Mechanical Engineer, Dynamometer and Actuator Testing Infrastructure

OpenAI; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 225,000 - 318,000; Full time

Job summary

OpenAI is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to design, build, and own the mechanical side of our dynamometer and actuator testing infrastructure in San Francisco. You will create test stands, fixtures, load paths, guarding, and serviceable lab hardware for rigorous actuator characterization.

This role blends precision mechanical design with hands-on lab work, from CAD through fabrication, assembly, commissioning, and iteration, in close partnership with electrical and software engineers to deliver

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics (or related field).
• Experience designing mechanical systems for dynamometers, robotics, or high-performance hardware.
• Proficiency with CAD and drawing release workflows (NX, SolidWorks, Creo or equivalent).
• Experience with structural, thermal, fatigue, or modal analysis and applying results to hardware decisions.
• Hands-on assembly, machining, metrology, alignment, and troubleshooting in a lab or prototype setting.

Responsibilities

• Own the mechanical architecture of dynamometer and actuator test cells, including frames, bases, load paths, alignment, guarding, and serviceability.
• Design dynamometer structures, robotic actuator fixtures, load-motor mounts, couplings, shafts, bearings, adapters, and torque-reaction hardware.
• Translate test requirements into robust mechanical systems for torque, speed, thermal, durability, backdrive, and safety testing.
• Perform first-principles analysis and simulation for stiffness, strength, fatigue, vibration, and safety factors.
• Create repeatable alignment strategies to protect test articles and sensors.
• Design modular fixturing for rapid changeover across actuator variants while maintaining measurement quality.
• Work with electrical engineers on cable routing, enclosures, cooling, sensor packaging, and safety interfaces.
• Collaborate with software/controls to define mechanical limits and safe operating envelopes.
• Build, assemble, debug, and improve test stands using measurement and fabrication tools.

Skills

Mechanical design

Hands-on machining

Fixture design

Test-stand integration

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's or graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics

Tools

NX

SolidWorks

Creo

Job description

Mechanical Engineer, Dynamometer and Actuator Testing Infrastructure | OpenAI

Careers

Mechanical Engineer, Dynamometer and Actuator Testing Infrastructure

Robotics - San Francisco

About the Team

Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings. Working across the entire model stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the constraints of physical systems to improve peoples' lives.

About the Role

We are seeking a Mechanical Engineer to design, build, and own the mechanical side of our robotic actuator dynamometer and test infrastructure. You will create the test stands, couplings, fixtures, load paths, guarding, and serviceable lab hardware that enable rigorous characterization of robotic actuators.

This role combines precision mechanical design with hands-on lab work. You will take robotic actuator test infrastructure from requirements and analysis through CAD, fabrication, assembly, commissioning, and iteration, partnering closely with electrical and software engineers to deliver safe, flexible, high-uptime test cells.

In this role, you will

• Own the mechanical architecture of dynamometer and actuator test cells, including frames, bases, load paths, alignment, guarding, and serviceability.

• Design dynamometer structures, robotic actuator fixtures, load-motor mounts, couplings, shafts, bearings, adapters, and torque-reaction hardware.

• Translate robotic actuator test requirements into robust mechanical systems for torque, speed, thermal, durability, backdrive, efficiency, and failure testing.

• Perform first-principles analysis and simulation for stiffness, strength, fatigue, vibration, thermal growth, critical speed, and safety factors.

• Create precise, repeatable alignment strategies that protect test articles, load machines, sensors, and couplings.

• Design modular fixturing that supports rapid changeover across actuator and motor variants without compromising measurement quality.

• Work closely with electrical engineers on cable routing, enclosures, cooling, sensor packaging, and test-cell safety interfaces.

• Work closely with software and controls engineers to define mechanical limits, safe operating envelopes, and automated-test constraints.

• Build, assemble, debug, and improve test stands in the lab, using measurement and fabrication tools directly.

• Develop guarding, containment, pinch-point mitigation, hard stops, and other mechanical safety systems for high-energy rotating equipment.

• Manage fabrication partners and vendors for machined parts, weldments, bearings, couplings, sensors, and test-stand components.

• Establish drawings, tolerance stacks, assembly procedures, inspection plans, and preventive-maintenance practices.

• Use test observations and failure analysis to continuously improve durability, usability, uptime, and measurement fidelity.

You might thrive in this role if you

• Have strong intuition for load paths, stiffness, alignment, rotating machinery, and the practical behavior of real hardware.

• Enjoy designing fixtures and structures that are precise, robust, safe, and easy for others to use.

• Are highly hands-on and comfortable assembling, aligning, instrumenting, and debugging test equipment.

• Can move fluidly between first-principles analysis, CAD, vendor collaboration, and lab iteration.

• Care about details such as tolerances, runout, resonance, thermal growth, guarding, and serviceability.

• Are comfortable working in fast-moving environments with evolving test needs and aggressive technical goals.

• Take ownership of the full test-stand lifecycle, from concept through reliable daily operation.

• Communicate clearly across mechanical, electrical, controls, software, safety, and operations teams.

• Are motivated by building infrastructure that reveals how advanced robotic actuators really perform.

• Are excited to build mechanical test infrastructure that accelerates robotic actuator development.

Preferred qualifications

• Preferred qualifications

• Bachelor's or graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, or a related field.

• Experience designing mechanical systems for robotic actuator dynamometers, robotics, automation, rotating machinery, aerospace, automotive, or similar high-performance hardware.

• Strong understanding of structures, load paths, shafts, bearings, couplings, fasteners, tolerances, alignment, and vibration.

• Experience designing fixtures, test stands, frames, guarding, and precision mechanical interfaces.

• Proficiency with CAD and drawing release workflows; NX, SolidWorks, Creo, or equivalent experience is welcome.

• Experience with structural, thermal, fatigue, or modal analysis and applying results to practical hardware decisions.

• Hands-on experience with assembly, machining, metrology, alignment, and troubleshooting in a lab or prototype environment.

• Familiarity with mechanical safety for rotating equipment, containment, interlocks, and safe operating envelopes.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

For additional information, please see OpenAI's Aff… Policy Statement .

Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

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At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.

Compensation

$225K - $318K + Offers Equity