Mechanical Engineer

Full-time
On-site · Palo Alto, CA, US
$120 - $180 · 0.25% - 0.75% equity

Posted November 2, 2026

Role: Engineering / Mechanical
Experience: 3+ years
Visa: US citizen/visa only
Skills: CAD Design, Design systems

Edgerun's mission is to remove civilization-level physical constraints limiting the human body. We believe a future where humans keep pushing into the unknown is far better than one where we send machines in our place. That starts on the battlefield, doubling what a soldier can carry and how far they can carry it. Read more about our mission here.

Mechanical Engineer

As a Mechanical Engineer, you will be responsible for the physical hardware of the world's most advanced powered exoskeleton, worn by soldiers in active combat. You will work with a talented team of accomplished engineers to take parts from concept through prototype, field test, and production, including structure, joints, actuator integration, modularity, and field serviceability. You should thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where you adapt quickly and love to solve hard problems.

You will see your own hardware worn by an operator within weeks of joining.

Responsibilities

Take parts from concept to working hardware in house, and carry them through to volume production
Own structure, joints, actuator integration, and the interfaces that mount to the belts and plate carriers soldiers already wear

Design for 30 Nm through a human hip, a fit range from the 5th to the 95th percentile, and survival in dust, water, and cold

Keep the system modular and field serviceable, so an armorer can swap a module with a screwdriver

Handle design for manufacturing as the product moves toward production

Follow designs through with suppliers, from spec to first articles

Join field tests and turn what you see there into changes to the hardware

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or another engineering discipline
2+ years designing parts that were manufactured and used in the field
Proficiency in CAD and hands-on fabrication experience

Preferred Skills and Experience

Structural design under real loads: material selection, FEA, and the judgment to know when a test is worth more than the analysis
Design for manufacturing, including what changes between a machined prototype and a production part, and what each process costs
Composites and lightweight structure: carbon fiber, titanium, thin wall aluminum
Wearable or body worn hardware, where fit across a range of body sizes is the constraint
Sealed enclosures for dust, water, and temperature
Direct experience working with suppliers to get parts made correctly
Machining or working the floor yourself, not only specifying it
Things you build outside work: robots, vehicles, your own tools

How We Work

Hardware on real operators in real field conditions within weeks of concept, not years
Small team, one owner per category, nobody owning a slice of someone else's problem

Additional Requirements

Full time and in person in Palo Alto
Hands on shop and assembly work
Travel to field tests, including overseas
Must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed

Apply for the Job

To apply for this role, provide us with the best evidence of your ability to execute. We would like to see what you have designed, built, and tested, so please include links, video, and photographs. A resume is welcome but not required. None of this has to be a perfect match. We care more about raw ability than a checklist, so if that's you, reach out.

Source: Y Combinator job 109347. Listed on YC when retrieved 2026-11-02.

Find in Hacklab

Mechanical Engineer

Responsibilities

Basic Qualifications

Preferred Skills and Experience

How We Work

Additional Requirements

Apply for the Job