Senior Mechanical Engineer – Structural Simulation & Analysis Austin, TX

Senior Mechanical Engineer – Structural Simulation & Analysis

Austin, TX

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 enable transition from "concept" to "validated hardware" with minimal physical prototyping cycles. You will tackle complex physics problems such as impact dynamics, high‑cycle fatigue in high‑DOF joints, and multi‑body dynamics, ensuring every gram of material on the robot is justified.

You will bridge the gap between high‑level autonomous behaviors and the physical limits of the machine’s skeleton.

• Predictive Engineering – Guide culture from "design and then check" to simulation‑driven design where analysis informs initial architectural trade‑offs.
• Standardization – Support development of company‑wide standards for material models, boundary conditions, and safety factors for humanoid‑specific load cases.
• Non‑Linear & Dynamic FEA – Perform analysis of complex, non‑linear events such as high‑velocity impacts and transient dynamic loads during rapid limb acceleration.
• Fatigue & Life Prediction – Model fatigue life for primary structure, predicting lifecycle of components subjected to millions of gait cycles using fracture mechanics and durability analysis.
• Mass Optimization – Use topology optimization and generative design to reduce mass across limbs and torso while maintaining stiffness‑to‑weight ratios.
• Test/Sim Correlation – Collaborate with Hardware Integration and Test team to design physical experiments that validate and tune simulation models.
• Material Characterization – Lead efforts to characterize specialized materials, ensuring accurate simulation inputs.
• Mentorship – Provide technical mentorship for junior engineers, including deep-dive design reviews and solving physics bottlenecks.

• Education:
  
  B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field with focus on Computational Mechanics.
• Experience:
  
  4+ years in structural simulation and mechanical design, with evidence of shipping complex, high‑performance electromechanical products (Robotics, Aerospace, or Automotive).
• Software Mastery:
  Proficiency in industry‑standard simulation suites (Ansys, Abaqus, Simcenter).
• Physics Depth:
  Solid mechanics, vibration, heat transfer, and multi‑body dynamics.
• Humanoid Context:
  Experience with high‑speed mechanisms or lightweight structures for mobile platforms preferred.

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field focused on Computational Mechanics.
• At least 4 years of experience in structural simulation and mechanical design, with proven track record of shipping complex, high‑performance electromechanical products.

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

Direct Hire – No Agency Solicitation.

Apptronik provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.