Senior Staff/Principal Mechanical Engineer - Spot

Boston Dynamics is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer - Actuators to join our Spot robot team. In this role, you will be the technical anchor for new product initiatives, designing the complex drivetrains and ruggedized hardware required for the world’s most demanding environments. You’ll love working on a fun, collaborative, and talented team to support one of the world’s coolest robots. 

Boston Dynamics is a world leader in mobile robots, tackling some of the toughest robotics challenges. For years, our awe-inspiringviral videos on YouTube have shown the world what remarkably capable robots can do. Now we are quickly becoming a recognized leader in automation solutions for industrial applications and warehouse logistics.  
 

How you will make an impact:

• Serve as the team’s subject matter expert for high-torque, high-density actuator design, including precision gear trains, bearing selection, and integrated motor housing.

• Own robot subsystems through architecture, development, and volume manufacturing

• Lead a cross functional team to develop complex robotic sub-systems 

• Develop proofs of concept designs, transition them to prototype designs and then to production designs

• Collaborate with other engineers to solve hard design problems and work across disciplines to understand failure modes

• Design and release parts, assemblies and drawings using CATIA.

• Develop production and support documentation including bills of material (BOMs), assembly drawings, and maintenance instructions.

• Plan and and/or perform verification and validation activities on prototype and production systems.

• Lead DFM / DFA, and cost-reduction activities

• Troubleshoot issues, root cause failure analysis, design and implement corrective and preventative solutions

• Mentor and advise less experienced members of the engineering team

• Author technical documentation such as specifications, test plans, and reports

• Collaborate with engineering, operations, manufacturing, compliance, and test teams

• Write Engineering Change Orders (ECOs)

• Lead design reviews and drive technical excellence

• Perform system design analyses, including reliability, design-for-manufacture, design-for-assembly, cost-takeout, etc

Required Skills:

• BSME and minimum 10 years of relevant experience (including MSME/PhD degrees with professional engineering experience)

• 7+ years of experience in a professional and product driven environment 

• Demonstrated success in advanced actuator and gear design. You should have deep experience with high-ratio gearing, bearing life calculations, and the thermal management of high-performance drivetrains.

• Advanced CATIA user or equivalent (NX, Solidworks, etc.), including finite element analysis, 2D drawings, simulations,

• Familiarity with PLM systems, (Arena preferred), and ECO process

• Experience designing motion control systems with sensors, actuators and complex mechanisms

• Experience designing systems that are used in industrial settings

• A working knowledge of ASME drafting standards including GD&T, (Y14.5-2018)

• A working knowledge of DFM/A, Six Sigma, and statistical tolerance analysis

• A working knowledge of structured problem solving methods including 8D and Ishikawa diagrams, (fishbone)

• A working knowledge of failure avoidance methods including DFMEA/PFMEA and fault tree analysis

• Able to manage more than one project concurrently while still meeting deadlines.

• High level of technical writing proficiency (specs, test plans, reports, white papers, etc.)

The base pay range for this position is between $134,000 to $208,000 annually. Base pay will depend on multiple individualized factors including, but not limited to internal equity, job related knowledge, skills and experience.  This range represents a good faith estimate of compensation at the time of posting. Boston Dynamics offers a generous Benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401(k), paid time off and a annual bonus structure.  Additional details regarding these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer for employment.