Principal Mechatronics Engineer, Robotics Hardware Lead

Meta; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 260,000 - 319,000; Full time

Job summary

Meta Reality Labs Research seeks a Principal Mechatronics Engineer (Mechanical) to lead the system architecture, detailed design, integration, and characterization of advanced robotic hardware. You will own the system implementation and coordinate with controls, electronics, firmware, and validation teams to deliver repeatable, manufacturable hardware.

You will guide cross-functional teams from architecture through hardware validation, design high-precision mechanisms, and drive measurable

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 12+ years of experience developing complex mechanical, robotic, or electromechanical systems, including setting technical direction across multiple teams or programs from architecture through hardware validation.
• Experience owning a dynamic hardware system through architecture, detailed design, build, integration, test, and design iteration.
• Expertise in 3D CAD, load paths, structures, joints, bearings, fits, tolerance analysis, materials, manufacturing processes, released drawings, and assembly.
• Experience applying kinematics, statics, dynamics, structural analysis, and first-principles calculations to mechanisms, transmissions, and actuator sizing.
• Experience integrating motors, transmissions, position or force sensors, wiring, and electronics into compact mechanisms.
• Working knowledge of feedback-controlled systems, sensors, timing, and operating limits, with experience characterizing dynamic hardware well enough to make sound mechanical decisions and debug integrated systems.
• Preferred Qualifications: Experience integrating tactile, force/torque, position, current, temperature, or other sensing into tightly packaged mechanisms.
• Preferred Qualifications: Experience designing for rapid research iteration, manufacturability, serviceability, and repeatable assembly.
• Preferred Qualifications: Experience designing flex and harness routing, calibration features, and durable sensor integration.
• Preferred Qualifications: Experience using Python, MATLAB/Simulink, or equivalent tools for modeling and experimental analysis.
• Preferred Qualifications: Experience correlating multibody, structural, or simplified dynamic models with physical measurements.
• Preferred Qualifications: Experience identifying inertia, friction, compliance, backlash, resonance, or temperature-dependent behavior from test data.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture and detailed design of robotic systems from early concepts through integrated prototypes, repeatable builds, and technology transfer.
• Design mechanisms, joints, transmissions, structures, bearings, routing, and precision assemblies, including actuator and sensor integration.
• Translate research goals into measurable requirements and make tradeoffs across force, speed, range, accuracy, mass, thermal performance, durability, safety, and serviceability.
• Model and measure kinematics, loads, inertia, compliance, friction, backlash, and vibration, and use the results to improve hardware.
• Build instrumented prototypes and run experiments that explain integrated-system failures and validate design decisions.
• Define the mechanical data and interfaces needed by controls, electrical, firmware, simulation, thermal, safety, and validation partners.
• Set technical direction across programs, resolve cross-organizational decisions under ambiguity, mentor other engineers, and guide suppliers and research partners toward manufacturable, serviceable, and repeatable hardware.

Skills

System architecture

Mechanical design

Kinematics

First-principles

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering/Mechatronics/Robotics

Tools

3D CAD

MATLAB/Simulink

Python

Job description

Meta Reality Labs Research seeks a Principal Mechatronics Engineer (Mechanical) to lead the system architecture, detailed design, integration, and characterization of advanced robotic hardware. You will own the system implementation and coordinate with controls, electronics, firmware, and validation teams to deliver repeatable, manufacturable hardware.

You will guide cross-functional teams from architecture through hardware validation, design high-precision mechanisms, and drive measurable