Staff Mechanical Engineer – Robotic Hand Design Tech Lead (Robotics)

Location: Austin, TX, United States

Company

hirify.global develops AI-powered humanoid robots, including Apollo, for manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and home applications.

What you will do

• Define the structural architecture of a multi-fingered humanoid robotic hand, including finger topology, joints, palm structure, and load paths.
• Design robust multi-DOF fingers and joints for impacts, off-axis loads, durability, and human-like grasping, pinching, sliding, and tool use.
• Co-design tendon-driven or remotely actuated systems, including cable routing, transmissions, wear reduction, and compact integration of sensing and wiring.
• Lead FEA, stress, fatigue, impact, durability, prototyping, testing, and design iteration.
• Drive DFM, DFA, tolerancing, process selection, supplier collaboration, and production scale-up.
• Collaborate with controls, perception, electrical, and software teams while mentoring engineers and leading design reviews.

Requirements

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering; Robotics or a related field is also relevant.
• 8 years of experience designing complex robotic systems.
• Experience designing multi-axis robotic arms or high-DOF dynamic mechanisms.
• Expertise with Class-A surfaces, complex geometries, and surfacing tools in SolidWorks, NX, or CATIA.
• Strong ability to lead technical initiatives, align stakeholders, and build consensus without direct reporting authority.
• Exceptional tight-space mechanical integration skills; the role requires prolonged computer work and occasional lifting of up to 15 pounds.

Nice to have

• Direct experience with robotic hands, dexterous manipulation, anthropomorphic mechanisms, or human hand biomechanics.
• Experience with tendon-driven, cable-routing, underactuated, compliant, or soft robotic systems.
• Experience integrating tactile sensing or force feedback into mechanical designs.
• Knowledge of advanced materials and surface treatments for wear and grip optimization.
• Experience with ruggedized electronics packaging or automotive/aerospace interiors.

Culture & Benefits

• Work on AI-powered humanoid robots designed for safe collaboration with people.
• Contribute to applied AI and robotics across the full robotics stack.
• Collaborate in a cross-functional environment spanning mechanical, controls, perception, electrical, and software engineering.
• Direct-hire position; outside agency solicitations are not accepted.