Lead Hardware Engineering — Early-Stage Robotics

Wood Pond Search Partners; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Wood Pond Search Partners in the Bay Area is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to lead hardware initiatives and partner with founders to move from concept to production. The role emphasizes hands-on design, system integration, and mentoring a growing hardware team in a fast-moving startup environment.

The position is fully onsite in the Bay Area, with responsibilities spanning from prototyping through deployment, and a strong emphasis on delivering reliable, scalable equipment.

Qualifications

• Typically 5+ years of hands-on mechanical, hardware, or mechatronics experience.
• A track record of personally taking machinery or physical systems from design to operation.
• Strong mechanical design skills with practical exposure to controls and automation.
• The ability to make decisions, solve problems, and keep building in a small, fast-moving team.
• Experience in robotics, custom equipment, aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing would translate well.

Responsibilities

• Mechanical and robotic systems, from concept through build, testing, and installation.
• Equipment integration and troubleshooting on the production floor.
• Improvements that take prototypes into reliable, scalable production.
• Engineering practices, mentoring, and helping grow the hardware team.

Skills

Mechanical/Hardware/Mechatronics

Prototyping to production

Controls & automation exposure

Decision making & problem solving

Job description

Wood Pond Search Partners in the Bay Area is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to lead hardware initiatives and partner with founders to move from concept to production. The role emphasizes hands-on design, system integration, and mentoring a growing hardware team in a fast-moving startup environment.

The position is fully onsite in the Bay Area, with responsibilities spanning from prototyping through deployment, and a strong emphasis on delivering reliable, scalable equipment.