Mechanical Engineer

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.