Senior 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. We're looking for talented individuals who will grow robotic deliveries from surprising novelty to efficient ubiquity.

Who We Are
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.

Role Overview
Your role primarily focuses on the mechanical reliability testing and improvements while having a strong supporting role in the other design stages. Your day-to-day duties include test planning, execution and supporting the production of fleet hardware through a combination of root cause analysis, CAD design, drawing creation, testing and assisting in fleet deployment.

Responsibilities

• Support design validation, testing, and qualification to ensure adherence to product requirements. Execute environmental tests through test plan development, design test fixtures, write or modify test scripts, and analyze data.
• Conduct root cause analysis and develop solutions for mechanical failures experienced during tests.
• Act as the primary technical interface between Serve mechanical engineering, test facilities and contract manufacturers.
• Identify and implement design improvements that enhance manufacturing efficiency, reduce cost, and improve product reliability.
• Assist in the full product development lifecycle, from concept to mass production, ensuring designs meet quality, performance, and regulatory standards.
• Review and refine engineering drawings, CAD models, and SOPs for manufacturability and assembly.
• Effectively manage tasks and deliverables in a remote work environment with minimal supervision.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• 7+ years of experience in mechanical engineering, preferably in robotics, automation, or high-tech manufacturing.
• Strong understanding and execution of environmental tests such as: ingress protection, vibration, shock and thermal. Ability to execute functional testing.
• Strong understanding of mechanical design principles, GD&T, DFM/DFA methodologies, and structural analysis.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks or Onshape) and experience executing FEA simulations.
• Familiar with PLM software (e.g. Arena) for engineering change management and configuration control.
• Familiar with manufacturing processes such as injection molding, sheet metal fabrication, machining, and 3D printing. Knowledge of materials selection and their impact on design and manufacturability.
• Proven track record of working with test labs, contract manufacturers and suppliers in a production environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to quickly adapt to test failures and manufacturing challenges.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to coordinate with global teams.
• Willingness to travel as needed to support testing, production and supplier engagements.
• Proven ability to work independently, demonstrating strong time management, self-motivation, and accountability in remote or autonomous settings.