Associate Mechanical Engineer

Associate Mechanical Engineer LocationMountain ViewEmployment TypeFull timeDepartmentHardwareCompensation$120K – $150K • Offers EquityAt Rhoda AI, we’re building the next generation of generalist intelligent robots. We own the full robotics stack from high-performance hardware and robot systems to the infrastructure and state-of-the-art foundation world models that control our robots. Our robots are designed to be generalists capable of operating in complex, real-world environments and handling long-tail edge cases, made possible by our cutting edge research and end-to-end system design. We've raised over $450M and are investing aggressively in model research, infrastructure, hardware development, and manufacturing scale-up to make generalist robotics a reality.We're looking for an entry-level Mechanical Engineer to work on the mono leg of our humanoid robot platform — the single load-bearing structure connecting the mobile base to the torso. The mono leg carries the full weight and dynamic loads of the upper robot through a compact package built around structural cast parts and an actuator developed by our dedicated actuation team. You'll work under the supervision of the experienced engineers who own the leg architecture, taking real ownership of well-defined pieces within it: actuator packaging details, cast part design and iteration, and the thermal path from actuator to structure.What You'll DoDesign and iterate on the packaging of the leg actuator — mounting hardware, spacers, alignment features, and cable exits — to interface requirements defined by senior engineers and the actuation teamDevelop the design of the leg's structural cast parts under supervision: building CAD geometry for stiffness and mass efficiency, applying draft and wall-thickness rules, and incorporating vendor feedback on castabilityImplement the thermal design of the leg — conduction paths, thermal interface materials, and heat-sinking features — and run thermal tests to validate performance against limits set by the actuation and electrical teamsRun structural analysis on leg components — static strength, stiffness, and basic fatigue checks — and correlate results against physical test with guidance from senior engineersCreate and maintain CAD models, drawings, tolerance stacks, and BOMs to support design reviews and manufacturing handoffsBuild test setups and prototypes, run structural, thermal, and durability tests, collect data, and document resultsCollaborate with the mobile base, torso, actuation, and electrical teams to keep your designs aligned with full-system requirementsWhat We're Looking ForBS in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field0–2 years of experience in mechanical design or hardware engineering (internships, co-ops, and serious project teams count)Proficiency with CAD software (Catia, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Onshape, or similar) for part and assembly designSolid grasp of mechanics fundamentals — statics, stress, stiffness, and heat transfer — and the instinct to sanity-check designs with quick hand calculationsFamiliarity with common manufacturing processes — machining, casting, sheet metal, 3D printing — and how they inform design decisionsComfort working hands-on with hardware: assembling components, running tests, and troubleshooting physical systemsStrong attention to detail and ability to follow and contribute to engineering documentation practicesEagerness to learn directly from senior engineers in a fast-moving environment and take feedback well through rapid design iterationsNice to Have (But Not Required)Coursework or project experience with cast, molded, or otherwise tooled parts — anything where you had to design for a manufacturing processExposure to FEA (structural or thermal) and correlating simple analyses to physical partsExperience on a robotics competition or engineering project team (FIRST, Formula SAE, Baja, university robotics)Hands-on experience with FDM or SLA 3D printing for functional...