OpenAI

Technology

MechanicalEngineer,SoftGoodsDesign

$266–295k San Francisco, California, United States FULL TIME
Market Sentiment
HIGH DEMAND

Neural analysis suggests this role is
optimal for Mid+ candidates.

The Brief

“Mechanical Engineer, Soft Goods Design at OpenAI. Skills: Robotics, Soft goods design, Material science. Lead engineering of flexible components. Lead characterization of flexible components”

Industry & Context.

Technology
Problems you'll solve

Root cause analysis

Eligibility Requirements

In-person presence 4 days/week

What They're Looking For.

Must Have

Mechanical engineering degree, Experience with elastomers, Experience with foams, Experience with textiles, Experience with flexible composites

Nice to Have

Degree in mechanical engineering, Experience with A-surface development, Experience with cosmetic component development, Experience integrating soft components, Experience integrating compliant components, Familiarity with environmental testing, Familiarity with durability testing, Experience working with contract manufacturers, Experience working with specialty fabricators, Familiarity with material characterization, Experience transitioning prototypes to production

What You'll Do.

Lead engineering of flexible components

Lead characterization of flexible components

Lead productionization of flexible components

Integrate compliant materials into subsystems

Integrate flexible materials into subsystems

Integrate materials with rigid hardware

Integrate materials with sensor interfaces

Integrate materials with actuator interfaces

Characterize material behavior under loads

Develop test methods for components

Develop validation protocols for components

Evaluate durability of soft components

Evaluate performance of soft components

Evaluate failure modes of soft components

Transition prototypes into manufacturable designs

Work with contract manufacturers on fabrication

Analyze system-level tradeoffs

Document material specifications

Document mechanical performance

Investigate field failures

Iterate designs based on wear patterns

Iterate designs based on performance degradation

How You'll Work.

Team & Collaboration

Cross-functional teams; Supply chain partners; Specialty fabricators; Contract manufacturers

Process & Methodology

Prototyping, Production

Full Job Description

About the Team Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings. Working across the entire model stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the constraints of physical systems to improve peoples’ lives. About the Role We are seeking a Mechanical Engineer to lead the engineering, characterization, and productionization of flexible and compliant components in robotic platforms. You will partner closely with cross-functional teams to translate material concepts into engineered subsystems that meet functional, durability, and manufacturing requirements. This role focuses on understanding how soft materials behave in dynamic mechanical systems — including fatigue, creep, hysteresis, wear, and environmental degradation — and designing assemblies that perform consistently at scale. You will work with materials such as elastomers, foams, thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs), engineered fabrics, knitted and woven textiles, cables, and other flexible load-bearing or transmission elements, integrating them with rigid hardware, sensors, and actuators using fabrication methods such as bonding, molding, lamination, and sewn assemblies. This role is based in San Francisco, CA, and requires in-person presence 4 days a week. In this role, you will - Design and integrate compliant or flexible materials into mechanical subsystems and rigid hardware interfaces. - Leverage FEA tools to characterize material behavior under operational loads, including tension, compression, abrasion, fatigue, and environmental exposure. - Develop test methods and validation protocols to evaluate durability, performance, and failure modes of soft components. - Collaborate with cross-functional teams to transition early prototypes into manufacturable designs. - Source and evaluate materials in co

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