Mechanical Engineer - New Grad Hardware

Front Door Defense; Sunnyvale (CA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 148,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Intuition in Sunnyvale, CA is seeking a new grad Mechanical Engineer to lead the mechanical design and testing for our sensor suite used in self-driving vehicle development. You will contribute to requirements, design, integration and validation of cameras, radars and lidars, and build hardware able to endure harsh vehicle environments.

Graduates in 2026 are welcome to apply, with responsibilities spanning design, testing, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering, 2026 graduates welcome.
• Hands-on hardware experience from coursework, internships, or projects.
• Familiarity with CAD to design, navigate, or modify 3D models (SolidWorks preferred).

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design and testing for Applied Vehicles sensor suite.
• Perform structural and thermal analysis of mechanical designs.
• Design, analyze, and validate components and assemblies for full vehicle integration.
• Develop test fixtures and support lab testing.
• Produce detailed documentation for test, maintenance, safety and processes.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to meet system requirements.

Skills

CAD design

SolidWorks

FEA/CAE

Documentation

Test fixture design

Education

BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering (2026 grads)

Tools

SolidWorks

CAD

FEA/CAE tools

Job description

Mechanical Engineer - New Grad

Lead mechanical design and testing for Applied Vehicles sensor suite

Location: Sunnyvale, California

Compensation: $110,000 - 148,000 USD / year

About The Role

Mechanical Engineer Role At Applied Intuition

As a new grad Mechanical Engineer at Applied, you will be an integral part of the entire product design lifecycle. Your technical contributions will directly impact the requirements, design, integration, and validation/verification of our self-driving vehicles. You will support the testing and evaluation of sensors such as cameras, radars, and lidars, and you will develop hardware built to survive the harsh environments our vehicles operate in. This role is open to candidates who graduated in summer 2026 or will graduate by the end of 2026.

At Applied Intuition, you will:

• Support the mechanical engineering development of Applied Vehicles
• Contribute to the mechanical design of the external sensor suite, compute assembly, and vehicle interior
• Perform structural and thermal analysis of mechanical designs
• Support the design, analysis, and validation of systems at the component, assembly, and fully integrated vehicle level
• Design with a focus on scalability and manufacturability
• Work directly with engineers to design, fabricate, and assemble custom test fixtures
• Perform incoming quality control on design hardware, including visual inspection, pressure testing, and firmware flashing
• Set up devices under test and execute test scripts provided by test engineers
• Produce detailed documentation for test, maintenance, safety, and team processes
• Work cross-functionally to ensure requirements and mechanical designs meet the needs of teams across the organization

We're looking for someone who has:

• BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering or an equivalent program, completed in 2026 (summer/fall/winter 2026 graduates welcome)
• Formula SAE, Baja, solar car, rocketry, robotics, or similar hands-on build team experience
• Coursework, internship, research, or project experience designing and building physical hardware
• Familiarity using CAD to navigate, design, or modify 3D models (SolidWorks preferred)
• Exposure to FEA/CAE through coursework or projects
• Strong hands-on shop skills and a willingness to work in a lab and vehicle garage environment
• Ability to write clear technical documentation

Nice to have:

• Hands-on machining, CNC, metalworking, or welding experience
• Experience with hardware reliability and testing
• Automotive repair and maintenance experience
• Exposure to AV components - lidar, radar, cameras
• Experience designing, drawing, or prototyping custom harness cable
• NVH experience
• Basic scripting (Python) for test execution and data capture

Don't meet every single requirement? If you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.

For US-based roles: Applied Intuition is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive application and interview experience to applicants who are disabled veterans and other applicants with disabilities or medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations are available, requesting an accommodation will not affect your candidacy in any way, and you are not required to disclose the nature of your disability or medical condition in order to make a request. If you require an accommodation please contact [e-mail]. We will work with you!