Sr. Mechanical Engineer - Humanoid Whole-Body Structure

At Mentee Robotics, we are redefining humanoid automation with an AI-first approach - combining perception, reasoning, and dexterous manipulation into fully autonomous systems that continuously learn and improve.
We offer an exceptional opportunity to participate in building next-generation commercial humanoid robots from 0 to 1, alongside competitive compensation, equity packages, and an international engineering environment.
We are expanding with a new robotics Engineering Center in China, working hand-in-hand with our engineering teams in headquarters. Its mission: to rapidly develop our next-generation full-size humanoid platform and bring it to production.
We are looking for a Senior Mechanical Engineer to own the whole-body structural design of our humanoid robot - the skeleton, limbs, torso, outer shell, and joint mechanisms that integrate all actuators, sensors, compute, and power systems into a complete, high-performance walking machine.

Who you are?

• A senior mechanical designer who thinks in mass budgets, center-of-mass targets, and load paths, not just CAD aesthetics.

• Hands-on: you prototype, iterate, test, and validate your own designs in the lab.

• Proficient with lightweight structures and advanced materials (carbon fiber composites, high-strength aluminum alloys).

• A strong collaborator across actuation, electrical, thermal, and testing teams.

Responsibilities:

• Own the whole-body mechanical structure: torso frame, limb skeletons, joint mounting interfaces, drive mechanism integration, and outer shell/covers.

• Define and manage the mass budget, center-of-mass targets, and structural envelope across the robot with the Systems Architect.

• Design lightweight, high-stiffness structures using topology optimization, generative design, and FEA validation (structural, modal, thermal).

• Collaborate with electrical and thermal teams to integrate actuator modules, battery packs, compute units, and sensors, ensuring optimized thermal dissipation paths and easy service access.

• Work with Actuation and Control teams to define joint layout, kinematic constraints, and actuator/reducer mounting (harmonic, planetary, linkage mechanisms).

• Incorporate environmental protection (e.g., IP rating requirements) and impact protection into critical structural covers.

• Manage structural CAD from concept to fabrication, including tolerance analysis, DFM/DFA for prototype and mass production, PLM/PDM version control, and BOM management.

• Lead structural validation tests: drop, shock, load, vibration, and fatigue testing in coordination with the V&V team.

Requirements:

• B.Sc. or M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field.

• 5+ years of mechanical structural design experience in humanoid/quadruped robotics, aerospace, automotive, or advanced machinery.

• Mastery of CAD software (SolidWorks/NX/Creo) with a proven concept-to-hardware production track record.

• In-depth understanding of robot joint transmission mechanisms (harmonic reducers, planetary gears, linkage/push-rod actuators).

• Strong experience in FEA (structural, modal, thermal) and lightweight structural design.

• Hands-on experience with prototype fabrication: precision machining, sheet metal, composite layup, 3D printing.

• Strong lab testing skills and a data-driven iteration culture.

• Proven capability in analyzing real-world mass production issues and optimizing design solutions.

• Hands-on experience with mass-production tooling and mold qualification.

Advantages:

• Direct experience designing humanoid, quadruped, or exoskeleton robot structures (e.g., Unitree, AgiBot, Fourier, UBTech).

• Multi-body dynamics simulation experience (Adams, RecurDyn) and drop/impact simulation capability.

• Carbon fiber composite structural design and manufacturing expertise.

• Experience with high-volume DFM, injection molding, and die casting.

• Comfortable communicating technical topics in English with international teams.