Full-Time

Mechanical Engineer

Durin

Durin

11-50 employees

Automated drilling rigs for mineral exploration

Compensation Overview

$125k - $140k/yr

+ Equity

El Segundo, CA, USA

In Person

Must work from the headquarters in El Segundo.

Category
Mechanical Engineering (1)
Required Skills
FEM/FEA

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Requirements
  • Must be willing to work from our headquarters in El Segundo
  • Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
Responsibilities
  • Own the development of next-generation drilling rigs from structure and mechanism design to advanced manufacturing.
  • Develop design concepts from a clean sheet with a first principles, physics-based approach.
  • Perform simulations, stress analysis, hand calculations, and FEA to ensure the durability and performance of components in unbelievably harsh operational conditions.
  • Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure hardware integrates with Durin's electrical, control, and software systems to support necessary mission objectives.
  • Be responsible for project delivery timeline from early design through production, rollout, and global operation.
  • Exemplify technical excellence and be accountable for your work.
  • Optimize mechanical systems for performance, weight, cost, and manufacturability.
  • Conduct field visits to understand operational challenges and implement improvements in real-world environments.
  • Source, retain, and advise new and experienced vendors from a technical perspective.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience designing, analyzing, building, and testing high-performance mechanical systems, preferably heavy machinery and/or autonomous systems.
  • Proficiency in CAD software (NX, SolidWorks, or similar).
  • Proficiency with FEA tools for stress analysis and simulation (e.g., ANSYS, NASTRAN, Abaqus).
  • Strong understanding of hydraulic systems, drive mechanisms, and structural design.
  • Analytical/scientific programming experience (i.e., Python, Matlab, Excel).
  • Knowledge of manufacturing processes, tolerances, and selecting materials for mechanical components.
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced and collaborative environment to rapidly prototype and manufacture new products.
  • Self-motivated with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills.
  • Have a bias to action, take pride in your work, and care more about getting to the right solution than being right.

Durin develops and operates automated and remotely controlled drill rigs to speed up mineral discovery. It designs, builds, and runs its rigs and collects real-time geological data, integrating this with geological modeling, lab testing, and drillhole planning on a single platform. Rigs gather mineralogical and structural data in minutes and assay data in days, and can be operated remotely to reduce on-site labor and improve safety. The goal is to scale production globally, delivering faster, safer, and more cost-efficient exploration by shortening cycles and improving decision-making.

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

Seed

Total Funding

$3.4M

Headquarters

El Segundo, California

Founded

2024

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Durin.com updated July 30, 2026, signals active development and continued product iteration.
  • Five open jobs on July 24, 2026 indicate sustained buildout despite early-stage status.
  • Competitor adoption of autonomy by Sandvik and Epiroc validates automated drilling demand.

What critics are saying

  • Sandvik, Epiroc, and Master Drilling are shipping autonomous rigs before Durin scales.
  • Durin's 3.4 million pre-seed funding leaves little room for failed prototypes or delays.
  • If field rigs miss production targets by 2026, capital runs out before Series A.

What makes Durin unique

  • Durin vertically integrates drilling, core scanning, geophysics, and assay workflows on one platform.
  • Its 2026 site says rig data reaches geologists in minutes, assay data in days.
  • El Segundo hiring for controls, mechanical, software, and operations shows hardware-software integration depth.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Company Equity

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

50%

1 year growth

50%

2 year growth

68%
TechCrunch
Apr 23rd, 2025
Durin digs up $3.4M to automate drills for critical minerals exploration

To get the ball rolling, Durin has raised $3.4 million in a pre-seed round led by 8090 Industries, the company exclusively told TechCrunch. Also participating were 1517, Andreessen Horowitz, Bedrock, Champion Hill, Contrary, Day One Ventures, and Lux Capital.

Rare Earth Exchanges
Apr 23rd, 2025
Durin Mining Technologies Aims to Automate Large Scale Mines

As reported by TechCrunch today, Durin has just secured a $3.4 million pre-seed investment led by 8090 Industries, with backing from notable investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Lux Capital, and Contrary.