About Skylark Labs\n
Skylark Labs develops self-learning artificial intelligence and autonomous systems for complex, real-world environments. Our teams work across AI, robotics, cameras, drones, sensors, and edge systems to build technology that can perceive, reason, and act reliably.
The Role\n
We are looking for a hands-on Humanoid Robotics Hardware Engineer with strong experience designing and building the mechanical and electromechanical systems that form a humanoid robot.
\n
This position requires practical experience working with humanoid mechanical components, including actuators, joints, chassis and structural assemblies, battery and power wiring, motors, transmissions, sensors, and cable-routing systems. The engineer will be responsible for taking hardware from CAD design through fabrication, assembly, integration, testing, and iteration.
\n
You will work closely with robotics, controls, embedded systems, electrical, and AI engineers to translate system requirements into reliable physical hardware. This role is ideal for someone who is comfortable moving between CAD design, CNC machining and fabrication, mechanical assembly, battery and wiring integration, the electronics bench, and full-robot testing.
What You’ll Do\n
- \n
- Design, build, and integrate the mechanical and electromechanical systems of humanoid robots.
- \n
- Own the design of humanoid subsystems, including actuators, joints, links, frames, chassis, end effectors, enclosures, mounts, and structural interfaces.
- \n
- Develop detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies, production drawings, tolerance analyses, bills of materials, and assembly documentation.
- \n
- Design robot chassis and structural components for strength, stiffness, weight, balance, durability, accessibility, and manufacturability.
- \n
- Select, integrate, and test motors, actuators, gearboxes, harmonic and cycloidal drives, bearings, encoders, brakes, force/torque sensors, and other motion components.
- \n
- Design compact, high-torque actuator and joint assemblies suitable for humanoid robotic systems.
- \n
- Assemble and integrate mechanical parts, actuators, sensors, batteries, controllers, connectors, wiring harnesses, and power-distribution components.
- \n
- Support battery integration, battery-management systems, high-current power distribution, grounding, protection, connector selection, and safe cable routing.
- \n
- Create and maintain clean, serviceable battery, signal, power, and communication wiring throughout the robot.
- \n
- Fabricate and modify components using CNC machining, manual machining, sheet metal, additive manufacturing, composites, and other prototyping methods.
- \n
- Prepare designs for CNC fabrication and work directly with machine shops, suppliers, and contract manufacturers.
- \n
- Perform hands-on assembly, mechanical fitting, alignment, calibration, instrumentation, and system bring-up.
- \n
- Integrate mechanical hardware with embedded controllers, sensors, safety systems, and robotics software.
- \n
- Design for range of motion, load capacity, backlash, thermal performance, cable management, serviceability, and ease of assembly.
- \n
- Plan and conduct bench, actuator, joint, subsystem, and full-robot tests for load, impact, fatigue, vibration, thermal behavior, and reliability.
- \n
- Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, wiring, actuator, and integration failures.
- \n
- Perform root-cause analysis and implement design improvements based on testing and real-world performance.
- \n
- Maintain safe working practices around powered joints, lithium batteries, high-current systems, CNC equipment, and dynamic robot testing.
- \n
- Support the transition of hardware from early prototype through low-volume production.
- \n
What We’re Looking For\n
- \n
- Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline—or equivalent practical experience.
- \n
- 3+ years of relevant experience designing and building complex robotic, mechatronic, or electromechanical systems.
- \n
- Demonstrated hands-on experience with the mechanical construction of humanoid, bipedal, legged, or highly articulated robotic systems.
- \n
- Strong experience designing actuators, robotic joints, chassis, frames, structural assemblies, or other load-bearing robotic components.
- \n
- Advanced proficiency in a modern 3D CAD platform such as SolidWorks, Onshape, Creo, or NX.
- \n
- Strong understanding of mechanisms, machine design, material selection, GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, engineering drawings, and design for manufacturing.
- \n
- Experience creating production-ready CAD models and drawings for CNC machining, sheet metal, additive manufacturing, and mechanical assembly.
- \n
- Practical experience with CNC-machined components and familiarity with machining constraints, tooling, tolerances, and material selection.
- \n
- Hands-on experience assembling, fitting, instrumenting, testing, repairing, and troubleshooting robotic hardware.
- \n
- Experience with motors, actuators, transmissions, gearboxes, bearings, encoders, sensors, brakes, fasteners, connectors, and cable-management systems.
- \n
- Experience integrating batteries, battery-management systems, power-distribution components, high-current wiring, signal wiring, connectors, and wiring harnesses.
- \n
- Ability to safely build, route, terminate, inspect, and troubleshoot battery, power, communication, and sensor wiring.
- \n
- Understanding of structural loads, weight distribution, center of mass, impact forces, fatigue, vibration, and thermal management in robotic systems.
- \n
- Ability to work collaboratively across mechanical, electrical, embedded, controls, robotics, and software teams.
- \n
- Comfort working in a fast-paced environment with evolving requirements and rapid design-build-test cycles.
- \n
Nice to Have\n
- \n
- Direct experience building complete humanoid or bipedal robots.
- \n
- Experience designing compact high-torque joints, series-elastic actuators, harmonic drives, cycloidal drives, ball screws, or tendon/cable-driven mechanisms.
- \n
- Experience with lithium battery systems, battery packs, battery-management systems, high-current power distribution, fusing, grounding, and functional safety.
- \n
- Experience operating CNC mills, CNC lathes, manual machine tools, or other fabrication equipment.
- \n
- Experience with FEA, thermal analysis, dynamics, vibration, fatigue, and reliability engineering.
- \n
- Knowledge of CAN, EtherCAT, RS-485, or similar real-time hardware communication interfaces.
- \n
- Familiarity with ROS/ROS 2, Python, or C++ for hardware bring-up, data collection, diagnostics, and test automation.
- \n
- Experience designing for maintainability, field repair, component replacement, and low-volume manufacturing.
- \n
- Experience managing suppliers, machine shops, fabrication vendors, and contract manufacturers.
- \n
- Experience moving robotic hardware from prototype through production and supplier qualification.
- \n
How You’ll Work\n
This is an onsite role based in our Menlo Park, California office. The position involves frequent hands-on mechanical assembly, actuator and joint integration, battery and wiring work, CAD design, fabrication, CNC-related work, and robot testing.
\n
The role requires regular use of laboratory, machine-shop, fabrication, and electrical tools, as well as occasional lifting or positioning of robotic components with appropriate assistance and safety equipment.
Why Skylark Labs\n
- \n
- Build humanoid robotic systems from the ground up and see your designs tested on real hardware.
- \n
- Take ownership of mechanical systems from initial CAD concepts through fabrication, assembly, and full-robot integration.
- \n
- Work closely with a multidisciplinary team spanning AI, autonomy, robotics, embedded systems, electrical engineering, and controls.
- \n
- Contribute in a fast-moving environment where practical engineering judgment and hands-on problem-solving have an immediate impact.
- \n
Equal Opportunity\n
- \n
- Skylark Labs is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.
- \n