Senior Mechanical Design Engineer - Engineered Arts

Engineered Arts is the leading manufacturer of full-size humanoid robots used for entertainment, education, and communication. With over 20 years of hardware and software development experience, our robots have been deployed in over 30 countries worldwide to customers including NASA, PwC, Meta, and leading universities. Our Ameca robot is recognized as "the face of AI" and has achieved viral success across social media platforms. Along with our ultra-realistic Mesmer range of animated figures, our robots surprise and excite visitors at museums, theme parks, visitor attractions, and trade shows while advancing AI and robotics research.

As we scale into the rapidly expanding service robot segment—with applications in front-of-house, receptions, check-in desks, information points, and point-of-sale—we're building the future of human-robot interaction. Our internal motto is "Be Wow": everything we do is fun, entertaining, or surprising to encounter. We're a team of dedicated engineers and creatives constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible in humanoid robotics.

You're a versatile mechanical design engineer with strong real-world experience taking complex hardware from concept through validation and into production. You thrive on unusual design challenges and bring both technical depth and pragmatic problem-solving to every project—whether it's designing novel actuation mechanisms, integrating complex electromechanical systems, or troubleshooting reliability issues in the field. You're proficient in 3D parametric CAD, comfortable with hands-on prototyping, and experienced designing for manufacturability across multiple processes including additive manufacturing, CNC machining, casting, and molding.

You bring vision, intuition, and resourcefulness to a fast-paced, multi-disciplinary environment. You collaborate effectively with electronics and software teams, understand GD&T and tolerance analysis, and know how to balance competing design constraints across aesthetics, performance, durability, cost, and scalability. You're excited by the challenge of bringing humanity to technology and are ready to help build the most engaging humanoid robots in the world.

• Design mechanical components and subsystems for humanoid robots—including novel mechanisms, actuation solutions, and aesthetic shells/skins—that meet demanding geometric, kinematic, and aesthetic constraints for lifelike human-robot interaction
• Take designs through full lifecycle (concept, prototype, testing, iteration, production, maintenance) while balancing aesthetics, performance, durability, cost, and manufacturability
• Select materials and manufacturing processes that optimize strength, weight, cost, and scalability across additive manufacturing, CNC machining, casting, and molding
• Generate and maintain detailed engineering documentation including production drawings (GD&T), assembly docs, tolerance analyses, specifications, and BOMs

• Collaborate with Electronics and Software teams to integrate mechanical systems with sensing, actuation, control, and embedded hardware; define interfaces, optimize cable routing, and ensure seamless packaging
• Work with manufacturing teams and external vendors on DFM/DFA feedback, prototypes, assembly jigs, and production ramp-up
• Validate and improve real-world performance through testing protocols, analysis, and calculation
• Contribute to product compliance including risk assessments, material safety, functional safety, and regulatory documentation
• Solve problems across the board—new design challenges, field reliability issues, or internal tooling improvements

• Strong real-world experience in mechanical design, with proven ability to take hardware from concept through validation and into production
• Advanced proficiency in 3D parametric CAD, preferably Autodesk Inventor
• Solid understanding of GD&T and tolerance stack-up analysis
• Strong background in mechanism design, linkages, bearings, power transmission, and actuator integration
• Hands-on prototyping experience and practical workshop skills
• Experience with a range of materials, from engineering essentials (aluminum, steel, brass, bronze, acetal, etc.) to aesthetic and finishing options (polyurethane, silicone, etc.)
• Experience designing for manufacturability (DFM) and assembly (DFA) across multiple processes
• Ability to work cross-functionally with electrical and controls teams to integrate motors, sensors, wiring, and embedded systems
• Resourcefulness, versatility, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, agile environment with varied challenges
• Strong problem-solving mindset and the ability to find ingenious solutions to unusual design constraints

• Direct experience developing legged or humanoid robotic systems
• Experience in design combining the aesthetic and the functional (e.g., animatronics, special effects, entertainment technology)
• Experience designing bespoke actuators, transmission mechanisms, and complex mechanisms and joints
• Knowledge of thermal management for compact electromechanical assemblies
• Familiarity with motion control systems and basic control theory
• Understanding of safety standards for robotic systems (e.g., ISO 13482, machinery directives)
• Startup experience or experience in fast-paced hardware development environments
• Experience transitioning from prototype to volume manufacturing in production environments
• Experience with organic mesh modeling tools (Blender, ZBrush) for aesthetic surface design

At AppDirect, we believe that innovation thrives in an environment that houses diversity of excellence, experience and thought. We respect each AppDirector as their own fingerprint; unique with no one alike. We foster an environment of inclusion without regard to race, religion, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity enabling AppDirectors to embrace their uniqueness to do their best work. As such, we strongly encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, racialized people, people with disabilities, people from gender and sexually diverse communities, and/or people with intersectional identities.

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