Senior Mechanical Engineer — Robotic Gloves & Soft Goods

Apptronik; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Apptronik in Austin, TX is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer specialized in Soft Goods, Gloves, and Grip to lead the mechanical design of flexible interfaces for Apollo. You will drive from concept through production, covering textiles, elastomers, coatings, sensors integration, and reliability testing in demanding environments.

The role requires hands-on prototyping, strong CAD skills (NX or equivalent), and collaboration across mechanical, electrical, controls, and manufacturing teams to

Qualifications

• Textiles & materials knowledge for soft goods and wearables.
• Experience with protective materials and coatings.
• Elastomer and grip technology experience.
• Advanced CAD for flexible/rigid assemblies.
• Sensor and electrical integration in soft systems.
• Testing, tolerance analysis, reliability and validation.
• Manufacturing involvement from concept to production.
• Hands-on prototyping, fabrication and troubleshooting.
• Leadership, cross-functional communication and mentoring.

Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design of robotic gloves, soft goods and protective interfaces for Apollo.
• Design with flexible textiles and structures, selecting stretchable materials.
• Develop high-performance flexible materials (UHMWPE, Kevlar, elastomers).
• Create coatings for water protection and durability in harsh environments.
• Design elastomeric grip surfaces with suitable textures and durometer.
• Oversee elastomer manufacturing processes and tooling optimization.
• Integrate tactile sensors and wiring in moving soft assemblies.
• Define mechanical architectures for flexible assemblies and interfaces.
• Ensure designs are serviceable and production friendly.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, QA and suppliers.

Skills

Textiles & materials

Protective materials

Elastomers & grip

Mechanical design

Sensors & electrical

Testing & compliance

Manufacturing

Hands-on engineering

Leadership & communication

Education

Bachelor's/Master's in Mechanical, Materials, or related engineering field

Tools

NX

Job description

Apptronik in Austin, TX is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer specialized in Soft Goods, Gloves, and Grip to lead the mechanical design of flexible interfaces for Apollo. You will drive from concept through production, covering textiles, elastomers, coatings, sensors integration, and reliability testing in demanding environments.

The role requires hands-on prototyping, strong CAD skills (NX or equivalent), and collaboration across mechanical, electrical, controls, and manufacturing teams to