Mechanical Engineer, Hardware Systems

Normal Computing Corporation; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Normal Computing is building AI inference hardware based on Thermo In-Memory Computing. As the founding mechanical engineer, you will define physical design for hardware from accelerator to rack, shaping form factor, cooling, and serviceability.

You will work with silicon, systems, and external partners to bring designs into production. You will own mechanical integration of compute, host platform, networking, and power, ensuring proper airflow and thermals while enabling serviceability in live

Qualifications

• Requires 6+ years shipping accelerator or server hardware from prototype to production.
• Strong CAD skills and the ability to release manufacturable drawings.
• Hands-on thermal design and verification with practical lab work.
• Experience integrating server hardware into standard chassis and racks.

Responsibilities

• Own electromechanical design from concept to deployable product including form factor and thermal envelope.
• Define mechanical integration of compute, host, networking, and power in chassis.
• Validate airflow and thermals with fully populated systems in lab setups.
• Coordinate with external design and manufacturing partners and releases.
• Lead build readiness, BOM control, and supplier reviews.
• Develop test specs for thermal and mechanical qualification and safety alignment.

Skills

Accelerator hardware design

Server hardware design

CAD software

Thermal design

FEA

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

NX

FEA tools

Job description

Normal Computing | Build with Us

Normal is an applied AI company solving the hardest problems in AI and silicon. We build foundational hardware and software for the semiconductor industry, critical AI infrastructure, and the broader systems that power our world, in partnership with the world's most advanced institutions. We work as one team across New York City, Silicon Valley (Mountain View), London, Copenhagen, and Seoul.

The Role

Normal is building AI inference hardware based on our Thermo In-Memory Computing architecture, designed to deliver orders-of-magnitude more efficient compute. As the founding mechanical engineer on our hardware team, you will define the physical design of that hardware at every level of integration, from the accelerator through the server to the rack. You will help determine what fits, what can be cooled, what can be serviced, and where an existing supplier platform does the job.

You report to the head of our hardware systems organization and partner with our silicon, systems, and deployment engineers, and with the external design and manufacturing partners who build to our drawings.

We're looking for someone who thrives on turning a system architecture into hardware and takes pride in catching the problem before the build does.

The form factor, thermal envelope, mounting, and serviceability decisions you make set the foundation for the systems Normal ships, and the hardware you define is the hardware our customers run.

Candidates from OEM and ODM server teams, hyperscaler infrastructure teams, and earlier-stage hardware companies could all be well qualified for this role.

What You Will Own

• Mechanical Design: Own the electromechanical design of our inference hardware as it moves from engineering configuration to deployable product, including form factor, thermal solution and airflow, connectors and cabling, and the power and thermal envelope it has to live within.

• System Configuration: Build the mechanical definition of what we ship, from the assembly structure and BOM to the envelope every board and component has to fit within, and identify assembly, cooling, and serviceability problems before parts are ordered. Engineering and go-to-market build against it.

• Server Integration: Define the mechanical integration of compute, host platform, networking, and power in the chassis, validate airflow and thermals with the system fully populated, and design for serviceability by a technician in a live rack.

• Rack Integration: Set the rack configuration, power distribution layout, cabling, weight and blanking plan, and the mounting approach across standard and open-rack formats.

• Build Readiness: Own drawing and BOM releases, manufacturability, supplier engineering reviews, and the resolution of build failures. Weigh the cost and lead-time consequences of design and supplier choices before they are made, and run bring-up and validation on real hardware in our lab.

• Compliance and Reliability: Own mechanical and thermal qualification, writing the test specifications and procedures, running shock, vibration, and thermal cycling, and taking lab and field failures to root cause. Coordinate safety and EMC certification and environmental compliance with the electrical team and the test lab.

What Makes You a Great Fit

• Six or more years, or equivalent shipped work, owning accelerator or server hardware. You have taken a relevant design from prototype through qualification and production, and can explain what you designed, what failed, and what you changed.

• Strong mechanical design skills in SolidWorks, Creo, NX, or similar, including FEA, tolerance analysis, and design for manufacturing. You can release drawings that a manufacturing partner can build from.

• Hands-on thermal design and validation for server or accelerator hardware, with strong first-principles reasoning and practical lab experience.

• Experience integrating server hardware into standard chassis and racks, with an understanding of mechanical interfaces and serviceability.

• Electrical fluency to read schematics and work with electrical engineers on power and interconnect integration.

• Experience directing external design or manufacturing partners, including reviewing designs, releasing build documentation, and resolving issues during builds.

Bonus Points

• Direct experience turning industrial design concepts and appearance models into production mechanical designs.

• Experience shipping hardware to external customers, including certification, documentation, and service obligations.

• Experience with soft and hard tooling decisions and fixture and test setup design with an ODM or contract manufacturer.

• Experience integrating liquid cooling into server or rack systems.

• Experience designing to Open Compute Project or other open modular server and rack architectures.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Normal Computing is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.

Accessibility Accommodations

Normal Computing is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please let us know at [e-mail].

Privacy Notice

By submitting your application, you agree that Normal Computing may collect, use, and store your personal information for employment-related purposes in accordance with our Applicant Privacy Notice.