Special Projects Lead, Sciences

Mecka • New York, NY

3d • $160,000 - $200,000

About The Position

Mecka AI is building the data infrastructure layer for robotics and embodied AI. We design and operate global systems for data capture, data labeling, and hardware-enabled workflows used by leading AI labs and robotics companies to train and validate humanoid and embodied AI systems. We work closely with frontier robotics teams to bridge real-world data, simulation, learning-based systems, and deployed hardware. We’re hiring a Special Projects Lead to build and run scientific programmes that produce high-quality data for AI and robotics. You’ll work across scientific partnerships, programme development and laboratory operations, taking initiatives from an initial brief through launch and ongoing delivery. This is a hands-on strategy and operations role. You’ll assess opportunities, set operating priorities and work through the practical challenges of getting new programmes running. You should be comfortable shaping a plan, making decisions with incomplete information and doing the work needed to deliver it.

Requirements

• Scientific fluency from laboratory experience or sustained work with experimental scientists.
• A track record of launching and running programmes or operations, with responsibility for delivery, quality and cost.
• Experience managing external partnerships and coordinating people, vendors and operational resources.
• Evidence of prioritizing work, evaluating tradeoffs and making sound decisions under uncertainty.
• Willingness and ability to execute directly, including resolving practical problems alongside coordinating others.

Nice To Haves

• Scientific or laboratory operations, research partnerships or technical special projects.
• Founder or early startup experience involving substantial operating responsibility.
• Building and improving operations across multiple sites or international partner teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop scientific programmes. Translate commercial and scientific objectives into practical plans, milestones and operating requirements.
• Build and manage partnerships. Develop relationships with scientific organisations, coordinate agreements and onboarding, and manage ongoing performance.
• Launch new initiatives. Establish workflows, coordinate equipment and resources, train teams and resolve readiness gaps.
• Own operating performance. Manage quality, throughput, schedules and cost. Identify bottlenecks and improve how programmes run.
• Coordinate people and resources. Manage partner teams, vendors and logistics across locations. Keep commitments clear and resolve issues directly.
• Make informed operating decisions. Evaluate opportunities, test assumptions and use delivery evidence to decide what to improve, expand or stop.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed