Mechatronics Engineer

Job description

Sorting Robotics builds and deploys robotic systems for real manufacturing floors. We are hiring the Cognizant Engineer (CogE) to own our next flagship: a VLA-powered (Vision-Language-Action) gripping and assembly system. You will lead this product from the rig on the bench to machines running in customers facilities, and you will own its technical success end to end. Additionally, you will help with other flagship products as a support or Responsible Engineer.

This is a hands-on technical leadership seat. You will design the end-effector and mechatronics, integrate vision and force and tactile sensing into a 6DOF arm, and operationalize learned manipulation policies (VLA models) so the system reliably grips, places, and assembles in the real world. You work directly with the founder and leadership. Expect to learn a lot fast, hit days where nothing works, and ship a multi-million-dollar product in a room full of people who appreciate you.

Preferred: comfortable with cannabis (ideally you enjoy it and have experienced it), as we build innovations for the legal cannabis market in the US and Canada.

What you will own

• Own the VLA gripping and assembly system cradle to grave: concept, design, build, bring-up, deployment, and field reliability. You are accountable for its technical success.
• Design the gripper and mechatronics: end-effector design, actuation, GD&T drawings, mass, cost and manufacturability tradeoffs, rapid prototyping (3D print, laser, CNC, PCB), and production-ready designs.
• Integrate perception and sensing into the manipulation loop: cameras and vision, force, torque and tactile feedback, and the 6DOF arm.
• Operationalize VLA and learned manipulation policies: stand up the data pipeline (teleop and demonstration collection), wire policy inference into real-time control, evaluate grasp and assembly success, and close the sim-to-real and on-robot iteration loop.
• Optimize with modeling and test: analytical and physical simulation, then validate on hardware.
• Interface with suppliers to build supply chain and vendor qualification for manufacturing feasibility, validation, and assigned commodities; deliver world-class fit, finish, and craftsmanship for launch.
• Support deployment: help assemble and install systems at customer sites as needed. Travel is approximately 1 to 5 percent.

Ideal candidate skills

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or Robotics (M.S. a plus).
• Real experience taking a robotic system from concept to delivery on an R&D team.
• Manipulation and gripping experience: end-effector or gripper design, grasping, pick-and-place, or assembly automation.