Lead Mechanical Engineer (Robotics)

Location: Hybrid, Tokyo; able to commute to the office in Heiwajima, Tokyo

Company

hirify.global develops retail robotics hardware, including the Ghost drink-restocking robot.

What you will do

• Lead and mentor a team of 2–3 mechanical and electrical engineers through prototyping and production readiness.
• Set goals, distribute workloads, manage schedules, conduct design reviews, and improve engineering processes.
• Design and integrate robotic subsystems such as robotic arms, grippers, mobility platforms, and smart shelves.
• Own BOMs, component sourcing, procurement, supplier lead times, and prototype build schedules.
• Manage relationships with vendors, manufacturers, fabrication partners, and component distributors.
• Lead failure analysis and corrective design actions while coordinating mechatronic integration with software, firmware, production, and operations.

Requirements

• 5+ years of professional mechanical design experience in robotics, mechatronics, or complex automated machinery.
• Experience with electrical components and PCBs, including cable routing, thermal constraints, power, strain relief, and vibration considerations.
• Experience managing or mentoring people, planning workloads, providing feedback, and delivering team outcomes.
• Business-level Japanese equivalent to JLPT N2 or higher is required for vendor management and supplier negotiations; working English is required for cross-functional communication.
• Experience with BOM management, sourcing, procurement, supplier lead times, assembly, testing, and root-cause analysis.
• Strong 3D CAD, GD&T, material selection, DFM/DFA, and a degree in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, robotics, or a related field.

Nice to have

• Startup or other fast-paced environment experience.
• Robotic arm, gripper, or actuator design experience.
• Hardware design experience for retail, logistics, or unstructured environments.

Culture & Benefits

• Hybrid work setup with regular office attendance in Tokyo.
• Ownership-oriented engineering culture focused on complete robotics systems.
• Proactive planning, rapid prototyping, and adapting quickly when project conditions change.
• Hands-on involvement in design reviews, hardware assembly, testing, and resolving production issues.