Senior Engineer Prototyping Gearboxes and Actuators ...

You will play a key role in the technical development of high-performance gearboxes and compact actuation systems for humanoid robots, cobots, and wearable devices. You will be responsible for turning novel ideas and concepts into industry-grade products by defining requirements, producing 3D designs and detailed drawings, interacting with parts suppliers and prototype workshops, and iterating designs towards industrial production.

This position is in a startup environment. You should be ready for ambiguity, tight schedules, shifting priorities, rapid iteration, close collaboration with the CEO/CTO, and wider responsibility for both hands-on prototyping and decisions that affect the final product. As the company grows, you can expect rapid advancement into leadership roles.

Visa: Work authorization in the EU is preferred. Visa sponsorship will be offered only to exceptional candidates.

Equity: The position typically does not include an equity package. However, equity can be awarded to exceptional candidates or at a later stage, once you have grown into a leadership position.

Key responsibilities

• Own end-to-end development for new gearbox/actuation projects: requirements, design, prototyping, verification, and industrialization.
• Make technical decisions based on the trade-offs, communicate rationale, and drive prototype/product delivery with minimal supervision.
• Manage external suppliers and prototype workshops: oversee parts design, parts procurement/manufacturing with external partners, validation, and assembly.
• Optimize designs for performance, manufacturability, cost, reliability, serviceability, and safety.
• Communicate progress, risks, and mitigation to stakeholders.

Main requirement

• Proven experience with small gearboxes, transmissions, and compact actuators.

Other requirements

• Several years of industrial mechanical design and prototyping experience.
• Demonstrated product or design ownership: examples of projects you drove end-to-end, including decisions made and outcomes delivered.
• Ability to operate autonomously: identify problems, propose concrete solutions, prioritize actions, execute without step-by-step instructions, and escalate appropriately.
• Experience in 3D CAD (SolidWorks or equivalent) from concept models to detailed drawings suitable for manufacturing.
• Solid understanding of relevant mechanical components: gears, shafts, bearings, seals, couplings, housings, fasteners, preloads, and fits.
• Practical experience applying geometric dimensioning & tolerancing (GD&T) for precision assemblies.
• Knowledge of material selection for drivetrain components: material trade-offs for strength, wear, weight, and manufacturability.
• Solid understanding of constraints of manufacturing methods for small gearbox components: CNC turning/milling, hobbing/gear cutting, broaching, gear grinding, EDM, heat treatment, surface finishing, injection molding, die casting, and additive manufacturing.

Nice to have, but not mandatory

• Leadership or mentoring experience.
• Experience with backdrivable, low-inertia, high-efficiency transmissions.