Mechanical Engineer, Soft Goods Design

About this role

OpenAI's Robotics team seeks a Mechanical Engineer to design and productionize flexible, compliant components for robotic systems. You'll translate soft material concepts into durable, manufacturable subsystems that integrate elastomers, textiles, foams, and other flexible elements with rigid hardware and sensors.

What you'll do

• Design and integrate compliant materials into mechanical subsystems with rigid hardware interfaces
• Use FEA tools to characterize material behavior under operational loads and environmental conditions
• Develop test methods and validation protocols for soft component durability and failure analysis
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to transition prototypes into manufacturable designs
• Source materials and work with contract manufacturers on bonding, molding, lamination, and sewing processes
• Investigate field failures and iterate designs based on wear patterns and performance degradation

What they're looking for

• Mechanical design of flexible and compliant systems
• Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
• Material characterization and testing
• Knowledge of elastomers, foams, TPUs, and textiles
• Manufacturing process expertise (molding, bonding, lamination, sewing)
• Cross-functional collaboration and communication
• Environmental and durability testing
• Technical documentation and specifications