Senior Mechanical Engineer- Actuators and Gearbox , Fauna

We are seeking a talented and experienced Senior Mechanical Engineer to join our actuator team. You will play a pivotal role in designing, prototyping, testing, and scaling the actuator systems for our robotic systems. This role requires a strong background in motor and precision gearing design, including broader knowledge around motor electromagnetics, transmission types, sensing, structural components, and thermal management.

You will help drive actuator development across the full engineering lifecycle while establishing scalable design, test, and integration practices for future robotic platforms.

Key job responsibilities

Lead the selection, design, and integration of robotic actuators.

Create and optimize precision mechanical systems, including linkages, joints, and actuation systems

Collaborate with electrical and software engineers to integrate sensors, drive electronics, and control systems

Define actuator requirements around torque density, bandwidth, efficiency, thermal performance, back drivability, inertia, reliability, manufacturability, and cost.

Develop test infrastructure and expertise for measuring performance and reliability.

• Work with suppliers and manufacturers worldwide to source components, manage production timelines, and maintain quality standards
• Perform life-cycle testing, quality assurance, and failure analysis to validate designs and ensure product reliability
• Oversee the transition of designs from prototype to mass production, including working directly with manufacturing partners globally
• Maintain detailed design documentation, including CAD models, drawings, and test data

About the team

Fauna Robotics, an Amazon company, is building capable, safe, and genuinely delightful robots for everyday life. Our goal is simple: make robots people actually want to live and interact with in everyday human spaces.

We believe that future won’t arrive until building for robotics becomes far more accessible. Today, too much effort is spent reinventing the fundamentals. We’re changing that by developing tightly integrated hardware and software systems that make it faster, safer, and more intuitive to create real-world robotic products.

Our work spans the full stack: mechanical design, control systems, dynamic modeling, and intelligent software. The focus is not just functionality, but experience. We’re building robots that feel responsive, expressive, and genuinely useful.

At Fauna, you’ll work at the frontier of this space, helping define how robots move, manipulate, and interact with people in natural environments. It’s an opportunity to solve hard problems across hardware and software with a team focused on making robotics accessible and joyful to build.

If you care about making robotics real for everyone and building systems that are as delightful as they are capable, we’re interested in hearing from you.

• Basic Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree or above in robotics, mechanical/mechatronics engineering, systems engineering or related field
• Experience in developing functional specifications, design verification plans and functional test procedures

7+ years of working  designing gears systems, robotic actuators, or precision mechatronic hardware.

Experience with CAD software (Solidworks, Onshape, NX, Catia, etc)

Strong understanding of motors, transmissions, bearings, encoders, structural design, thermal management, and precision mechanical integration.

• Proficiency in designing machined, cast, and 3D-printed parts
• Experience with mechatronics, including sensors, actuators, and motion control systems
• Understanding of manufacturing processes and working with a global supply chain

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with interdisciplinary teams to execute product design from concept to production
• Experience with the project management of technical projects
• Previous experience in robotics or control systems
• Knowledge of finite element analysis (FEA) and simulation tools for stress, thermal, and dynamic analysis
• Equal Opportunity
• Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
• Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location.

Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, NY, New York - 157,100.00 - 212,600.00 USD annually