Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

About the role

As a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer you will take full ownership of major subsystems of the mobile manipulator (e.g., the multi-axis robotic arm structure, the heavy-duty mobile base chassis, or the lift column). You will be responsible for ensuring your subsystems survive extreme physical abuse while maintaining millimetre-level precision. You will independently execute complex structural analyses, manage difficult packaging constraints, and lead physical validation testing.

Key Responsibilities

Subsystem Design & Analysis:

• Architect and detail-design core mechanical structures, castings, and weldments for the robot.
• Conduct rigorous FEA (static, fatigue, and modal) to optimise for weight, stiffness, and manufacturability.
• Design complex, high-precision mounting interfaces for high-torque actuators, LiDARs, and vision systems, ensuring zero backlash and perfect alignment.

V&V and Reliability Engineering:

• Translate product needs into verifiable engineering requirements for your subsystems.
• Develop and execute rigorous physical Verification and Validation (V&V) protocols (e.g., drop testing, vibration tables, and continuous load cycling).
• Own the DFMEA for your subsystems and implement design changes to mitigate identified failure modes.

Real-to-Virtual Fidelity:

• Create and maintain mathematically rigorous URDFs for your subsystems, calculating exact inertial properties, centre of mass, and friction models to feed the simulation and controls teams.

Prototyping & Mentorship:

• Lead rapid prototyping efforts to physically validate designs before committing to expensive tooling.
• Mentor junior engineers in CAD best practices, FEA setups, and GD&T application.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace, or Robotics.
• 4-8 years of professional experience in designing dynamic mechanical systems.
• Expert proficiency in CAD software (Onshape or equivalent) and PDM systems.
• Strong background in applying GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and performing complex 3D tolerance stack-up analyses.
• Deep understanding of material science, metal fabrication (machining, welding, casting), and structural mechanics.
• Strong hands-on fabrication and prototyping skills.

Preferred Experiences

• Experience designing mobile robots, heavy-duty gimbals, or CNC machinery.
• Practical experience writing Python or MATLAB scripts to automate kinematic or dynamic calculations.