Mechanical Engineer - Robotics

Overview

Pike Robotics is a Houston-based, post-revenue startup building Wall-Eye, the first wall-crawling robot engineered to inspect fixed equipment in hazardous, flammable, and confined spaces. Our first use case is above-ground storage tank inspection—work that today requires costly shutdowns, is dangerous to perform, and often produces inaccurate results. Wall-Eye enables zero-incident, in-service inspection, reducing cost to asset owners by up to 80%.

Founded in 2022 from a collaborative research project between Phillips 66 and Texas Robotics Labs, Pike completed its MVP in 2023. The company has completed over 35 tank inspections for major energy and chemical companies with many more scheduled for this year. Pike has also won awards including 1st place Chevron Facilities of the Future, Top 4 Rose Rock Bridge showcase, 5th place Texas A&M New Ventures, and 8th place Rice Business Plan Competition. Pike is supported by the National Science Foundation, Deepstar Technology Consortium, University of Texas at Austin, Rose Rock Bridge, Venture Capitalists, and others, working with 15+ customers and partners in the Oil & Gas and Chemical industries.

Type of Role

Commitment: Full-time (40–50 hours/week depending on deadlines)

Location: In-person in midtown Houston with intermittent travel to customer sites

Start Date: August 2026

Work Environment & Physical Requirements:

• Comfortable working in industrial environments while wearing PPE (safety glasses, hard hat, gloves, FR clothing when required)
• Able to lift/carry robot components, tools, and equipment up to 50 lbs
• Able to climb stairs at customer sites
• Willing to complete required site safety training and drug/alcohol testing; follow all customer and Pike safety procedures

Description of Role

As a Mechanical Engineer at Pike Robotics, you will design, prototype, test, and improve robotic systems that operate in harsh industrial environments. You will work closely with electrical, software, and field engineering teams to develop reliable mechanical systems from concept through production and field deployment. Your work will span the full product lifecycle: concept, CAD design, analysis, prototyping, validation, production readiness, field deployment, and continuous improvement.

Duties

• Design mechanical components and assemblies using CAD (Onshape preferred)
• Create production-ready drawings, BOMs, and engineering documentation
• Perform tolerance analysis, material selection, and Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
• Prototype, assemble, and test robotic hardware
• Integrate motors, actuators, sensors, and electromechanical components
• Troubleshoot mechanical issues and implement design improvements
• Support laboratory and customer field testing
• Collaborate with electrical and software engineers
• Develop assembly procedures and test documentation
• Contribute to next-generation robotic platform development

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• 4+ years of mechanical design experience developing complex electromechanical products.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD software (Onshape preferred; SolidWorks, Creo, NX, CATIA, or equivalent).
• Experience creating production-ready designs, engineering drawings, BOMs, GD&T, and applying DFM/DFA principles.
• Hands-on experience building, assembling, testing, and troubleshooting mechanical systems and prototypes.
• Strong understanding of mechanical engineering fundamentals, including materials, machine design, and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to travel to customer sites and work safely in industrial environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing robotic, automated, or industrial equipment.
• Experience integrating mechanical systems with motors, actuators, sensors, and other electromechanical components.
• Experience with FEA, tolerance analysis, and product validation testing.
• Experience taking products from concept through prototype, production, and field deployment.
• Experience working in a fast-paced startup or new product development environment.
• Familiarity with ROS/ROS2 or collaborating with embedded software and electrical engineering teams.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work effectively on cross-functional engineering teams.

The ideal candidate is:

• Self-motivated and comfortable working with minimal direction
• Hands-on and willing to build, test, and iterate designs quickly
• Curious and driven to solve challenging engineering problems
• Able to balance technical excellence with practical business needs
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment where priorities can change quickly
• Committed to delivering reliable, high-quality products that improve customer safety

Company Culture

We’re driven by a shared mission—to make industrial inspection safer, smarter, and more sustainable through advanced robotics. Every team member can grow into a well-rounded engineer with real autonomy earned through impact. We value initiative, adaptability, and open discussion. Pike is a place for builders who enjoy solving hard problems. As we are not a large company, we only accept tough and resilient people, who take intense pride in the quality of their work. If you are not a team player and unwilling to make sacrifices, work long hours, or take on tasks that are sometimes outside your job description, you will not last in this role.

Compensation

• Salary: $110k–$140k (dependent on % of Yes answers in questionnaire and equity requested)
• Equity: Stock options targeting 0.5%–1.5% fully diluted ownership at grant, 4-year vesting with 1-year cliff. Unlike most startups, your equity will have a real payout event in the next 4 to 5 years.
• Benefits: 2 weeks PTO; healthcare; relocation travel expense reimbursement; weekend lunch meals

Application:

Ensure resume has link to your portfolio or Github. DO NOT email company or send connection request to Founders.

Pike Robotics is an equal opportunity employer.

Pay:

$110,000.00 - $140,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Relocation assistance
• Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person