Robotics Mechanical Design Engineer, Gears, Optimus

What to Expect

Tesla’s actuator team designs and builds actuators for humanoid bi-pedal robots (Tesla Bot). The team integrates mechanical, electrical, and electromagnetic engineering disciplines in a collaborative environment.

This role focuses on the design, optimization, and industrialization of high-performance gear systems for electromechanical actuators. You will contribute to gear design efforts to achieve exceptional torque density, efficiency, and reliability in rotary and linear actuator applications.

What You’ll Do

• Design and optimize gear trains for torque and force density in rotary/linear actuator systems
• Collaborate with electromagnetic motor teams to align gear systems with motor performance goals
• Evaluate and implement advanced gear technologies (e.g., planetary, cycloidal, harmonic drives) for efficiency and reliability
• Develop prototypes for validating gear system performance under dynamic loads
• Conduct thermal, stress, and wear analysis to ensure gear durability and reliability
• Partner with manufacturing and supply chain teams to refine gear production processes
• Troubleshoot and resolve gear-related performance issues during prototyping and production
• Document gear design specifications and test results for iterative improvement
• Explore novel gear configurations to reduce weight, cost, and complexity
• Support validation of gear systems against actuator-level efficiency and torque requirements

What You’ll Bring

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field with expertise in gear design, or equivalent experience (advanced degree preferred)
• 3+ years designing rotary/linear gear systems for high-torque electromechanical applications
• Proven experience in gear train optimization for efficiency, durability, and force density
• Proficiency in CAD tools (e.g., Solid Works, CATIA) for gear system design
• Deep understanding of planetary, cycloidal, harmonic, and ball screw gear mechanisms
• Experience with finite element analysis (FEA) or computational modeling for gear systems
• Knowledge in common tools like, MASTA, ROMAX, Transmission 3D, etc.
• Familiarity with gear manufacturing processes (e.g., hobbing, grinding, 3D printing)
• Strong analytical skills in thermal management and mechanical stress analysis
• Hands-on experience with gear prototyping, testing, and calibration and knowledge of industry standards (e.g., AGMA, ISO) for gear design and quality