Mechanical Engineer, Thermal Prototyping
About The Position
Figure is an AI robotics company developing autonomous general-purpose humanoid robots. The goal of the company is to ship humanoid robots with human level intelligence. Its robots are engineered to perform a variety of tasks in the home and commercial markets. Figure is headquartered in San Jose, CA. We are seeking a Mechanical Engineer focused on Thermal Prototyping to rapidly design, prototype, and test thermal solutions that reduce noise and improve system reliability across our robot platform. This role is extremely hands-on: continuously building models, running benchtop experiments, instrumenting components, and helping push the boundaries of silent thermals for humanoid robotics.
Requirements
- 2+ years of experience in mechanical, thermal, or electromechanical hardware development.
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, Mechatronics, or similar.
- Strong 3D CAD proficiency
- Experience building prototypes and running hands-on thermal/acoustic tests.
- Familiarity with simulation tools (CFD, FEA, or equivalent).
- Comfort working with fans, heat sinks, interface materials, and general thermal componentry.
- Ability to design, execute, and document structured experiments.
Nice To Haves
- Background in acoustic modeling, vibration damping, or noise isolation techniques.
- Experience with DAQs, IR cameras, sound chambers, hot-wire anemometers, or other instrumentation.
- CATIA V6 experience.
Responsibilities
- Design, build, and iterate 3D CAD models of thermal components: heat sinks, cold plates, airflow channels, fans, ducts, insulation, and passive/active cooling structures.
- Prototype concepts using FDM/SLA prints, CNC, sheet metal, foam, gasketing, and rapid thermal mockups.
- Run experiments that characterize noise sources and thermal loads across heat generating components including motors, gearboxes, electronics, and actuators.
- Evaluate fan characteristics and system impedance to optimize for minimal acoustic signature
- Instrument prototypes with thermocouples, microphones, accelerometers, airflow sensors, and DAQ hardware.
- Perform thermal bench testing, steady-state and transient measurements, and acoustic testing (near-field, far-field).
- Perform smoke tests, dye flow visualization, and IR thermography to understand heat flow and hotspot mechanisms.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Number of Employees
251-500 employees
