Senior Mechanical Engineer

Nimble Robotics•San Francisco, CA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

As a Senior Mechanical Engineer, you will own the mechanical design of the systems that power Nimble's robotic platforms — from structures and mechanisms through precision assemblies and production-ready hardware. You'll work at the core of the mechanical discipline: machine design, structural and stress analysis, GD&T and tolerancing, materials, and design for manufacturing — and you'll partner closely with controls, electrical, embedded, and perception teams to integrate your designs into complete robotic systems. You'll own your parts well beyond the design itself — driving part quality, supporting the supply chain, and relentlessly taking cost out as we scale from prototype to high-volume production. This is a role for a hardcore mechanical engineer. We're looking for someone whose craft is mechanical engineering itself — who cares about datum schemes, tolerance stacks, load paths, and manufacturability — and who is comfortable interfacing with electromechanical systems without needing to own the controls or firmware. If you love turning hard mechanical problems into robust, manufacturable hardware, we want to talk.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field
7+ years developing complex mechanical or electromechanical hardware
Deep mechanical engineering expertise: machine design, mechanisms, structural and stress analysis, solid mechanics, materials, and product development
Strong, demonstrable GD&T fluency (ASME Y14.5) — you can define a datum scheme, defend a tolerance stack, and produce release-ready drawings
Proficiency with 3D CAD tools such as SolidWorks, Creo, or equivalent
Solid understanding of manufacturing processes — machining, sheet metal, injection molding, weldments, and assembly methods — and how design choices drive cost and yield
Track record of driving part quality and cost reduction with suppliers — first-article inspection, supplier development, root-cause/corrective action, and tolerance, material, and process trade-offs made with cost and quality in mind
Comfortable interfacing with electrical, controls, and embedded systems: you design mechanical systems that integrate cleanly with motors, sensors, and electronics, without needing to own circuit design or control loops
Experience with prototyping, testing, troubleshooting, and system integration
Ability to interpret test data and drive engineering decisions through quantitative analysis
Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline
Experience with industrial robotics, warehouse automation, or autonomous systems
Experience with FEA, dynamic simulations, and tolerance stack-up analysis
Familiarity with model-based definition (MBD)
Experience scaling products from prototype to high-volume manufacturing
Experience with value analysis / value engineering (VA/VE), design-to-cost, or supplier-quality programs
Familiarity with reliability engineering and field-deployed hardware
Experience leading technical projects and mentoring engineers

Responsibilities

Own the mechanical design and architecture of robotic subsystems — structures, mechanisms, frames, housings, and precision assemblies — from concept through production deployment
Produce production-grade engineering drawings with GD&T (ASME Y14.5): sound datum schemes, functional tolerancing, and tolerance stack-up analysis that suppliers can build from without guessing
Develop detailed 3D CAD models and assemblies, and drive system-level mechanical design decisions
Perform engineering calculations, hand calcs, structural/stress analysis, and FEA to ensure performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
Design for manufacturability (DFM), assembly (DFA), reliability, serviceability, and cost
Select and integrate mechanical and electromechanical components — bearings, gears, transmissions, and fasteners, along with the motors, gearboxes, and sensors your designs interface with
Partner with controls, software, electrical, embedded, perception, and manufacturing teams to deliver integrated robotic systems
Lead prototype builds, debugging, root-cause investigations, and field performance improvements
Establish and execute validation plans, reliability testing, and qualification procedures
Support the supply chain across the product lifecycle — support sourcing and supplier selection, drive supplier development and second-sourcing, and resolve component and manufacturability issues fast to keep builds on schedule
Own part quality for the components you design — define inspection and measurement requirements on your drawings, lead first-article inspection, and drive root-cause and corrective action on nonconformances alongside suppliers and the quality team
Drive cost reduction across new and existing parts — through tolerancing, material, and process choices, value engineering (VA/VE), and design-to-cost — to hit unit-cost targets as we scale
Support the transition from prototype to production, including documentation, manufacturing support, and quality improvements
Mentor engineers and contribute to mechanical engineering best practices, drawing standards, and design reviews