Mechanical Engineer

Clera

$90K — $150K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Strong educational background or experience in engineering with solid fundamentals.
  • Hands-on experience in building robotic systems from design to testing.
  • Full product lifecycle ownership from concept to field deployment.
  • Experience designing mechanical systems for diverse extreme environments.
  • Proficient in SolidWorks and ANSYS for CAD and FEA applications.
  • Skilled in creating manufacturing drawings with GD&T annotations.
  • Experience in designing jigs, test fixtures, and tooling.
  • Demonstrated ability in root cause analysis and corrective action implementation.

Responsibilities

  • Own complex electro-mechanical systems through all product maturity stages.
  • Design innovative solutions and create 3D CAD models and proof-of-concepts.
  • Drive rapid concept validation with fast iteration and build test platforms.
  • Conduct analyses to ensure designs meet strength and reliability requirements.
  • Lead design reviews and collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams.
  • Generate detailed engineering drawings and assembly layouts using GD&T concepts.
  • Work with suppliers and manufacturers to ensure part quality and producibility.
  • Develop and execute testing plans and perform root cause analysis on failures.

Benefits

  • Visa sponsorship available for candidates.
  • Full-time, on-site position locates in Austin, Texas.
Full Job Description
About the Role

A lean, venture-backed robotics startup focused on autonomous ground robots for emergency response, industrial operations, and defense is hiring a Mechanical Engineer to own the mechanical systems of its harsh-environment platforms. These robots are engineered to operate where humans cannot - navigating extreme terrains and surviving conditions including high temperatures, corrosive environments, and water-heavy settings.

You'll join a small, highly capable engineering team (with backgrounds spanning aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing) and have direct influence over the robustness and performance of fielded autonomous systems - from first concept through production and deployment.

Visa sponsorship is available for this role.
What You'll Do
  • Own complex electro-mechanical systems end-to-end through all stages of product maturity.
  • Design innovative solutions given system requirements, producing 3D CAD models and proof-of-concepts.
  • Drive rapid concept validation and critical learnings through fast iteration; build test platforms when it's the fastest path to answers.
  • Conduct analyses (strength, reliability, assembly) to ensure designs meet requirements.
  • Lead and participate in design reviews and issue triages with cross-disciplinary engineers.
  • Generate assembly layouts and detailed engineering drawings using GD&T concepts.
  • Collaborate with suppliers and manufacturers to ensure part producibility and quality.
  • Develop and execute testing plans; perform root cause analysis on failures in development and deployment.
  • Design and build jigs, test fixtures, and tooling as needed.
  • Assemble systems to test performance, integration, and manufacturing processes.
  • Document design justifications, analyses, test results, and recommendations for traceability.
  • Communicate with end users to clarify requirements and guide feature direction.
What We're Looking For

Required:
  • Solid engineering fundamentals backed by a strong educational background or experience at engineering-rigorous organizations.
  • Hands-on experience building robots - you've designed, assembled, and tested robotic systems.
  • Proven ability to own the full product lifecycle from concept through field deployment.
  • Experience designing mechanical systems for high-temperature, corrosive, or water-heavy environments.
  • Proficiency with SolidWorks (CAD) and ANSYS (FEA).
  • Experience generating and approving manufacturing drawings with GD&T annotations to industry standards.
  • Experience designing and building jigs, test fixtures, and tooling.
  • Proven track record of performing root cause analysis on mechanical failures and driving corrective actions.
  • Experience collaborating with suppliers and manufacturers on part producibility and quality.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills; comfortable engaging directly with users and customers.
  • Willingness to work on-site in Austin, Texas.

Nice to Have:
  • 2-8 years of relevant mechanical engineering experience.
  • Background in aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing environments.
  • Experience with prototyping and hardware testing in lab or manufacturing settings.
Compensation & Benefits
  • Salary: $90,000 - $150,000 USD annually, depending on experience.
  • Visa sponsorship available.
Location

This is a full-time, on-site role based in Austin, Texas, United States. Remote work is not available for this position.

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