Senior Robotics Mechanical Engineer Speck Design San Jose, CA Job Details Contract $105 - $135 an hour 16 hours ago Qualifications Mechanical design GD&T SolidWorks FEA Robotics design Full Job Description The Position Speck Design — San Jose, CA (Hybrid)

• Contract We're looking for a Senior Robotics Mechanical Engineer to join the Speck Design team in San Jose. This role is ideal for an experienced mechanical engineer who can own system architecture, deliver high-quality mechanical designs, and lead projects from concept through production. You will work across consumer, medical, robotics, and industrial products—guiding mechanical decisions, mentoring teammates, and collaborating with industrial design, electrical engineering, and outside partners. Your first program is already underway: a robotics program taking a manipulator from proof-of-concept toward product-grade, working alongside our electrical, firmware and prototyping team — followed by a ground-up arm and end-effector design effort that you will lead. The Senior Robotics Mechanical Engineer will: Lead mechanical system architecture and subsystem definition Own robotic arm architecture — joint layout, reach, payload and stiffness trade-offs, and mass distribution Design joint and actuator modules: transmission selection and design (strain-wave, cycloidal, planetary or cable drive), frameless motor integration, bearing and preload design, brakes and encoders, and cable routing through the joint Translate requirements into robust mechanical solutions Execute advanced CAD in SolidWorks (assemblies, mechanisms, surfacing, drawings) Perform tolerance analysis, GD&T, DFMA, and oversee FEA as needed — including modal analysis where structural stiffness drives control performance Build and test prototypes; lead mechanical validation and iteration Communicate decisions and risks clearly to clients and cross-functional teams Mentor junior engineers and manage external engineering or fabrication partners

Details:

Hybrid at our San Jose studio, part-time onsite; Bay Area residence required. Contract, W-2, hourly, with potential to extend or convert.

Pay range:

$105-$135 per hour. Start as soon as possible. Background 8+ years of mechanical engineering experience in product development Direct experience designing a robotic arm, or its joint/actuator modules, through to a working prototype or production Expert-level SolidWorks skills Strong analytical foundation and excellent engineering fundamentals Experience taking products from concept through manufacturing release Ability to independently lead engineering workstreams and collaborate cross-functionally Clear communicator capable of presenting technical rationale to clients Authorized to work in the US and able to pass a client-required background check (identity and criminal history) What we are looking for Someone who has a desire to view the larger picture and is constantly curious about finding new technologies and viewpoints. Willingness to communicate within a team setting in the effort to achieve a larger goal. You are someone who views your job description as the starting point of what you want to achieve at Speck Design. It would be a bonus if you had: Quasi-direct-drive actuation, or precision motion systems with measured repeatability requirements Familiarity with

ISO 10218 / ISO TS 15066

as they apply to robot design Mobile robotics — bases, battery and compute packaging, stability under load Vendor management and manufacturing coordination (domestic or overseas) Prior consultancy experience or multi-project environments

Pay:

$105.00 - $135.00 per hour Expected hours: 40.0 per week People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply Application Question(s): Describe a robotic arm, or a joint/actuator module, whose mechanical design you personally owned through to a working prototype or production. What was it, what was your role, and what transmission did you choose and why? Will you now, or in the future, require sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g. H-1B visa status)?

Experience:

mechanical engineering in product development: 8 years (Required)

SolidWorks:

6 years (Required) Ability to

Commute:

San Jose, CA 95112 (Required)

Work Location:

Hybrid remote in San Jose, CA 95112