Mechanical Engineer

USA Tech Recruit; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

401(k)

Unlimited PTO

Weekday team dinners

Job summary

USA Tech Recruit seeks a Mechanical Engineer to drive the design and scaling of robotic laboratory automation hardware in a fast-paced startup setting. You will prototype, test, and iterate mechanical systems to enable precise manipulation of lab tools, while collaborating with robotics, electrical, software and manufacturing teams.

The role emphasizes hands-on hardware development, rapid prototyping, and ownership across the full development cycle, including manufacturing integration and tool

Qualifications

• Hands-on mechanical design experience post-graduation (1–7 years).
• Experience shipping hardware into manufacturing, not just CAD work.
• Experience in small teams, startups, or early-stage companies.
• Broad hardware systems knowledge across product domains.
• Strong mechanical intuition, debugging, assembly and problem solving.
• Proficiency with at least one professional CAD package.
• Strong understanding of design for manufacturability (DFM).
• Experience designing, building, testing and scaling physical hardware.
• Familiarity with tolerances, materials, processes, and engineering best practices.
• Willingness to work across disciplines and take ownership beyond job scope.

Responsibilities

• Analyze and iterate mechanical systems for robotic laboratory automation.
• Create CAD designs, drawings, assemblies, and production-ready docs.
• Prototype, test, validate and scale hardware through development iterations.
• Design and test hardware to manipulate laboratory and biological tools.
• Take hardware from concept to validation and manufacturing.
• Apply DFM and coordinate with manufacturing, materials and suppliers.
• Debug hardware issues hands-on and develop practical solutions.
• Collaborate with mechanical, robotics, electrical, software and science teams.
• Contribute across engineering responsibilities as the product evolves.

Skills

Mechanical design

Hardware debugging

DFM

Prototype iteration

CAD software

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BS in Mechanical Engineering

MS in Mechatronics or related

Tools

PLM

CNC workflows

Job description

A fast-growing technology company is developing a new generation of AI-powered laboratory automation, combining robotics, artificial intelligence, and biology to accelerate scientific research. The team is building physical systems capable of operating scientific instruments with high dexterity while using AI to analyze results, determine next steps, and automate complex laboratory workflows.

We are looking for Mechanical Engineers to join the team as one of its early engineering hires. This is a highly hands-on role focused on designing, prototyping, testing, and scaling the mechanical systems that enable robotic automation of customer workflows. You will work in a fast-paced experimental environment, with significant ownership and the opportunity to work across mechanical engineering, robotics, manufacturing, and mechatronics.

This is a 100% on-site position in San Francisco. Relocation support is available for candidates moving to the area. Benefits include medical and dental insurance, 401(k), unlimited PTO, and weekday team dinners.

Key Responsibilities:

• Analyze, test, validate, and iterate on mechanical systems for robotic laboratory automation.
• Create detailed CAD designs, engineering drawings, assemblies, and production-ready documentation.
• Design, fabricate, assemble, and test hardware prototypes through multiple development iterations.
• Develop mechanical and robotic solutions that allow robots to manipulate laboratory and biological tools designed for human operation.
• Take hardware from initial concept and prototyping through validation and manufacturing.
• Apply design-for-manufacturing principles and work closely with manufacturing processes, materials, and suppliers.
• Debug mechanical and hardware issues hands-on and rapidly develop practical solutions.
• Collaborate across mechanical, robotics, electrical, software, and scientific disciplines to solve complex problems.
• Contribute across a broad range of engineering responsibilities as the company and product evolve.

Key Qualifications:

• 1-7 years of hands-on mechanical design experience following graduation.
• Demonstrated experience designing and shipping physical hardware into manufacturing, rather than working exclusively on concepts or CAD support.
• Experience working within a small team, startup, or early-stage company.
• Breadth across multiple product domains, hardware systems, or component families.
• Strong mechanical intuition, hardware debugging, assembly, and hands-on problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with at least one professional CAD package.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and design for manufacturability (DFM).
• Experience designing, building, testing, and scaling physical hardware.
• Strong understanding of part design, material selection, tolerances, manufacturing techniques, and engineering best practices.
• Comfortable with rapid prototyping and hands-on fabrication.
• A practical, highly iterative hacker mindset, with the ability to quickly develop and test good-enough solutions.
• Willingness to work across disciplinary boundaries and take ownership beyond a narrowly defined job description.
• BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Technical portfolio covering multiple projects, including written explanations of the engineering decisions and work involved, available before the hiring manager interview.

Nice to Have:

• Experience with PLM or document-control systems.
• Background in mechatronics or circuit design.
• Knowledge of robotics, motion control, cameras, or force/torque sensing.
• Experience working with robotic arm manipulators.
• Experience developing robotics systems in laboratory, manufacturing, or other highly automated environments.
• Experience writing software or scripts for robotics systems.
• University engineering projects involving significant hands-on hardware development.

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