Mechanical Product Engineer, Robotics

OpenAI; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm is seeking a Hardware Engineer to join its Robotics team in San Francisco. This role is pivotal in shaping the future of embodied AI by evaluating and refining new robotic configurations. You will work hands-on with cutting-edge sensors and actuators, influencing designs that push the boundaries of robotics. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in electronics and mechanism design, along with strong CAD skills. Join a forward-thinking team dedicated to making AI beneficial for all, in a collaborative environment that values diverse perspectives.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in consumer or industrial electronics, with 2+ years in robotics hardware.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and materials science.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and refine new physical configurations for robotics.
• Integrate sensors and actuators to bring AI models into the real world.

Skills

Mechanism Design

3D CAD Skills

Manufacturing Processes

Technical Communication

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master’s Degree in Product Design

Tools

Design for Manufacturability (DFM)

Design for Assembly (DFA)

Job description

New Product Explorations - San Francisco

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 physical constraints of physical robotic platforms.

About the Role

As a Hardware Engineer on the Robotics team, you will help shape the next generation of embodied AI. You’ll be involved in evaluating and refining new physical configurations—integrating novel sensors, actuators, and computational elements to bring our advanced models into the real world. This role offers the chance to influence how our AI scales beyond simulation, ensuring that each design, test, and iteration moves us closer to truly adaptive, versatile robotic systems.

This role is based in San Francisco, CA, and requires in-person work 5 days a week.

You might thrive in this role if you:

• Have at least 8 years of consumer or industrial electronics experience, including at least 2 years of experience designing robotics hardware components and systems.
• Have direct hands-on experience in mechanism design, focusing on actuators, motors, gearing, and limb design.
• Hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design, or a related field, or have equivalent practical experience.
• Are experienced in Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), statistical tolerance analysis techniques, CTF dimensioning, and geometric tolerancing.
• Have a strong understanding of manufacturing processes, materials science, and tolerance analysis.
• Possess excellent 3D CAD skills in a leading design tool, including basic strength analysis.
• Have strong technical communication skills with peer engineers, software engineers, and cross-functional partners.

Additional, preferred qualifications:

• Experience with thermal cooling solutions for hardware and silicon, or integrating sensors.
• Experience designing mechanical systems intended for high volume (1M+ units).
• Experience problem-solving on assembly lines and directing contract manufacturing teams through all design phases.

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 AI capabilities and seek to deploy them safely through our products. AI is a powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core. We value diverse perspectives, voices, and experiences that represent the full spectrum of humanity.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

For US-based candidates: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities; requests can be made via this link.

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