Sr. Mechanical Engineer - Humanoid Whole-Body Structure
At Mentee Robotics, we are redefining humanoid automation with an AI-first approach - combining perception, reasoning, and dexterous manipulation into fully autonomous systems that continuously learn and improve.
We offer an exceptional opportunity to participate in building next-generation commercial humanoid robots from 0 to 1, alongside competitive compensation, equity packages, and an international engineering environment.
We are expanding with a new robotics Engineering Center in China, working hand-in-hand with our engineering teams in headquarters. Its mission: to rapidly develop our next-generation full-size humanoid platform and bring it to production.
We are looking for a Senior Mechanical Engineer to own the whole-body structural design of our humanoid robot - the skeleton, limbs, torso, outer shell, and joint mechanisms that integrate all actuators, sensors, compute, and power systems into a complete, high-performance walking machine.
Who you are?
- A senior mechanical designer who thinks in mass budgets, center-of-mass targets, and load paths, not just CAD aesthetics.
- Hands-on: you prototype, iterate, test, and validate your own designs in the lab.
- Proficient with lightweight structures and advanced materials (carbon fiber composites, high-strength aluminum alloys).
- A strong collaborator across actuation, electrical, thermal, and testing teams.
Responsibilities:
- Own the whole-body mechanical structure: torso frame, limb skeletons, joint mounting interfaces, drive mechanism integration, and outer shell/covers.
- Define and manage the mass budget, center-of-mass targets, and structural envelope across the robot with the Systems Architect.
- Design lightweight, high-stiffness structures using topology optimization, generative design, and FEA validation (structural, modal, thermal).
- Collaborate with electrical and thermal teams to integrate actuator modules, battery packs, compute units, and sensors, ensuring optimized thermal dissipation paths and easy service access.
- Work with Actuation and Control teams to define joint layout, kinematic constraints, and actuator/reducer mounting (harmonic, planetary, linkage mechanisms).
- Incorporate environmental protection (e.g., IP rating requirements) and impact protection into critical structural covers.
- Manage structural CAD from concept to fabrication, including tolerance analysis, DFM/DFA for prototype and mass production, PLM/PDM version control, and BOM management.
- Lead structural validation tests: drop, shock, load, vibration, and fatigue testing in coordination with the V&V team.
Requirements:
- B.Sc. or M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field.
- 5+ years of mechanical structural design experience in humanoid/quadruped robotics, aerospace, automotive, or advanced machinery.
- Mastery of CAD software (SolidWorks/NX/Creo) with a proven concept-to-hardware production track record.
- In-depth understanding of robot joint transmission mechanisms (harmonic reducers, planetary gears, linkage/push-rod actuators).
- Strong experience in FEA (structural, modal, thermal) and lightweight structural design.
- Hands-on experience with prototype fabrication: precision machining, sheet metal, composite layup, 3D printing.
- Strong lab testing skills and a data-driven iteration culture.
- Proven capability in analyzing real-world mass production issues and optimizing design solutions.
- Hands-on experience with mass-production tooling and mold qualification.
Advantages:
- Direct experience designing humanoid, quadruped, or exoskeleton robot structures (e.g., Unitree, AgiBot, Fourier, UBTech).
- Multi-body dynamics simulation experience (Adams, RecurDyn) and drop/impact simulation capability.
- Carbon fiber composite structural design and manufacturing expertise.
- Experience with high-volume DFM, injection molding, and die casting.
- Comfortable communicating technical topics in English with international teams.
