Senior Design Engineer - Actuators

The role

You will own the mechanical design of actuators including motors, gear trains, and housings from concept through mass production. You will translate system-level targets into manufacturable hardware and work with modeling and test engineers.

What you will do

• Own the mechanical design of motors, gear trains, and actuator housings from concept through mass production.
• Produce high-fidelity 3D CAD models and 2D engineering drawings with GD&T.
• Perform dimensional stack-up analysis on critical-to-function interfaces.
• Work directly with suppliers to ensure prompt delivery of parts.
• Run RFQs and technical feasibility reviews.
• Partner with modeling and test engineers to define test plans.
• Provide mechanical engineering support during actuator characterization.
• Close the loop between test results, model predictions, and CAD.
• Work closely with modeling, test, electronics, controls, and systems engineers.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of mechanical design experience.
• At least one full-cycle product launch of precision electromechanical hardware.
• Strong grasp of machine design fundamentals including bearing selection, gear sizing, shaft design, fits and finishes, fastener engineering, and mechanics of rotating assemblies.
• Deep proficiency in CAD.
• Ability to define datum strategies and tolerances from concept through production.
• Comfort interpreting FEA (structural, modal, thermal).
• Exceptional organizational skills.
• First-principles thinking.

Nice to have

• CATIA preferred
• Hands-on experience designing or integrating harmonic drives, cycloidal drives, or precision planetary gearboxes.
• Familiarity with manufacturer catalog selection.
• Experience with PMSM/BLDC motor mechanical design.
• Knowledge of precision machining, MIM, die casting, gear cutting/grinding, or heat treatment.
• Familiarity with B-life specification, fatigue analysis, and Weibull-based life testing.
• Prior experience designing actuators for legged robots, manipulators, EVs, or other high-cycle electromechanical systems.
• Background spanning both Design Engineering and Manufacturing/Quality Engineering.

About the company

Rhoda AI is building the next generation of generalist intelligent robots. They own the full robotics stack from high-performance hardware to state-of-the-art foundation world models.