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