Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical Engineer (Autonomous Systems / Robotics Hardware)

Location: Phoenix, AZ
Company Stage: Early-Stage Defense / Robotics Startup
Office Type: Onsite
Salary: $130,000 -  $150,000 (+ Equity)

Company Description

This early-stage robotics company is building low-cost, autonomous swarm systems designed for real-world, high-impact environments. Their platform focuses on scalable, rugged hardware paired with intelligent autonomy, enabling coordinated behavior across fleets of ground robots. Backed by experienced founders from top-tier autonomous systems and aerospace organizations, the company is tackling mission-critical challenges in defense and beyond.

What You Will Do

• Lead mechanical design and integration efforts for autonomous ground vehicle systems


• Design and develop ruggedized hardware solutions for sensors, compute systems, and custom components


• Own hardware development from concept through prototyping, testing, and production


• Collaborate with suppliers and OEM partners to evaluate designs, requirements, and manufacturability


• Integrate mechanical systems across vehicle platforms to support autonomy and durability in harsh environments


• Drive full product lifecycle execution, including design validation, iteration, and deployment


• Work cross-functionally with electrical, embedded, and autonomy teams to ensure system-level performance

Ideal Background

• 2+ years of experience in mechanical engineering, preferably in robotics, automotive, or hardware startups


• Strong CAD experience designing both prototype and production-ready components


• Experience owning hardware systems through full development cycles


• Familiarity with manufacturing processes (machining, injection molding, fabrication, etc.)


• Experience evaluating supplier designs, test plans, and technical requirements


• Ability to collaborate effectively with external vendors and internal cross-functional teams


• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field


• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, ambiguous startup environments


• Willingness and eligibility to obtain a U.S. security clearance


• Ability to relocate to Phoenix, AZ

Preferred

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Mechatronics


• Experience designing ruggedized systems for off-road or defense applications


• Background working on autonomous vehicles, robotics platforms, or similar hardware systems


• Experience meeting or designing toward DoD or other high-reliability standards

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive base salary + equity


• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge autonomous systems with real-world impact


• High ownership role with end-to-end hardware responsibility


• Fast-paced, mission-driven environment with direct influence on product direction


• Exposure to complex, multidisciplinary engineering challenges across robotics, autonomy, and hardware systems

This role is ideal for a hands-on mechanical engineer who wants full ownership over hardware systems and thrives building rugged, real-world robotics products from the ground up.