Senior Mechanical Engineer – Structural Simulation & Analysis

JOB SUMMARY
Apptronik is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer – Structural Simulation to serve as part of the technical team responsible for the structural integrity mass optimization and dynamic performance of our humanoid robot Apollo. In this role you will perform simulations that allow us to move from "concept" to "validated hardware" with minimal physical prototyping cycles.
As a senior engineer you will tackle the most complex physics problems such as impact dynamics high-cycle fatigue in high-DOF joints and multi-body dynamics ensuring that every gram of material on the robot is earning its keep. You will bridge the gap between high-level autonomous behaviors and the physical limits of the machine's skeleton.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
● Predictive Engineering: Help guide the culture from "design and then check" to "simulation-driven design" where analysis informs the initial architectural trade-offs of the robot.
● Standardization: Support the development of company-wide standards for material models boundary conditions and safety factors for humanoid-specific load cases (e.g. falls high-speed walking and heavy lifting).
● Non-Linear & Dynamic FEA: Perform analysis of complex non-linear events such as high-velocity impacts (robot falls) and transient dynamic loads during rapid limb acceleration.
● Fatigue & Life Prediction: Perform fatigue life models for the robot’s primary structure. Predict the lifecycle of components subjected to millions of gait cycles using advanced fracture mechanics and durability analysis.
● Mass Optimization: Utilize topology optimization and generative design to drive aggressive mass reduction across the limbs and torso while maintaining required stiffness-to-weight ratios.
● Test/Sim Correlation: Work closely with the Hardware Integration and Test team to design physical experiments (strain gauging modal testing drop tests) that validate and "tune" your simulation models.
● Material Characterization: Lead the efforts to characterize specialized materials—from high-strength aerospace alloys to advanced composites and 3D-printed lattices—to ensure accurate simulation inputs.
● Mentorship: Act as a technical mentor for junior engineers providing "deep-dive" design reviews and solving the "impossible" physics bottlenecks.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

● Education: B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering or a related field with a focus on Computational Mechanics.

● Experience: 4+ years of experience in structural simulation and mechanical design with a proven track record of shipping complex high-performance electromechanical products (Robotics Aerospace or Automotive).
● Software Mastery: Proficiency in industry-standard simulation suites (e.g. Ansys Abaqus SimCenter).
● Physics Depth: Solid mechanics vibration (vibration shock and modal analysis) heat transfer and multi-body dynamics.
● Humanoid Context: Specific experience with high-speed moving mechanisms or "lightweighting" structures for mobile platforms is highly preferred.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
● B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering or a related field with a focus on Computational Mechanics.
● At least 4 years of experience in structural simulation and mechanical design with a proven track record of shipping complex high-performance electromechanical products (Robotics Aerospace or Automotive).

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
● Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
● Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
● Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
● Hearing and speech to communicate

What We Do

Apptronik is building robots for the real world to improve human quality of life and to help solve the ever-increasing labor shortage problem. Our team has been building some of the most advanced robots on the planet for years dating back to the DARPA Robotics Challenge. We apply our expertise across the full robotics stack to some of the most important and impactful problems our society faces and expect our products and technology to change the world for the better. We value passion creativity and collaboration to help us overcome existing technological barriers in the industry to create truly innovative products.

Why Work With Us

At Apptronik we don't see a future where man competes against machine. Instead we envision a harmonious world where man and machine coexist. Our mission statement "It is not Man vs. Machine but Man + Machine" encapsulates our belief that the synergy between humans and robots will pave the way for a brighter more advanced future.

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