction where necessary.
What We're Looking For
Required:
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5–10 years of hands-on mechanical engineering experience, with demonstrated seniority in owning systems end-to-end.
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Expertise in electro-mechanical systems integration and proven ability to lead mechanical engineering teams and projects through the full product lifecycle.
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Proficiency with SolidWorks (CAD) and Ansys (FEA/simulation) for mechanical design and analysis.
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Design and engineering experience for components and systems operating in high-temperature, corrosive, and water-heavy environments.
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Strong engineering fundamentals; degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field.
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Experience mentoring or coaching engineers and contributing to team development.
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Ability to context-switch across multiple concurrent projects and adapt to fast-changing priorities.
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Must be able to work fully on-site in Austin, TX — no remote or hybrid arrangements.
Nice to Have:
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Background in aerospace, defense, robotics, or other high-reliability hardware industries.
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Experience at organizations operating at the intersection of hardware and hazardous-environment robotics.
Compensation & Benefits
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Salary: $130,000 – $250,000 USD annually, depending on experience.
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Equity participation in a venture-backed early-stage company.
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Opportunity to work on high-impact, mission-critical hardware with a small, elite team.
Location
Austin, Texas, United States — fully on-site. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
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