Mechanical Engineer (Autonomous Vehicle Team)

Location: San Francisco, CA

Department: Vehicle Team

Why We Are Hiring for This Role:

• Design, test, and integrate electric motors, gearboxes, and drivetrain components 
• Develop and validate custom electromechanical actuators
• Design and analyze structures with FEA and modal tools. 
• Support prototype builds with hands-on fabrication, test setups, and troubleshooting
• Create and maintain CAD models, drawings, and documentation for mechanical subsystems
• Collaborate with electrical, software, and controls engineers to integrate hardware into complete vehicle systems
  Analyze test data to guide design improvements and ensure system reliability in rugged off-road conditions
• Contribute to rapid prototyping and iteration cycles, from R&D concepts to field deployment

What Kind of Person We Are Looking For:

• Experience designing or testing rotating machinery (motors, transmissions, gearboxes) and/or robotic actuation mechanical design. 
• Familiarity with sensors, wiring, and electromechanical integration
• 4–6 years of experience in mechanical design, testing, or integration (robotics, EVs, automotive, aerospace, or mechatronics)
• Proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks, CATIA, Onshape, or similar) for electromechanical systems
• Comfortable with prototyping, test setups, and hands-on troubleshooting in the lab and field
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or related field

Benefits:

• We provide market standard benefits (health, vision, dental, 401k, stock, etc.). Join us for the culture and the mission, not for the benefits.

Salary:

• The annual compensation is expected to be between $110,000 - $150,000+. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.

About the Company

About Foundation:
Foundation is developing the future of general purpose robotics and electric mobility with the goal to save lives and augment human labor. 

Our mission is to create an autonomous, crewless ATV built to be truly all-terrain. Designed for commercial and defense use, it can save lives and take on heavy transport across mining, agriculture, construction, and more.

We are on the lookout for extraordinary engineers and scientists to join our team. Your previous experience in robotics isn't a prerequisite — it's your talent and determination that truly count.

We expect that many of our team members will bring diverse perspectives from various industries and fields. We are looking for individuals with a proven record of exceptional ability and a history of creating things that work.