Robotics Hardware Engineer

Ultra; New York (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Ultra in New York City is seeking a Robotics Hardware Engineer to own the mechanical and electrical development for our industrial robots. This broad, hands-on role spans designing enclosures, wiring harnesses, testing hardware, and driving prototypes through to repeatable builds.

You will work across mechanical and electrical disciplines, partner with manufacturing, and help establish lightweight hardware development practices.

Qualifications

• You have a degree in mechanical or electrical engineering or equivalent experience demonstrated by designs you've built.
• You have experience designing, building, and debugging electromechanical systems through various activities or projects.
• You’re proficient with a CAD package and can create CAD models, drawings, and assembly instructions.
• You have hands-on experience with prototyping using 3D printing, machining, or sheet-metal work.
• You’re comfortable with electrical schematics, wiring, sensors, and low-voltage systems.

Responsibilities

• Own hardware projects from problem definition through design, prototyping, testing, and release.
• Design and improve mechanical components and assemblies for robots and hardware.
• Maintain CAD models, drawings, BOMs, and assembly instructions for repeatable builds.
• Design, assemble, and debug electrical systems including wiring harnesses and boards.
• Develop fixtures and test equipment for manufacturing and quality control.
• Collaborate with manufacturing to identify recurring issues and implement improvements.
• Support builds and hardware bring-up in the Brooklyn lab and address design challenges.
• Help establish lightweight hardware-development practices and documentation standards.

Skills

Hands-on hardware

Robotics systems

Electrical wiring

Mechanical design

Prototyping and testing

Education

Bachelor's in mechanical or electrical engineering or related

Tools

SolidWorks/Onshape/Fusion 360

Job description

Overview

We19re seeking a Robotics Hardware Engineer to join our NYC-based team and take ownership of the wide range of mechanical and electrical development projects required to build, manufacture, and continuously improve reliable industrial robots.

This is a broad, highly hands-on engineering role. One week, you might redesign a compute enclosure or communications junction box; the next, you might build an electrical test device for our manufacturing team, improve a cable assembly, troubleshoot a hardware failure, or prototype a new robot subsystem. You17ll be responsible for understanding what is needed, developing a practical solution, building and testing it, and carrying it through to a documented and repeatable result.

We are an early-stage company moving quickly in a rapidly growing space. We welcome people from any background as long as you17re excited to join our mission, make an immediate impact, and help create a future where automation is accessible to all.

Who You Are

• You17re a hands-on engineer who enjoys making physical systems work. You17re equally comfortable designing a part in CAD, assembling a wiring harness, using lab equipment to diagnose an electrical issue, and taking a prototype apart to understand why it failed.
• You have a strong foundation in either mechanical or electrical engineering and enough curiosity about the other discipline to work effectively across both. You don17t throw problems over the wall9you follow them through the complete system until you understand what is happening.
• You17re comfortable starting with an imperfect problem statement. You ask the right questions, identify the real constraints, and find the simplest robust solution rather than waiting for someone else to write a complete specification.
• You move quickly without losing attention to detail. You know when a fast prototype is appropriate and when a design needs proper drawings, documentation, validation, and manufacturing discipline.
• You thrive in a high-trust, high-autonomy environment. You manage your own priorities, communicate proactively, and take responsibility for getting projects across the finish line.

What You17ll Do

• Own small and medium-sized hardware projects from initial problem definition through design, prototyping, testing, documentation, and release.
• Design and improve mechanical components and assemblies for our robots and supporting hardware, including enclosures, brackets, mounts, junction boxes, cable-management components, and manufacturing tools.
• Create and maintain CAD models, engineering drawings, BOMs, assembly instructions, and other documentation needed to turn prototypes into repeatable builds.
• Design, assemble, and debug electrical systems such as wiring harnesses, power and communications assemblies, breakout boxes, interface boards, and diagnostic tools.
• Develop fixtures and test equipment for manufacturing, incoming inspection, quality control, hardware validation, and troubleshooting.
• Work closely with our manufacturing and operations teams to identify recurring problems and develop tools, design changes, and processes that make our robots easier to build and test.
• Support robot builds and hardware bring-up in our Brooklyn lab, particularly when new designs or unexpected issues require engineering judgment.
• Help establish lightweight but effective hardware-development practices, including design reviews, revision control, test procedures, build documentation, and release processes.

What You Bring

• A degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, mechatronics, robotics, or a related discipline—or equivalent experience demonstrated through things you have designed and built.
• Experience designing, building, and debugging electromechanical systems through internships, project teams, research, professional work, or substantial personal projects.
• Proficiency with a mechanical CAD package such as SolidWorks, Onshape, Fusion 360, or a similar tool.
• Experience creating physical prototypes using techniques such as 3D printing, machining, sheet-metal fabrication, laser cutting, or basic shop tools.
• Comfort working with electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, connectors, sensors, power distribution, and low-voltage electrical systems.
• Hands-on experience using common lab and shop equipment, such as multimeters, oscilloscopes, bench power supplies, soldering tools, crimpers, and basic fabrication equipment.
• A systematic approach to testing and troubleshooting, with the ability to move from symptoms to root cause rather than relying on trial and error alone.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, particularly when documenting designs, explaining tradeoffs, or coordinating work across teams.

Bonus Skills

• Experience with robots, industrial automation, autonomous vehicles, manufacturing equipment, or other complex electromechanical products.
• Experience designing wiring harnesses, cable assemblies, electrical enclosures, or industrial control panels.
• Familiarity with industrial communications and interfaces, particularly Ethernet, CAN, and USB.
• Experience designing simple PCBs, interface boards, or microcontroller-based test devices.
• Familiarity with Python, embedded programming, Linux, or scripting for test automation and hardware diagnostics.
• Experience with design for manufacturing and assembly, tolerance analysis, sheet-metal design, environmental sealing, thermal management, or ruggedized hardware.
• Experience working with machine shops, contract manufacturers, fabrication vendors, or component suppliers.
• A portfolio, project page, or collection of photographs showing hardware you have personally designed, built, tested, or repaired.