Senior Mechanical Design Engineer- Robot Cladding&A-Class …, Palo Alto

At 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 possibly by our cutting edge research and end-to-end system design. We've raised over $400M and are investing aggressively in model research, infrastructure, hardware development, and manufacturing scale-up to make generalist robotics a reality. Senior Mechanical Design Engineer – Robot Cladding&A-Class Surfaces What to Expect As a Senior Engineer, you will own the full product lifecycle of our robot’s Class-A surfaces that define its appearance and protect its core. Robots are high performance multiaxial kinematic systems where heavy-duty structural integrity meets sub millimeter precision. In this role, you are the CEO of your components. You will navigate a diverse landscape of materials (e.g., textiles, polymers, and composites), interfacing with cross-functional teams to ensure our products are functional, reliable, robust, and well-crafted. We operate as T-shaped engineers. While you must be a generalist capable of solving any hardware challenge, your superpower for this role mustbe thin-walled component design and industrialization from concept to mass production. What You’ll Do End-to-End Ownership: Manage the product lifecycle from initial concept and design studio interaction to end-of-life, ensuring feasibility, sustainability, and craftsmanship. A-Class Surface Integration: Integrate the cladding subsystem of your ownership, balancing aesthetic, mechanical, cost, and time constraints. Systems&Tolerance Management: Define design criteria and lead engineering studies for subsystem compatibility. Perform dimensional stack-up analysis for critical-to-function and aesthetic interfaces. Detailed Engineering&DfM: Design complex B-side features (ribbing, bosses, clip towers, hooks) that support performance without compromising A-side aesthetics. Develop robust attachment strategies, including joining features (e.g., snaps , hooks, welds). Validation&Prototyping: Coordinate cladding prototype builds, evaluate assembly feasibility during slow builds, and validate components against requirements. Technical Documentation: Produce high-fidelity 3D CAD models (CATIA preferred) and 2D engineering drawings with comprehensive GD&T and datum strategies. Simulation&Failure Avoidance: Interpret FEA analysis (e.g., structural, Moldflow) to iterate designs. Think at a systems level and apply a failure mode avoidance mentality to ensure long-term reliability. Supplier&Cross-Functional Interaction: Partner with Supply Chain and Tier 1/2 suppliers for RFQs and technical feasibility reviews; troubleshoot integration issues during build phases. What You’ll Bring Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field. Experience: 5 years of engineering experience, including at least one full-cycle product launch. Core Fundamentals: Proficiency in design integration to balance material selection, geometry, and structural trade-offs informed by product use cases and functional/engineering requirements. Technical "Superpower": Deep Knowledge in thin-walled component design and/or high-performance composites (fiber-resin systems). Engineering Tools: Ability to define datum strategies and tolerances from concept through to Class-A maturation with a deep understanding of GD&T as a driver. Proficiency in CATIA (or equivalent) with the ability to communicate ideas through sections and CAD studies to progress development to production. The "Owner" Mindset: Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to use first principles thinking to solve technical bottlenecks under tight timelines. Bonus Points (The "Plus" List) Soft Goods Experience: Experience integrating textiles, artificial leather, elastomers, or cellular structures into designs. Advanced Manufacturing: Deep knowledge of injection molding, RIM, vacuum forming, or thermoforming. Finishing&Lighting: Familiarity with polymer surface finishes (painting, plating, etc.) or integration of vehicle interior lighting. Dual-Hat Experience: Background in both Design Engineering and Manufacturing/Assembly Engineering.