Mechatronics Engineer, Robotics Hardware at FieldAI in Irvine, CA

Job description

FieldAI ’s Irvine team is where embodied AI meets real robots, real sensors, and real field deployments. Based in the heart of Southern California’s robotics ecosystem, we build risk-aware, reliable, field-ready AI systems that solve the hardest problems in robotics and unlock the full potential of embodied intelligence. If you want your work to ship, get tested on hardware, and improve through real deployments, Irvine is the place. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-only architectures, combining rigorous engineering with learning systems proven in globally deployed solutions that deliver results today and get better every time our robots run in the field. FieldAI is transforming how robots interact with the real world. We are building risk-aware, reliable, and field-ready AI systems that address the most complex challenges in robotics, unlocking the full potential of embodied intelligence. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-based architectures, and are charting a new course, with already-globally-deployed solutions delivering real-world results and rapidly improving models through real-field applications. Hardware Team: The Hardware Team at FieldAI develops perception and compute payloads that power autonomous robotics systems in complex real world environments. Our work spans the full hardware stack designing and integrating sensing systems (LiDAR, camera, TOF, IMU, GPS), embedded compute (CPUs, GPUs, microcontrollers, Linux, ROS), electrical systems (power distribution, communication), and mechanical components (structures, thermal regulation, ingress protection). The team focuses on both development (research, design, prototyping, testing) and operations (production, testing, QA, debugging). We're a small, fast-moving team, and we care deeply about improving: 1) core capabilities, 2) system reliability, 3) system scalability. As a growing team we are also building operational systems and procedures from the ground up. Mechatronics Role: As a Mechatronics Engineer on the Hardware Team at FieldAI, you will work at the intersection of mechanical and electrical engineering, designing the systems that package and integrate compute and perception suites onto large wheeled vehicle platforms. Your work will span mechanical CAD and packaging, PCB design, electromechanical/actuation systems, and full-lifecycle platform support — taking hardware from initial design through fabrication, bring-up, and field deployment. You will collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, sensor, and autonomy teams to build tightly integrated solutions ready for deployment in challenging field environments. Additionally, while your focus spans mechanical, electrical, and electromechanical integration, you will likely contribute across all hardware domains. What You Will Get To Do 1. Mechanical Design for Electronics Packaging Mechanical CAD & Packaging: Design packaging and mounting solutions for electronics compute boxes used across a variety of large vehicle platforms. Collaborate with the team to integrate the sensor suite (cameras, LiDARs, GPS, IMU) with the platform. Thermal & Structural Solutions: Collaborate with the team to investigate and solve thermal and structural challenges to keep autonomy hardware operational in rugged outdoor environments. Fabrication & Integration: Work with external fab shops to produce mechanical hardware, then perform hands-on assembly, bring-up, and integration onto the wheeled platform. 2. Electrical Design PCB Design: Design PCBs covering power regulation/distribution and wired communication systems, with senior electrical engineers available to pressure-test designs before they ship. Sensor & Compute Integration: Evaluate and integrate sensors (cameras, LiDARs) and test new onboard computers, with mechanical-electrical integration (wire routing, PCB placement, thermal paths). Bring-up & Validation: Bring up and validate electrical hardware, diagnosing