Mechanical Engineer

Lightspeed•Northbrook, IL

12d•$80,000 - $100,000

About The Position

As a Mechanical Engineer, you will create the mechanical designs, CAD models, and engineering documentation that bring LightSpeed’s robotic systems from concept to production reality. You will work at the intersection of industrial design, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing, producing detailed assemblies, fabrication drawings, and design packages for our BRUTE and DEX robotic platforms, custom end effectors, fixtures, and automated manufacturing equipment. This is a hands-on role for an engineer who thinks in 3D and loves turning ideas into buildable, manufacturable hardware. You will own detailed, production-ready design while also bringing a creative, unconventional approach to the work: questioning how things have always been done, drawing on ideas from outside construction, and finding new solutions to problems no one has solved before. Alongside our construction systems, you’ll design end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) and integrate a dexterous robotic hand, taking hardware from interface spec and mock-up through detailed design, build, and bench test on a fast, milestone-driven schedule, working closely with our robot learning, perception, and technician teams.

Requirements

3+ years professional mechanical design using parametric CAD tools
Advanced proficiency in Onshape, or deep expertise in SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or Inventor with the ability to transition to Onshape quickly
Strong understanding of GD&T and engineering drawing standards
Experience producing complete manufacturing documentation: drawings, BOMs, assembly procedures
Portfolio demonstrating design for manufacturability and engineering judgment, as well as original concept development, including examples of solving a problem in an unexpected way
Hands-on understanding of CNC machining, sheet metal, welding, and 3D printing
Experience specifying materials and commercial hardware for assemblies
Understanding of tolerance analysis and fit systems for precision assemblies
Familiarity with rapid prototyping and iterative design processes
Experience designing end effectors, grippers, or tooling for industrial or collaborative robot arms
Hands-on experience building, assembling, and bench testing electromechanical assemblies
Ability to hit fixed hardware milestones by making practical trade-offs between speed and polish

Nice To Haves

Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Design Engineering, or related field
Experience designing robotic systems, automated equipment, or industrial machinery
Experience integrating third-party robotic hands, grippers, actuators, or tool changers
Experience mounting cameras and sensors for robotic vision systems
Familiarity with robot tool flange standards (e.g., ISO 9409) and quick-change tooling
Exposure to teleoperation systems or data collection for robot learning
Experience designing tooling for tight, hard-to-reach work spaces
Background in construction, prefabrication, or building component design
FEA experience with SolidWorks Simulation, ANSYS, or equivalent
Experience with sheet metal design and weldment features in CAD
Familiarity with BIM software (Revit, ArchiCAD) and construction documentation
Startup or fast-paced product development environment experience
Experience across multiple industries, or a background that brings an outside perspective to construction

Responsibilities

Define mechanical interface specs for end-of-arm tooling, including robot mounting, tool changers, cable and hose routing, and sensor and camera mounts
Build fast mock-ups (3D printed or roughly fabricated) to check fit, reach, clearance, and camera placement before detailed design
Take EOAT designs from mock-up to frozen detailed design, then through build, assembly, and bench testing
Support procurement and bench bring-up of a third-party dexterous robotic hand, including mounting, mechanical integration, and protection for real-world use
Design rigid, repeatable camera and sensor mounts in partnership with the perception engineer, so camera placement and calibration hold up on new tools
Design and refine hardware for the teleoperation rig, such as leader-arm fixtures, mounts, and operator station components
Write bench test plans, record results, and iterate quickly based on what the hardware shows
Design tooling for maintainability and fast swaps of wear parts, fingertips, and sensors
Create detailed 3D CAD models and assemblies for robotic systems and manufacturing equipment in Onshape
Develop parametric models enabling rapid iteration for different deployment configurations
Produce production-ready engineering drawings with complete GD&T, tolerances, and material specs
Design custom end effectors, grippers, fixtures, and tooling for automated construction tasks
Maintain organized CAD libraries, part numbering systems, and revision control, using Onshape’s branching, versioning, and release management workflows
Design components optimized for CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, welding, and 3D printing
Develop BOMs, assembly instructions, and manufacturing documentation packages
Collaborate with machinists, fabricators, and contract manufacturers on feasibility and cost
Support CAD-to-CAM workflows for in-house and outsourced fabrication
Perform FEA and structural analysis to validate designs under operational loads
Conduct tolerance stack-up analysis for precision mechanical assemblies
Support physical prototype testing and iterate based on real-world performance
Research and specify materials, fasteners, bearings, linear guides, and commercial components
Work with BIM models and construction drawings to understand panel designs and building requirements
Translate construction specifications into mechanical design requirements for robotic systems
Support integration between CAD workflows and BIM-to-manufacturing data pipelines
Challenge conventional approaches by questioning requirements and assumptions before jumping to a solution
Generate unconventional concepts for mechanisms, end effectors, and system architectures, drawing inspiration from other industries and technologies
Rapidly prototype and test bold ideas, treating early failures as fast learning rather than setbacks
Provide early-stage design input to cross-functional teams on feasibility, alternatives, and trade-offs
Contribute fresh ideas and alternative approaches during design reviews
Stay current on robotics, automation, and construction-tech trends, and bring relevant ideas back to the team