Founding Mechanical Engineer

MLabs • San Francisco, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Our client is an early-stage hardware company building advanced automated process cells that unite precision machinery, board handling, assembly, and electrical testing into a single, high-speed iteration loop. They are seeking a highly hands-on Founding Mechanical Engineer to own the design, prototyping, and validation of core physical mechanisms. This individual will directly design and build precision assemblies, motion systems, custom fixtures, and robotic handoffs designed for repeatable, high-cycle performance. This is an intensive, high-ownership role based fully on-site in San Francisco. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced hardware development environment, favors practical bench-testing over prolonged CAD cycles, and takes pride in taking complex physical problems from messy prototypes to fully functioning automated systems.

Requirements

• Non-negotiable, deep expertise in mechanisms, precision motion, tolerance stack-ups, couplings, calibration, and cycle-life repeatability.
• Proven record of personally designing, building, and debugging physical hardware or machinery beyond initial concepts—ideally within automated production, robotics, or complex equipment environments.
• Strong preference for rapid bench experimentation, physical testing, and empirical problem-solving.
• Working familiarity with motors, sensors, wiring, power, and basic control integration.
• Ability to write or debug functional scripts/code to test and validate mechanical setups.
• Strong background in fields such as robotics, precision automation, semiconductor equipment, electronics manufacturing equipment (PCB handling/pick-and-place), CNC machinery, automotive, or aerospace.
• Must be capable of working on-site six days a week in San Francisco to support an intensive early-stage build schedule.

Responsibilities

• Design and validate precision motion systems, frames, alignment fixtures, and mechanisms to achieve tight, measured tolerances.
• Build board-handling systems and robotic handoff mechanisms, including couplings and end effectors capable of accurately securing, flipping, and positioning hardware across stations.
• Develop feed, actuation, clamping, and via-forming mechanisms engineered to operate reliably over sustained automated production cycles.
• Design mechanical interfaces and test fixtures for electrical probing, measurement, and physical fault diagnosis.
• Prototype rapidly at the bench, measure accuracy and failure rates, and iterate designs based on empirical data until mechanisms achieve long-term reliability.
• Collaborate closely with electrical and software engineers to integrate motors, sensors, and control systems while retaining end-to-end ownership of mechanical subsystems.

Benefits

• Equity & Impact: Direct involvement as a founding team member, offering significant early-stage equity and clear ownership over key engineering functions.
• Greenfield Engineering: The opportunity to build a novel process-cell architecture from scratch and see designs transition directly into active operational use.
• Accelerated Growth: High-trajectory environment with direct path to broader leadership and technical ownership.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed