Mechanical Test & Prototyping Engineer

About Us

At THEKER, we're taking on one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century: redefining how physical work gets done in the world.

We are a robotics and AI company building intelligent, adaptable systems that solve problems traditional automation never could. From Barcelona, our mission is to create a generation-defining company leading the robotics revolution.

By joining us, you will have the chance to do the most meaningful work of your life, setting a new standard for industrial automation and driving breakthroughs with global reach, while being surrounded by a focused, talent-dense team that shares this ambition and is here to win.

Your role

We are looking for a Mechanical Test & Prototyping Engineer to build the physical evidence behind every design decision we make. You own the test benches and the prototypes that tell us whether a new mechanism, gripper, or robotic cell is ready to leave the workshop. Nothing reaches a client until it has been built, instrumented, and proven on your benches.

You will join the engineering and design team at the point where ideas become hardware. You build test rigs from scratch, instrument them, and run them until they give you real numbers. You also build the prototypes themselves, working hands-on from CAD and from conversations with the designers who drew them. Much of your work happens at the bench and in the workshop, not on a screen.

As we scale, you move with the hardware into the field. The first deployments are the most experimental ones, the proof-of-concept installations where the design is still being proven in a real plant. You prepare and set up those first systems, validate that they behave the way the bench said they would, and bring back what you learn.

What we're looking for

• Engineering degree or Higher Vocational Training in Mechanical, Mechatronics, Industrial, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience building and assembling mechanical prototypes or test rigs, with real workshop skills: machining, fitting, fastening, alignment.
• Comfort with mechanical measurement and instrumentation. You can put sensors on a rig, log data, and read what the data is telling you.
• Ability to work from technical drawings and CAD models (Fusion 360, SolidWorks, or similar) and to produce your own when needed.
• Structured troubleshooting and root cause analysis applied to mechanical failures.
• Based in Barcelona or willing to relocate. This is a 100% on-site role.

Nice to have

• Experience with pneumatics, vacuum systems, or robotic end-effectors.
• Familiarity with data analysis tools for handling test results.
• Experience supporting on-site commissioning or proof-of-concept deployments.

You'll thrive at THEKER if

• You're excited by a fast-paced and ambitious environment. The opportunity ahead of us is enormous, and we're going all in to capture it.
• You want responsibility early on, delivering at world-class standards for leading clients.
• You enjoy experimenting, iterating quickly, and embracing change as part of the learning process.
• You like building things with your hands and trust a measured result over an opinion.

Main Responsibilities

• Design test benches for THEKER's mechanisms, end-effectors, and robotic cells.
• Build, assemble, and instrument those benches, and keep them running through long test campaigns.
• Run endurance, cycle, and performance tests, then capture and manage the resulting data.
• Build prototypes from CAD models and the design team's specifications.
• Support the design team in assembling new prototypes and validating them against requirements.
• Prepare and set up the first proof-of-concept deployments at client facilities.
• Diagnose mechanical failures through structured root cause analysis.
• Turn test results into structured feedback for the design and engineering teams.

What We Offer

• Being part of a fast-growing robotics and AI company with genuine ambition, where your career can accelerate alongside us.
• The chance to own the workshop and the benches where THEKER's hardware is proven before it ships.
• A focused, talent-dense team where your work is visible and your decisions count.
• An environment where new ideas are encouraged and your contributions shape both the product and the company.
• 100% on-site work in Barcelona.

What the process looks like

1. Intro call with Martín (Chief of Staff), 30 minutes.
2. Hands-on technical challenge at our offices, built around a real prototyping and test problem.
3. Conversation with the engineering and design team.
4. Meet the rest of the team and founders at our offices.

These steps can be completed in 7 days.

Final Observation

We're committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome all applications regardless of background, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or beliefs.