Actuation Engineer, Motor Design

Garuda Ventures; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Mind Robotics in Palo Alto is looking for a Motor Designer to lead the design of innovative electric motors for robots. The successful candidate will be responsible for electromagnetic design, simulation, and working closely with mechanical and controls teams. Candidates should have a relevant degree and experience in motor design, along with strong simulation skills using tools like Ansys Maxwell. This role involves taking motors from concept through prototype and ensuring they meet performance standards.

Qualifications

• B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or closely related field.
• Strong electromagnetic simulation skills using tools like Ansys Maxwell or Motor-CAD.
• Deep understanding of electric machine fundamentals such as torque production and winding design.
• Experience taking at least one custom motor from concept through prototype and test.
• Proficiency in mechanical CAD or demonstrated experience with suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Design novel electric motor architectures optimized for torque density and compact packaging.
• Perform electromagnetic simulation and analysis to evaluate motor performance.
• Drive full design loop from concept through prototype.
• Produce mechanical designs in CAD or partner closely with engineers.
• Specify and review motor components with external vendors.
• Define and execute dynamometer and characterization testing.
• Collaborate with integration engineers to ensure motor performance.

Skills

Electromagnetic simulation

Mechanical CAD proficiency

Electric machine fundamentals

Education

B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

Ansys Maxwell

Motor-CAD

Job description

About the Role

As a Motor Designer on our team, you will own the electromagnetic design of custom motors and, together with mechanical, controls, and manufacturing partners, rethink what a motor can look like when every cubic millimeter matters. You will move fluidly between simulation, prototype, and bench, and your designs will end up inside robots that interact with the physical world.

Responsibilities

• Design novel electric motor architectures (BLDC, PMSM, unconventional topologies: axial flux, slotless, coreless and etc. ) optimized for extreme torque density and compact packaging.

• Perform electromagnetic simulation and analysis (2D/3D FEA) to evaluate torque, efficiency, thermal behavior, cogging, back-EMF, and loss breakdown across operating points.

• Drive the full design loop from concept through prototype: winding configuration, magnet selection and layout, stator and rotor geometry, lamination and airgap design.

• Produce mechanical designs in CAD AND/OR partner closely with suppliers and mechanical engineers to translate electromagnetic concepts into manufacturable assemblies.

• Specify and review motor components with external vendors, including reviewing their drawings, tolerances, materials, and process capabilities.

• Define and execute dynamometer and characterization testing; correlate simulation to measured performance and iterate designs based on data.

• Collaborate with motor controls, firmware, and mechanical integration engineers to make sure the motor performs well as part of a complete actuator and robot system.

Qualifications

• B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field, with a focus on electric machines.

• Strong electromagnetic simulation skills using tools such as Ansys Maxwell, Motor-CAD, or equivalent, including 2D/3D FEA and parametric studies.

• Deep understanding of electric machine fundamentals: torque production, winding design, magnetic materials, losses, thermal limits, and control interactions.

• Experience taking at least one custom motor from concept through prototype and test.

• Either (a) proficiency in mechanical CAD (CATIA, NX, or similar) to produce your own motor mechanical designs, or (b) demonstrated experience working closely with suppliers and mechanical engineers to deliver manufacturable motor assemblies.