Member of Technical Staff: Mechanical Engineering

Walden Robotics•Cambridge, MA

4d•$145,000 - $195,000

About The Position

We are hiring a Mechanical Engineer to design, build, and ship high-performance actuators for our robot. In this role, you will own the design of defined actuator mechanical components and subassemblies—gear trains, housings, bearing systems, output structures, and electronics integration. You will work closely with controls, electrical, firmware, and manufacturing teams to translate performance requirements into robust hardware and mature prototypes into reliable, high-volume production designs. This role is ideal for an engineer who thrives owning assigned designs end to end, from first-principles analysis through hands-on bring-up, characterization, and production handoff.

Requirements

3+ years of experience delivering precision electromechanical or actuator products from concept through production (or MS + 1 year).
Strong experience in actuator and drivetrain design, including gear trains—planetary, harmonic, and/or cycloidal—bearing selection and preload, shaft and housing design, and management of backlash and stiffness.
Strong proficiency with 3D CAD—SolidWorks, CATIA, or NX—and rigorous application of GD&T and tolerance analysis.
Demonstrated analytical ability using both hand calculations and FEA for structural, fatigue, and thermal design decisions.
Hands-on experience building, instrumenting, and testing hardware, including dynamometer or bench characterization and systematic troubleshooting.
Strong communication, ownership, and a collaborative, cross-functional approach to development.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with robotic systems, preferably humanoid and/or manipulation robots.
Experience designing high-torque-density actuators with frameless/BLDC motor integration.
Experience with custom gearbox design (planetary and harmonic or cycloidal drives), experience with gear analysis tools such as KISSsoft or similar software and high-volume manufacturing of precision mechanical components.

Responsibilities

Design and deliver actuator mechanical components and subassemblies, including gear trains and transmissions, housings, bearing arrangements, shafting, output interfaces, and integrated sensor and motor packaging.
Perform component sizing and validation through first-principles analysis and FEA—tolerance stack-ups, structural and fatigue analysis, stiffness, backlash, and thermal paths.
Own assigned designs from concept through DFM/DFA, prototype builds, and production release, partnering with external manufacturers and suppliers to ensure high-quality parts and assembly.
Partner cross-functionally with controls, electrical, and firmware teams to contribute to actuator requirements and integrate actuators into the broader robot platform.
Participate in design reviews and hardware bring-up; plan and execute bench and dynamometer testing to characterize performance and root-cause failures.
Contribute to design standards and best practices for actuator development and share technical knowledge across the team.