Senior NPI Mechanical Engineer

Humanoid; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

PTO + holidays

401(k) match

Equity stock options

Free lunch

Team of experts

Influence product direction

Job summary

Humanoid seeks a Senior NPI Mechanical Engineer to establish NPI practices from concept to production readiness. You will lead cross‑functional teams in design for manufacturability, quality, and supply chain to scale from prototype to high‑volume production.

You will own gate deliverables, define processes, and drive defects reduction while partnering with suppliers and contract manufacturers. This is a hands‑on role requiring robust mechanical engineering expertise in robotics or complex

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• 10+ years mechanical engineering with NPI experience.
• Experience scaling hardware to high-volume manufacturing.
• Robotics, consumer electronics, or complex electromechanical systems.
• Strong knowledge of DFM/DFA/DFT, GD&T.
• Willingness to travel domestically/internationally.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical NPI activities from concept to pilot to production.
• Review designs for manufacturability, assembly, testability.
• Define lightweight gate process and own deliverables at each gate.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to keep programs on schedule and on budget.
• Lead defect triage and establish quality metrics.
• Establish and drive quality processes across NPI lifecycle.
• Manage supplier sourcing, qualification, and onboarding.
• Negotiate technical requirements with suppliers.

Skills

DFM/DFA/DFT

GD&T

FMEA

Root cause analysis

SPC

NPI experience

Supplier management

Cross-functional collaboration

Robotics experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

PLM/ERP systems

Six Sigma

CAPA

Job description

Here at Humanoid, we believe in a future where robots amplify human potential. That’s why we’ve set out on a mission to build the world’s most capable, commercially-scalable, and safe humanoid robots. We’re bringing that mission to life with HMND‑01 Alpha - our rapidly developed humanoid platform now running in real industrial pilots - and we’re growing the team to take it even further.

About the Role

We are seeking a Senior NPI Mechanical Engineer to help establish our mechanical New Product Introduction (NPI) practices from the ground up, guiding hardware programs from concept through early production readiness. In this role, you will be the technical authority on manufacturability, working closely with design, quality, and supply chain teams to build the frameworks, processes, and discipline that let us scale from prototype and beta builds toward repeatable, larger‑volume production. You will stand up quality processes and defect‑reduction practices sized to where we are today, and own supplier relationships from sourcing through qualification and issue resolution. This is a hands‑on, cross‑functional role at the intersection of design, manufacturing, and quality, for an experienced mechanical engineer who thrives on creating structure out of ambiguity as much as executing within it.

What You’ll Do

New Product Introduction (NPI)

• Lead mechanical NPI activities across the full product lifecycle, from concept and early prototyping through pilot builds, ramp, and sustained production.

• Partner with design engineering to review designs for manufacturability, assembly, and testability (DFM/DFA/DFT), influencing decisions early enough to avoid costly late‑stage changes.

• Help define and stand up a lightweight, right‑sized gate process (EVT/DVT/PVT-equivalent) for our stage, then own the mechanical engineering deliverables (build plans, test protocols, readiness criteria) at each gate as it matures.

• Coordinate cross‑functionally with electrical engineering, industrial design, quality, supply chain, and program management to keep NPI programs on schedule and within budget.

Manufacturing Scalability

• Evaluate and select manufacturing processes, tooling, and fixturing appropriate for our current build volumes, with an eye toward what will and won’t scale as we grow from beta to production

• Identify and resolve bottlenecks in prototype and early pilot builds, laying the groundwork for the throughput and yield improvements we’ll need as volume increases.

• Develop and validate assembly processes, work instructions, and line layouts in partnership with contract manufacturers and internal operations teams- largely from scratch, not by inheriting existing documentation.

• Lead design‑for‑scale reviews to anticipate and mitigate risks before they impact volume production.

Quality & Defect Reduction

• Lead defect triage and containment efforts during prototype and pilot builds, partnering with quality engineering — or building that partnership where it doesn’t yet exist — to close the loop on recurring issues.

• Define and begin tracking foundational quality metrics appropriate to our build volumes (e.g., first‑pass yield, defect rate per build, open issues by severity), evolving toward more statistically rigorous measures like DPPM and field return rates as volumes grow.

• Establish and drive quality processes across the NPI lifecycle, including FMEA, root cause analysis, and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) programs.

• Champion a culture of proactive quality, embedding lessons learned from prior programs into new product designs.

Supplier Management

• Lead supplier sourcing, qualification, and onboarding for mechanical components, subassemblies, and tooling.

• Conduct supplier audits and capability assessments to ensure suppliers can meet cost, quality, and volume requirements.

• Manage ongoing supplier relationships, including performance reviews, issue resolution, and escalation management.

• Negotiate and align on technical requirements, specifications, and quality agreements with suppliers and contract manufacturers.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.

• 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience, including significant time in NPI roles- ideally including experience both scaling hardware through high‑volume manufacturing and standing up NPI processes from scratch in an early‑stage or low‑volume environment.

• Demonstrated track record of taking products from concept through mass production, ideally in robotics, consumer electronics, or complex electromechanical systems.

• Strong working knowledge of DFM/DFA/DFT principles, GD&T, and manufacturing processes (injection molding, sheet metal, machining, casting, etc.).

• Hands‑on experience with quality methodologies such as FMEA, 8D, root cause analysis, and SPC.

• Proven experience managing supplier relationships, including sourcing, qualification, and issue resolution.

• Experience standing up or scaling manufacturing lines at contract manufacturers.

• Excellent cross‑functional collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to influence design decisions and align diverse stakeholders.

• Willingness to travel to supplier and manufacturing sites as needed (domestic and/or international).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in robotics, automation, or other complex mechatronic products.

• Familiarity with PLM/ERP systems and NPI program management tools.

• Six Sigma or equivalent quality certification.

• Experience with regulatory and safety compliance requirements relevant to robotics hardware (e.g., UL, CE, ISO).

What We Offer

• Comprehensive health coverage for US‑based employees, including fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, with virtual care and employee assistance resources.

• Meaningful time off to rest and recharge: 23 days of PTO (accrued), separate sick leave, and paid company holidays.

• 401(k) retirement plan with 4% employer match.

• Competitive equity: stock options with meaningful upside as we scale.

• Free daily catered lunch, snacks, and drinks in‑office.

• Collaboration with top‑tier engineers, researchers, and product experts in AI and robotics.

• Freedom to influence the product and own key initiatives.

For this role in Massachusetts, the expected base salary range is $150K–$190K USD per year; your placement in that range depends on how your experience maps to our internal leveling.