Mechanical Design Engineer, Hands

Mind Robotics; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Mind Robotics is seeking a Mechanical Engineer for the Hands team in Palo Alto to design, prototype, and scale the mechanical architecture of dexterous hands and fingers. You will work at the intersection of precision mechanics, tactile sensing, and advanced manufacturing to build durable hardware that directly interacts with the physical world.

The role demands 3+ years of experience in miniaturized electromechanical systems, proficiency in CAD tools, and hands-on problem-solving.

Qualifications

• Experience designing mechanical systems for dexterous hands or miniaturized electromechanical devices.
• Proficiency in CAD tools (SolidWorks, Catia) and mechanical tolerancing (GD&T).
• Experience with design for manufacturing and working with contract manufacturers.
• Hands-on, fast-iteration problem solving across disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Design and development of mechanical components and assemblies for dexterous hands—fingers, linkages, transmissions, and palm structures.
• Own designs from concept through production, ensuring load, durability, form factor, and packaging in compact envelopes.
• Rapidly build, test, and validate prototypes using 3D printing, CNC machining, and manual fabrication.
• Integrate sensors, actuators, and wire harnesses into compact geometries, collaborating with sensing and actuation teams.
• Create 2D drawings with GD&T and drive parts through supplier selection and production ramp.
• Develop test plans to validate hand lifetime under grasp cycles, impact, and wear.
• Conduct basic analyses (tolerance, structural, thermal) to validate decisions.
• Collaborate with electrical, firmware, controls, and industrial design teams to integrate the hand into the robot system.

Skills

Mechanical design

Prototype development

3+ years experience

SolidWorks

Catia

Electromechanical integration

Design for manufacturing

Tolerance analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

3D printing

CNC machining

Job description

About Mind

Mind Robotics is building Physical AI for real-world industrial deployment, starting with the factory floor. We believe the hardest problems in AI are solved when researchers and engineers are hands-on with the physical world every day - and we're looking for people who are passionate about robotics, value ownership, and are excited to tackle difficult problems. Join us if you want to move beyond digital intelligence and put intelligence into motion.

About the Role

Human-like dexterity is one of the final frontiers in robotics. As a Mechanical Engineer on our Hands team, you will be responsible for designing, prototyping, and scaling the mechanical architecture of our dexterous hands and fingers. You will work at the intersection of high-precision mechanics, tactile sensing, and advanced manufacturing to build reliable, high-durability hardware that interacts directly with the physical world.

Responsibilities

• Design and development of mechanical components and assemblies for dexterous hands — fingers, linkages, transmissions, and palm structures

• Own designs from concept through production: parts that satisfy load conditions, durability, form factor, and packaging constraints in an extremely space-constrained envelope

• Rapidly build, test, and break prototypes to validate assembly, range of motion, grasp performance, and wire routing. You'll use 3D printing, CNC machining, and manual fabrication

• Integrate tactile sensors, actuators, motors, and wire harnesses into compact fingertip and palm geometries, working closely with the tactile sensing and actuation teams

• Generate accurate 2D drawings using GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and drive parts through supplier selection, first article inspection, and production ramp

• Develop specifications and accelerated life test plans (grasp cycles, impact, wear) to validate the hand for its lifetime

• Perform basic analyses (tolerance, structural, thermal) to validate design decisions

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (electrical, firmware, controls, industrial design) to consolidate requirements and integrate the hand into the full robot system

Qualifications

• Exceptional mechanical intuition. You understand how forces, materials, and mechanisms behave instinctively — especially small, high-cycle mechanisms

• 3+ years of experience (or equivalent "hard tech" projects) building complex, miniaturized electromechanical systems — robotic hands, grippers, surgical robotics, prosthetics, precision mechanisms, or consumer wearables

• High proficiency in SolidWorks, Catia, or similar tools; comfortable designing complex geometry in tight packaging

• Experience with electromechanical integration — sensors, small motors, flex circuits, and wire harnesses in constrained volumes

• Hands-on problem-solving approach with the ability to iterate quickly

• Experience designing for volume processes (MIM, injection molding, micro-machining, CNC) and working with contract manufacturers

• You are comfortable with ambiguity, move fast, and have an "engineering curiosity" that drives you to understand how the entire hand-arm system works, not just your part