Lead Mechanical Engineer

At Serve Robotics, we’re reimagining how things move in cities. Our personable sidewalk robot is our vision for the future. It’s designed to take deliveries away from congested streets, make deliveries available to more people, and benefit local businesses. The Serve fleet has been delighting merchants, customers, and pedestrians along the way in Los Angeles while doing commercial deliveries.

The Serve fleet has been delighting merchants, customers, and pedestrians along the way in Los Angeles while doing commercial deliveries. We’re looking for talented individuals who will grow robotic deliveries from surprising novelty to efficient ubiquity.

WHO ARE WE?

We are tech industry veterans in software, hardware, and design who are pooling our skills to build the future we want to live in. We are solving real-world problems leveraging robotics, machine learning and computer vision, among other disciplines, with a mindful eye towards the end-to-end user experience. Our team is agile, diverse, and driven. We believe that the best way to solve complicated dynamic problems is collaboratively and respectfully.

What you’ll be doing

Your role covers every aspect of the robot lifecycle while closely collaborating with our multidisciplinary team. Your day-to-day duties are a combination of CAD design, prototyping, production support, testing and solving current fleet issues. 

• Develop next generation robot fleet hardware. You are expected to design novel integrated systems, and push the limits of manufacturing technology while minimizing costs.

• Perform hands on prototyping using tools such as laser cutters, 3D printers, and hand tools to fabricate parts and build assemblies to test new ideas

• Document mechanical and electromechanical CAD assemblies for the next generation robots. Perform tolerance stack up analysis and implement GD&T. Build and maintain SOP’s and BOM’s.

• Work closely with manufacturers to improve procedures and design fixtures / tools to improve assembly efficiency and scale.  

• Lead the creation of comprehensive test plans and procedures, outlining the necessary testing methodologies, equipment, and success criteria to evaluate mechanical systems, components, and assemblies.

• Design and set up testing environments and rigs to simulate real-world usage conditions, ensuring accurate data collection and analysis for performance assessment.

• Execute a wide range of mechanical tests, including but not limited to stress testing, vibration analysis, thermal testing, and durability assessments.

• Document and communicate test results, identifying issues, deviations, and potential areas of improvement. Present findings to the broader engineering team in a clear and concise manner.

• Collaborate with team members to troubleshoot robot fleet issues and clearly communicate improvements to leadership.

• Support builds at offsite and overseas vendors, document improvements and manage build configurations

Qualifications

• 10+ years as a mechanical engineer in robotics or an adjacent area with a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent

• Proficiency in designing electromechanical systems and mechanisms.

• Thrive in engineering environments having both ambiguous and rigid requirements.

• Demonstrate adaptability, resourcefulness, and the ability to make informed decisions with limited information and shifting parameters.

• Proficiency using 3D CAD software — preferably SolidWorks

• Proficiency creating engineering drawings incorporating GD&T.

• Proficiency developing components using both low and high volume manufacturing techniques such as: injection molding, forging, casting, CNC machining, additive manufacturing, and sheet metal fabrication

• Competent with hand tools, assembly techniques and prototyping

• Proficient in the entire design lifecycle of parts and subassemblies.