Robotics Mechanical Engineer, Frontier AI & Robotics

Amazon • San Francisco, CA

1d

About The Position

We are looking for a Mechanical Engineer with a passion for building complex
robotic systems from the ground up. This role is ideal for someone with a deep
understanding of structural and electromechanical design, who thrives in
hands-on environments and has experience taking high-performance robots from
concept to production.

You will work on the mechanical and system architecture of advanced robotics
platforms, including high degree-of-freedom systems, where considerations such
as actuator selection, thermal constraints, cabling, sensing integration, and
manufacturability are critical. This is a cross-disciplinary role requiring
close collaboration with electrical, software, and AI research teams.

Beyond day-to-day hardware development, this role also provides exciting avenues
to contribute to innovative research projects. Whether you’re interested in
mechatronics, sensor integration, or novel actuation methods, you’ll find
opportunities to explore your research interests while building real-world
systems that advance in the field of high degree-of-freedom robotics.

Requirements

• 3+ years of working in mechanical engineering or equivalent experience
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related discipline.
• 3+ years of experience designing mechanical systems for robotics or complex electromechanical products.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD (e.g., SolidWorks, OnShape, or equivalent).
• Hands-on experience building prototypes, integrating hardware, and troubleshooting mechanical/electromechanical issues.
• Ability to perform kinematic, dynamic, and structural analyses to support the design and optimization of complex mechatronic systems.
• Understanding of actuator and motor selection for complex robotic applications, including sizing for torque, speed, and thermal performance.
• Experience with wire/cable harness design and routing in compact mechanical systems.
• Familiarity with integrating sensing and compute elements into mechanical designs.
• Knowledge of DFM/DFA principles and exposure to volume production (50+ units).

Nice To Haves

• Experience working on robotic manipulators or high-DOF electromechanical systems.
• Exposure to designing, testing and validation for compliance (design for safety) and environmental factors (thermal, vibration, ingress protection, etc.).
• Experience with structural analysis practices and tools (e.g. FEA/Ansys), thermal analysis, and material selection.
• Basic familiarity with controls or embedded system concepts for integrated design work.
• Experience with formal engineering documentation and design review processes in a corporate R&D setting.

Responsibilities

• Perform kinematic, dynamic, and structural analyses to inform mechanical design and optimizations of components and subsystems of high-DoF robots
• Specify and integrate actuators and motors for high-torque density applications in high-degree-of-freedom systems.
• Contribute to thermal management strategies for motors, sensors, and embedded compute hardware.
• Integrate sensors such as lidar, stereo cameras, IMUs, tactile sensors, and compute modules into compact, functional assemblies.
• Design and route cabling and wire harnesses, ensuring reliability, serviceability, and thermal/electrical integrity.
• Prototype and test mechanical systems; support hands-on builds, debug sessions, and field testing.
• Conduct root cause analysis on system-level failures or performance issues and implement design improvements.
• Apply Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles to transition prototypes into scalable builds (10s–100s of units).
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in electrical engineering, controls, perception, and research to meet research and product goals.

Benefits

• health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage)
• 401(k) matching
• paid time off
• parental leave

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level