Mechanical Design Engineer (Robotics for Data Centers)
ScrumAID
San Francisco, CA · Posted November 1, 2026
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November 2026
- #1Best cities for security jobs316 openings · of 20
- #1Best cities for technology jobs7,178 openings · of 100
- #1Best cities for financial services pay after cost of living$173k · of 33
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- #1Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the West Coast35% · of 54
- #1Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the West Coast902 jobs · of 47
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
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Pay compared with the market
This listing does not state pay. Across 52 open mechanical design engineer listings that state pay, the middle half runs $98,500 to $145,000 and the median is $119,500.
Listed pay is what employers advertise, not what people are paid.
Mechanical Design Engineer salaries by state · Check your own pay
How AI is used in this kind of work
AI use among mechanical engineers is little observed so far. Measured exposure for mechanical engineers: 8% (little observed).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Skills this job asks for
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About the job
A robotics startup building autonomous machines for operating data-center facilities wants a mechanical engineer equally at home in CAD software and at the workbench. Design, fabrication and testing all sit inside one small hardware group, so concepts turn into physical parts fast.
Your ownership
Mechanical subsystems from the opening sketch to a working prototype that has been through several iterations, including choices of materials, tolerance levels and fabrication approach
Part and assembly modeling supported by hand math and finite-element analysis, tailored for quick builds such as 3D printers and CNC mills
Hands-on construction of your own prototypes using printers, a machine shop and CNC machines
Marrying the mechanics with actuators, motors, sensors and electronics on robot arms and mobile platforms
Day-to-day work with the robotics, electrical and software teams to prepare full autonomous systems for production use
About you
Two to five years designing mechanical hardware for multi-axis robots, such as six-degree-of-freedom arms
A portfolio of robot prototypes carried from concept through to functioning hardware, spanning mechanisms, joints, drivetrains or end effectors
Strong CAD ability in SolidWorks, Fusion 360 or similar
Practical fabrication skill and a BS in mechanical engineering or a related field
Experience shipping robotics hardware at a startup or small team, plus the initiative to own a subsystem unprompted
On-site in the San Francisco Bay Area. Visa sponsorship is not available, so you must already be authorized to work in the US.