The Company
Our mission at Miso Robotics is to deliver technology that elevates human potential in the commercial kitchen. Our signature product is an AI-powered kitchen robot named Flippy which automates the dangerous operation of a restaurant’s fry station and cooks all sorts of fried items. Flippy is powered by a sophisticated AI platform driven by our proprietary and patented technologies.
A well known first mover in the space, Miso has raised over $125 million, much of it from equity crowdfunding, which we believe makes it THE most successful crowdfunding story in history. It has successfully piloted its products with the most prominent global brands in food, and now it’s time for the company to scale.
The company added a new CEO and other senior leaders – all of whom hold decades of experience operating growth companies. Our CEO has a track record of successful exits, and we recently accepted a strategic investment and partnership from Ecolab (NYSE: ECL), a $70 billion public company which, as the global leader in sales of cleaning solutions to restaurants, truly knows how to operate at scale. Our new leadership team is evolving the company’s culture from early stage to growth stage with new processes and disciplines, and is supported by a board that includes the former President and CTO of OpenTable.
With Ecolab’s support, we are building a world-class team, and are looking for more exceptional people to join us.
The Role
The Director of Mechanical Engineering will lead the design, development, and testing of mechanical systems that are integral to Miso Robotics’ cutting-edge products. Reporting to the Vice President of Engineering, you will manage and grow a talented team of engineers while collaborating closely with cross-functional teams to ensure the delivery of high-quality, robust hardware solutions. This role requires technical expertise, strong leadership skills, and a passion for innovation.
Key Responsibilities:
- Team Leadership & Development:
- Lead, mentor, and manage the mechanical engineering team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability.
- Develop the skills and capabilities of team members to align with the company’s strategic goals.
- Product Development:
- Oversee the design, analysis, prototyping, and testing of mechanical systems, ensuring compliance with performance, safety, and reliability requirements.
- Collaborate with software, electrical, and manufacturing teams to deliver integrated hardware-software solutions.
- Technical Excellence:
- Ensure the mechanical engineering team delivers high-quality designs that meet product specifications and deadlines.
- Drive continuous improvement in design processes, tools, and methodologies to enhance team productivity and output quality.
- Project Management:
- Manage resources, budgets, and timelines for mechanical engineering projects to ensure successful execution.
- Work with the program management team to track progress, mitigate risks, and meet deliverables.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Partner with the product, electrical, and manufacturing teams to align on design requirements and resolve technical challenges.
- Support manufacturing and deployment teams in transitioning designs from prototype to production.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
- 10+ years of experience in mechanical engineering, with 5+ years in a leadership role.
- Proven track record of delivering complex hardware products, preferably in robotics or related industries.
- Strong understanding of materials, manufacturing processes, and product lifecycle management.
- Experience working with cross-disciplinary teams, including software, electrical, and manufacturing engineers.
- Familiarity with CAD tools (e.g., SolidWorks, CATIA) and simulation tools (e.g., FEA, CFD).
- Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
- Startup experience is a plus.
Desired Multipliers
- Experience designing systems that incorporate AI, computer vision, or machine learning.
- Knowledge of design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA) principles.
- Industry experience in robotics, automation, Autonomous Vehicles, and/or aerospace will help you in this role.
- Understanding of the restaurant/ F&B industry and the unique challenges therei
Why Join Miso Robotics?
- Be part of a groundbreaking company revolutionizing an industry.
- Collaborate with a passionate and innovative team dedicated to delivering cutting-edge technology.
- Lead and shape the mechanical engineering efforts of a growing organization.
- Enjoy opportunities for professional growth and impactful contributions.
Benefits We Offer
- Company Equity
- Flexible vacation
- Comprehensive benefits
- 401K plan
- Accelerated growth opportunities
- Free snacks from our robot chefs
Compensation
$150,000-$200,000 per year plus meaningful equity
The stated compensation range reflects only the targeted base salary range for candidates residing in the Los Angeles Metro area and excludes additional earnings such as bonus and benefits. If your salary requirements fall outside of the range, we still encourage you to apply.
At Miso Robotics, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace where every team member is valued and respected. We believe that diversity in our team drives innovation and creativity, which is why we strive to create a welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.
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What We Do
Miso Robotics is building AI-powered automation for commercial kitchens, starting with Flippy, the industry's first fully autonomous fry station robot deployed at commercial scale. If you're an AI or robotics engineer who wants to see your work in action every single day, solving real problems for real people, this is where that happens.
We're tackling one of the hardest robotics challenges: unstructured environments. Restaurant kitchens are chaotic, unpredictable, and unforgiving. Orders surge randomly, equipment varies by location, and there's zero tolerance for downtime. Our robots work alongside humans in 350-degree heat, handling multiple tasks simultaneously while adapting in real time. It's computer vision, motion planning, and AI decision-making at the edge, all day, every day.
Our tech stack is cutting edge. We use NVIDIA AI for vision and inference, custom motion control algorithms, and machine learning models that continuously improve from real-world data across dozens of live deployments. The impact is immediate and measurable. When a restaurant operator tells us our robot "had their back" during a lunch rush, or a worker says Flippy is their "best friend," that's our mission in action.
Beyond Flippy, our Innovation Lab in Pasadena develops next-generation kitchen automation. We're expanding into new stations, new tasks, and new capabilities. The kitchen of the future needs engineers who can build systems that actually work when the stakes are high and the environment is hostile.
You'll work with a team that includes product leaders from Amazon and Ring, robotics engineers solving novel manipulation problems, and a CEO who gets that great technology means nothing if it breaks down during dinner rush. We obsess over real-world performance, not lab demos.
Why Work With Us
We're revolutionizing food service with AI robotics that solve real labor challenges. Join us to build cutting-edge technology that's already deployed in major chains, work with a mission-driven team backed by strong funding, and shape the future of an industry ripe for innovation.
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