Rapyuta Robotics—an ETH Zurich spin-off on a mission to make advanced robots as commonplace and dependable as everyday logistics equipment—builds fleets of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and the cloud platform that connects them. As demand for warehouse automation accelerates, we are expanding our hardware team with an engineer who can take a concept from a whiteboard sketch all the way to a ramp-ready product on the factory floor.
What you will do
- Own the mechanical architecture of motion systems
- Design cost-efficient yet rugged chassis, suspension, lift units, drive modules, elevators, and swappable-battery docks for AMRs/AGVs operating 24 × 7 in harsh industrial settings.
- Balance weight, rigidity, manufacturability, and serviceability while meeting IP, safety, and regional regulatory requirements (e.g., ISO 3691-4, CE/UL).
- Analyse, simulate, and validate
- Perform FEA-based structural, modal, thermal, and fatigue analyses; run kinematic and tolerance stack-up studies; and translate results into actionable design changes.
- Define pass/fail criteria, write validation plans, and execute environmental, shock, vibration, ingress, and life-cycle tests.
- Prototype rapidly and iterate with hard data
- Build quick-turn samples; instrument prototypes for strain, load, and thermal measurements; and debug field failures to root cause.
- Lead design revisions, escalating only when change-control, cost, or schedule impact is unavoidable.
- Collaborate across disciplines
- Work daily with Electronics, Embedded Software, Procurement, and Supply-Chain teams to ensure seamless electro-mechanical integration and cost-down road-maps.
- Contribute to system-level hazard analyses, FMEAs, and risk assessments; assist Customer Success with root-cause investigations on deployed robots.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
- Proven Technical Foundation: Demonstrated success in delivering high-quality mechanical designs — either through a strong academic program or impactful work at a robotics, automotive, or automation company.
- Motion Subsystem Experience: 3–6 years designing mechanical components such as drivetrain assemblies, lift mechanisms, or mobile robot frames.
- CAD Mastery: Expertise in 3D modeling and detailed 2D drawings using SolidWorks or equivalent, including GD&T application.
- Design for the Real World: Experience with DFM/DFA, mechanical tolerancing, and material selection for production-quality parts.
- Hands-On Debugging: Ability to prototype, test, and troubleshoot issues in real hardware — especially in deployed or customer-facing systems.