Senior Mechanical Engineer, Robotics

Senior Mechanical Engineer, Robotics Houston, TX (East Downtown). On-site, working around the robots in the lab.  Rugged Robotics is on a mission to empower the construction industry to build better by innovating new approaches to tough problems using automation. Our automated layout robots combine inkjet printing, a custom positioning sensor suite, and a highly maneuverable platform to print blueprints directly on the concrete of active construction sites. Our fleet is working on job sites today, operated by our field team and leased by trusted partners, and demand is growing.  We are looking for a Senior Mechanical Engineer to join the Hardware team and own mechanical subsystems from concept through production release and sustaining. You'll apply your deep experience in actuators, electro-mechanical systems, and robotics to pull more performance and reliability out of a product already in the field, carry new prototypes through initial testing, certification, and manufacturing ramp, and shape the novel machines we design next. In this role, you will use your technical expertise to lead subsystem projects and mentor engineers. At a startup our size you'll wear many hats and work with everyone, from electrical and software engineers to field operators and manufacturing.  The Role  Own the full product lifecycle of actuators, structures, and enclosures: detailed design, testing, debugging, and refinement, then scaling through validation, manufacturing ramp, and deployment. Apply those lessons as we architect future generations. Study system behavior across mechanical, electrical, and software boundaries, chasing more performance from our sensor suites through calibration, advanced algorithms, and early failure warning signs. Drive reliability and safety compliance efforts to enable international expansion by planning and executing tests, root-causing failures, implementing fixes, and assembling the documentation that carries the product through certification. Make informed & objective engineering decisions by determining actuator load cases, specifying components (BLDC motors, speed reducers, sensors, bearings), and backing choices with analysis, simulations, and quick experiments. Use SOLIDWORKS to craft parts, construct assemblies, and create well-dimensioned drawings using GD&T per ASME Y14.5, spanning injection molding, CNC machining, metal casting, and sheet metal. Provide technical direction and mentorship to the hardware team on complex engineering challenges and lead subsystem projects with minimal guidance according to company objectives. Engage and collaborate with international vendors to refine designs and deliver hardware to meet project timelines.  You Are  Experienced (6+ years) designing products involving robotics or other complex electro-mechanical systems, and ...