Start Date: Winter 2027 (January), or flexible

Duration: 4–8 months (one or two co-op terms)

About

You’ll help design and build the physical hardware of our teleoperated humanoid robots: actuators, limbs, end effectors and the structures that hold them together. Few people have done this before, so you won’t be doing make-work. You’ll own real parts and subsystems that end up on the robot, and you’ll work alongside the engineers making the calls on architecture, materials and manufacturing.

This is a hands-on role for someone who builds things because they can’t help it. You’ll go from napkin sketch to CAD to machined part to a working robot in days, not quarters. You’ll work closely with the mechanical, controls, electrical and software teams, and you’ll leave with hardware in the field that you designed.

Responsibilities

• Design, build and iterate on robot components and sub-assemblies (arms, hands, torso, actuators and end effectors), with real ownership over your parts
• Support actuator and drivetrain development (e.g., harmonic, cycloidal or planetary reducers, belt and cable drives) through design, assembly and testing
• Rapidly prototype using in-house machining, 3D printing and fabrication; you’ll be in the shop turning CAD into real parts
• Make drawings and prepare parts for manufacturing (CNC, sheet metal, 3D printing), and work with vendors and machine shops on quotes and fabrication
• Run first-principles calculations (structural, thermal, kinematic) to check and justify design decisions
• Build test rigs and fixtures, then break, iterate and harden hardware based on what fails
• Work with controls and electrical teams on sensor integration, cable routing, thermal management and URDF/model accuracy
• Help with robot assembly, maintenance and repairs, including field testing and customer demos

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Aerospace Engineering, Robotics or a related field
• Strong CAD skills (SolidWorks, Onshape, NX or similar), with parts or assemblies you designed that were actually built
• Solid understanding of mechanisms, materials, fasteners, bearings and power transmission
• Familiarity with design for manufacturing, tolerancing and GD&T
• Hands-on fabrication experience: you’ve used a mill, lathe, 3D printer or similar yourself, not just sent files out
• Bias for action: comfortable moving fast, asking for help when you’re stuck, and owning your work end to end

Bonus

• Serious personal hardware projects or design team experience (Formula SAE, rocketry, robotics competitions, built your own CNC or vehicle, etc.); please tell us about them
• Previous co-op or internship at a hardtech company (robotics, aerospace, defense, EV)
• Experience with robotic actuators, legged robots, humanoids or dexterous hands
• Exposure to designing for harsh or hazardous environments (high voltage, outdoor, field-deployed)
• FEA or thermal simulation experience (ANSYS, Abaqus or similar)