Staff Mechanical Engineer – Upper Body Tech Lead

JOB SUMMARY

Apptronik is seeking a Staff Mechanical Engineer to serve as the technical lead for Apollo’s upper body. This is a high-visibility leadership role responsible for the torso, head, and arm assemblies.

You will own the complete lifecycle—architecture, design, integration, and verification—of the upper body stack. This position requires a rare blend of deep kinematic expertise and the ability to solve extreme "packaging" challenges, where high-performance compute, high-density batteries, and sensitive perception sensors must coexist within a compact, dynamic, and thermally-constrained frame. Finally, you will be responsible for translating visionary industrial design into high-fidelity, functional A-surfaces.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

System Architecture & Industrial Design Integration

• Upper Body Ownership: Define the mechanical architecture for the torso, head, and arms. Lead the trade-off studies between mass distribution, range of motion (ROM), and structural rigidity.
• ID Intent & A-Surfaces: Serve as the primary bridge between Industrial Design (ID) and Engineering. Responsible for incorporating ID intent into final A-surfaces, ensuring that mechanical constraints (draft, wall thickness, cooling vents) do not compromise the iconic Apollo head design language and brand identity.
• Aesthetic & Functional Synthesis: Manage the complex surfacing of the robot's "skin," ensuring seamless transitions between structural elements and aesthetic covers while maintaining IP (Ingress Protection) and thermal venting requirements.

Complex Mechanism Design

• Kinematic Structures: Drive the development of high-performance robotic limbs. Design innovative mechanisms that manage extreme dynamic loads while maintaining the precision required for human-like manipulation.
• Structural Integrity: Lead the design of the primary "chassis" (torso) to protect internal electronics from high-energy impact events (e.g., falls) using advanced materials and topology optimization.

High-Density Integration

• Subsystem Packaging: Lead the tight-space integration of the compute cluster (NVIDIA Jetson/SoMs), battery modules, and perception sensors (LiDAR, Depth Cameras) within the torso and head.
• Interconnect & Cable Management: Architect the routing strategy for complex wire harnesses through high-flex joints (shoulders, neck, elbows), ensuring multi-million cycle reliability and signal integrity.

Verification & Leadership

• DVT Ownership: Define and execute the Design Verification Test (DVT) plan for the upper body stack, including environmental, vibration, and lifecycle testing.
• Technical Mentorship: Conduct deep-dive design reviews and establish company-wide standards for high-performance robotic design, mentoring senior and junior engineers.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Drive Through Influence: A proven ability to lead technical initiatives and align cross-functional stakeholders without direct reporting authority. You must be able to build consensus on complex architectural trade-offs.
• Surfacing Expertise: Proven ability to work with Class-A surfaces and complex geometries; expert-level proficiency in surfacing tools within SolidWorks, NX, Catia…
• Subject Matter Expertise: Proven track record of designing multi-axis robotic arms or high-DOF dynamic mechanisms.
• Packaging Mastery: Exceptional skills in "tight-space" integration; experience with ruggedized electronics packaging or automotive/aerospace interiors is a plus.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Experience: 8 years of experience in mechanical design of complex robotic systems
• Education: BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
• Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
• Hearing and speech to communicate