Mechanical Engineer (Robots/Hardware/Fullstack)

United States Digital Space LLC; Singapore; On-site; SGD 60,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC is seeking a hands-on mechanical engineer to own the design, analysis, and validation of structural and kinematic systems for a next-generation humanoid platform. You will take components from concept through production-ready hardware, collaborating with firmware and electrical teams.

The role emphasizes creating robust assembly designs, producing detailed drawings, and supporting open-source hardware documentation to empower the robotics community.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of hands-on mechanical design experience on electromechanical products.
• Strong SolidWorks proficiency for detailed parts, assemblies, and drawings.
• Ability to produce GD&T-ready drawings for manufacturing.
• Experience running FEA simulations to validate designs.
• Proficiency in rapid prototyping methods (FDM, SLA, CNC, laser cutting).
• Experience with plastics engineering and material selection is a bonus.
• Background with open-source hardware documentation is a bonus.

Responsibilities

• Design mechanical assemblies across a full humanoid body, including joints and actuators.
• Create 3D parts, drawings, and assembly models in SolidWorks.
• Set up test rigs for load, fatigue, thermal, and kinematic validation.
• Perform DFM reviews with contract manufacturers on production floor.
• Create production drawings with GD&T and inspection callouts.
• Coordinate with firmware and electrical teams to integrate components.
• Contribute to open-source hardware docs and manufacturing guides.

Skills

SolidWorks

Electromechanical design

DFM

GD&T

FEA simulations

Rapid prototyping

Python scripting

Tools

CAD software

FEA tools

3D CAD workflows

Job description

Our client is an applied R\\&D company building an open-source humanoid robot platform and the full software stack that powers it, with a mission to make humanoid labour economically viable at scale. The team develops across the complete technical stack — spanning hardware architecture, locomotion, autonomy, simulation, and infrastructure — and ships directly to physical robots.

This is an opportunity for a hands-on mechanical engineer to own the design, analysis, and validation of structural and kinematic systems that bring a next-generation humanoid platform to life. You will take components from early concept through production-ready hardware, working across joints, actuators, enclosures, and structural members. If you want your work to have tangible real-world impact beyond a research paper or prototype demo, this role offers exactly that environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop mechanical assemblies across a full humanoid body, including joints, actuators, sensor mounts, and structural members
• Produce detailed 3D parts, drawings, and assembly models across plastics, metals, and composite materials using SolidWorks or equivalent CAD platforms
• Set up and run hands-on test rigs covering load testing, fatigue cycling, thermal soak, and kinematic validation across body segments
• Execute Design for Manufacturability (DFM) reviews alongside contract manufacturers, engaging directly on the production floor to understand tooling constraints, cycle times, and failure modes
• Create and maintain production drawings with GD\\&T and inspection callouts for handoff to contract manufacturers and quality assurance teams
• Instrument test stands, wire sensors, and collect data to analyse failure modes and drive iterative design improvements
• Coordinate with firmware and electrical engineering teams to physically integrate actuators, sensors, and PCBs into mechanical assemblies, ensuring cable routing, connector access, and serviceability are fully considered
• Contribute to open‑source hardware documentation efforts, including CAD releases, bill‑of‑materials documentation, manufacturing guides, and assembly instructions for the broader robotics community

Requirements

• Minimum 3 years of hands‑on mechanical design experience on high‑complexity electromechanical products, with a strong track record from concept through production
• Strong proficiency in SolidWorks across detailed parts, multi‑body assemblies, surfacing, and engineering drawings; experience with sheet metal fabrication and traditional or additive manufacturing processes
• Solid experience producing 2D engineering drawings with GD\\&T for manufacturing and quality assurance handoff
• Ability to run and interpret FEA simulations (static, dynamic, and thermal) to inform and validate design decisions under aggressive cost and weight constraints
• Demonstrated hands‑on experience with material selection, actuator and fastener selection, and mechanism design; proficiency in rapid prototyping methods including FDM, SLA, CNC machining, and laser cutting
• Experience with bipedal or humanoid robot hardware, legged locomotion platforms, or high‑degree‑of‑freedom manipulators *(is a bonus)*
• Familiarity with parallel mechanisms and non‑standard joint configurations *(is a bonus)*
• Scripting experience in Python to automate CAD workflows or data analysis pipelines *(is a bonus)*
• Background in plastics engineering including material selection, shrinkage factors, and mechanical property optimisation *(is a bonus)*
• Familiarity with sim‑to‑real workflows and how hardware design decisions affect locomotion policy training and transfer *(is a bonus)*