OpenAI
Actuator Gear Design Engineer
About this role
Lead the design and development of custom gearing systems for advanced robotic actuators, from early-stage architecture through prototype validation and production scaling. This role bridges mechanical design, integration, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver high-performance electromechanical assemblies for next-generation robotics platforms.
What you'll do
- Design and integrate custom robotic actuator gearing, defining requirements around torque density, efficiency, thermal performance, and manufacturability
- Conduct system-level trade studies balancing performance, reliability, cost, and scalability across actuator architectures
- Build and validate prototypes through hands-on bring-up, testing, characterization, and iterative refinement
- Develop test methodologies and failure analysis frameworks to evaluate actuator durability and reliability
- Collaborate with controls, firmware, electrical, and robotics teams to optimize closed-loop actuator performance and integration
- Partner with manufacturing and suppliers to transition designs from prototype to production-ready scalable assemblies
What they're looking for
- Gear design and transmission system engineering
- Mechanical design and precision tolerance analysis
- Electromechanical systems and actuator architecture
- Motor electromagnetics and thermal management
- Prototype building, instrumentation, and testing
- CAD and FEA analysis tools
- Cross-functional collaboration and communication
- Manufacturing and supply chain development
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OpenAI
OpenAI builds AI infrastructure and products, including large-scale data center campuses for AI computing and generative AI applications for enterprise customers. The company is hiring civil engineers, project engineers, electrical design engineers, data center R&D engineers, and AI deployment engineers to expand its infrastructure capabilities and help customers deploy AI solutions.
View all jobs at OpenAILikely interview questions
- Walk us through a gearing system you designed—how did you balance torque density, efficiency, and manufacturability?
- Describe your experience with actuator integration into larger systems. How do you optimize for both subsystem and system-level performance?