Mechanical Engineer, Level I

Company Description

Verustruct is developing a suite of robotic construction technologies to automate the building of affordable, sustainable, safe, and aesthetically appealing housing. The company’s mission is to help close the U.S. housing gap of 4.5 million homes by transforming how residential structures are designed and built. Verustruct focuses on integrating advanced robotics, automation, and novel construction methods into practical, scalable solutions. Team members collaborate across disciplines to bring next-generation construction systems from concept to field deployment, with a strong emphasis on real-world impact and long-term sustainability.

About the Role

As a Mechanical Engineer, Level II, you will help design, build, and test the machines at the core of Verustruct’s robotic construction platform. Working closely with experienced mechanical, robotics, materials, and structural engineers, you will contribute throughout the complete hardware-development cycle, including CAD, finite element analysis, mechanism design and selection, fabrication, assembly, testing, failure investigation, and design iteration. In the level II position, you will own entire subassemblies and be responsible for helping design, test, and scale robotic devices able to construct the future of housing.

This role is designed for an engineer who wants to build real machines, learn quickly, and take on increasing technical ownership as Verustruct advances from full-scale prototypes toward field deployment.

This is a full-time, on-site role based at our headquarters in Torrance, California.

What You'll Do

• Design and develop components and mechanical subsystems for robotic construction equipment, including automated formwork, locomotion, material delivery, concrete consolidation, actuation, and auxiliary construction tools
• Create detailed CAD models, assemblies, drawings, bills of materials, tolerance analyses, and manufacturing documentation
• Perform mechanical calculations and structural analysis to support design decisions and validate component performance
• Select motors, actuators, bearings, fasteners, sensors, structural members, and other mechanical components
• Work directly with internal fabrication resources and outside vendors to manufacture machined, welded, sheet-metal, 3D-printed, and off-the-shelf assemblies
• Assemble, commission, and test prototype hardware at subsystem and integrated-system levels
• Develop test fixtures, define test procedures, collect data, investigate failures, and incorporate findings into subsequent design iterations
• Collaborate with controls, electrical, materials, structural, and building-design teams to integrate mechanical hardware into a coordinated robotic platform
• Maintain clear engineering documentation, participate in design reviews, and contribute to the development of Verustruct’s design standards and mechanical workflows
• Take increasing ownership of subsystems and technical decisions as your experience and familiarity with the platform grow

Experience Target: Mechanical Engineer I

• Typically suited for candidates with approximately 0–2 years of relevant professional experience developing complex mechanical or electromechanical hardware.
• Candidates should be comfortable progressing defined subsystems through design, analysis, fabrication, assembly, and testing, while seeking input at appropriate technical decision points.
• Experience in robotics, industrial automation, aerospace, automotive, heavy machinery, construction equipment, or similarly complex hardware systems is particularly relevant and a plus at this level.

Additional Details

Verustruct is committed to building a high-performing engineering team and compensating employees fairly as we advance from full-scale technical validation toward real-world deployment.

The expected total annual compensation range, including salary and equity, is:

• Mechanical Engineer I: $90,000–$110,000

Final compensation will depend on experience level, technical depth, leadership scope, and fit for the role. Our compensation package includes optionality for a meaningful equity portion designed to reward early employees for helping build Verustruct into a category-defining company.

Requirements

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, robotics, aerospace engineering, or a closely related field
• Strong understanding of mechanical-engineering fundamentals, including statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, machine design, and manufacturing processes
• Experience developing mechanical designs in a professional, academic, internship, research, or project-based environment
• CAD proficiency, ideally in Siemens NX, or demonstrated experience with a comparable platform such as SolidWorks, Creo, CATIA, or Autodesk Inventor
• Hands-on experience assembling, testing, troubleshooting, or improving mechanical hardware
• Familiarity with mechanisms, actuators, motors, bearings, fasteners, tolerances, materials, and fabrication processes
• Ability to communicate technical reasoning clearly and document engineering work effectively
• A practical, curious, and iterative approach to solving open-ended hardware problems
• Comfort working in a fast-moving startup environment where design, fabrication, and testing occur in tight development loops

Benefits

Benefits include:

• Health insurance: Silver PPO plan, 80% company-paid, with optional dental and vision coverage
• Retirement: 401(k) plan with 4% employer match
• Time off: Flexible PTO policy and observed federal holidays
• Relocation support: Available for exceptional candidates relocating to the Los Angeles / Torrance area
• Early-team ownership: Meaningful responsibility within a venture-backed construction robotics company progressing toward full-scale deployment