MeshOS AI logo

Founding Hardware Design Automation Engineer

MeshOS AI Seattle, Washington, United States

onsitefull-time

Salary: $140,000 - $200,000 / year

Posted Feb 18, 2026Apply by Aug 17, 2026

Role & seniority: Hardware Design Automation Engineer; seniority not specified

Stack/tools: Python, VBA, C/C++; CAD/CAE tools (SolidWorks, Autodesk Fusion 360, ANSYS, Onshape, Abaqus); OpenSCAD, FreeCAD; APIs/plugins; Git; HPC/distributed setups (nice to have)

Top 3 responsibilities

  • Develop and maintain automation scripts/macros for commercial and open-source CAD/CAE tools; enable end-to-end prompt-to-finished-model workflows

  • Build and integrate custom APIs/macros to modify geometry, run simulations, and trigger batch runs; collaborate with ML/AI engineers to embed AI recommendations

  • Apply mechanical design fundamentals to ensure validity and manufacturability; provide design/best-practice input for constraints and load cases; document and support users; troubleshoot pipelines

Must-have skills

  • Proficiency in Python, VBA, C/C++

  • Experience scripting/customizing SolidWorks, Autodesk Fusion 360, ANSYS, Onshape, or OpenSCAD/FreeCAD

  • Understanding of hardware design workflows, geometry constraints, part modeling, manufacturing processes; basic FEA setup (loads, boundary conditions, meshing)

  • CAD/CAE tool proficiency and ability to navigate API/version differences; debugging/troubleshooting of automation

  • Familiarity with version control (Git) and documenting automation

Nice-to-haves

  • HPC/distributed computing for large-scale FEA/CFD

  • Advanced manufacturing knowledge (injection molding, additive)

  • OpenCascade/CGAL, MATLAB/Java; AI/d

Full Description

NOTE: Please fill in the form linked here which is being used as an initial screening filter for the applicants. Link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?prevorigin=shell&origin=NeoPortalPage&subpage=design&id=8Rdtn0r0bE25XKGppIxQIxiFCHi_YFRJpqbdZuAVru1UQUYySFBQMlNQWDBSWFpNNFRCRVdLUlJWOC4u We will consider contract and part time roles as well. Please indicate so in the form. About Us MeshOS is building an AI teammate for hardware engineers — software that helps hardware teams run engineering workflows faster, with higher quality and lower cost. We are an institutional VC funded pre-seed stage company and are working to disrupt the hardware design industry. Our first goal is to empower manufacturers and product designers with an autonomous (or semi-autonomous) “mechanical engineer”. If you’re excited by the idea of building an AI hardware engineer that shortens product design cycles, lowers manufacturing costs, and changes how the world thinks about mechanical R&D, we look forward to meeting you! About the role As a Hardware Design Automation Engineer, you’ll be instrumental in creating and refining scripts, macros, and custom APIs across multiple platforms, translating AI-driven design directives into real geometry changes and simulation setups. If you’re excited about bridging the AI and hardware world we’d love to talk to you. What you will own

A few of the key responsibilities will include one or more from the below

  • Scripting / Automation
  • Develop and maintain automation scripts for commercial software (e.g., SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, Ansys, Cadence, Onshape) and open-source tools (e.g., OpenSCAD, FreeCAD, KiCAD).
  • Customize or create macros (in VBA, Python etc.) to manipulate 3D geometry, run parametric updates, or post-process simulation results.
  • Ensure these scripts integrate smoothly with our AI-driven design system, enabling end-to-end “prompt-to-finished-model” workflows.

API Development & Custom Integration Work with the software’s internal APIs or plugin frameworks to create custom functionalities—like updating part dimensions, generating new features, or triggering batch simulations. Collaborate with ML/AI engineers to embed the AI’s geometry or analysis recommendations seamlessly into each CAD/CAE environment.

Mechanical Design & Best Practices Utilize engineering design fundamentals to ensure that scripted geometry changes remain valid and manufacturable. Offer best-practice input for part design or simulation setup—helping refine how the AI solution defines constraints or load cases.

Troubleshooting & Debugging Diagnose issues with macros, custom API calls, or solver integration (automation runs failing, syntax errors, script timeouts, geometry anomalies). Provide solutions to keep pipelines robust—for instance, fallback strategies if certain geometry changes cause solver errors.

Performance & Scalability Optimize scripts for speed (e.g., large assemblies in SolidWorks, multi-iteration simulation loops in ANSYS). Potentially explore HPC or distributed setups if large-scale batch simulation is needed.

Documentation & Collaboration Document scripts, macros, and plugin instructions. Provide how-to guides for the ML engineers or mechanical designers who’ll use these automations. Maintain version control (Git) for macros and custom code, ensuring clarity on each software version’s compatibility. Required Qualifications Scripting & Programming Expertise Proficiency in Python, VBA, C, C++ Demonstrable background writing automation scripts/customizations for the following: SolidWorks, Autodesk Fusion 360, ANSYS, Onshape, or open-source tools like Openscad, FreeCAD.

Mechanical / Systems / Hardware Engineering Knowledge Understanding of typical hardware design workflows, geometry constraints, part modeling and manufacturing processes. Understanding of fundamental stress or thermal analysis, and how FEA typically sets up loads, boundary conditions, meshing. Understanding of reliability and safety analyses pertaining to design of hardware components and assemblies.

CAD/CAE Tools

Hands-on experience working with at least two major tools from this list: SolidWorks, Autodesk (Inventor, Fusion 360), ANSYS, Abaqus, Onshape, Siemens NX Ability to navigate version differences, e.g., “What changed in SolidWorks 2022 API vs. 2021?”

API & Automation Comfortable reading or writing documentation for commercial or open-source software APIs. Skilled in building custom plugins, macros, or scripts that do geometry modification, meshing, or simulation runs automatically.

Problem-Solving & Debugging Track record of diagnosing script issues—crashes, geometry corruption, or solver mismatch. Resourceful in exploring forum threads, vendor docs, or trial-and-error to fix automation challenges. Nice-to-Have Qualifications Experience with HPC or distributed computing for large-scale FEA/CFD jobs. Understanding of advanced manufacturing constraints (e.g., injection molding, additive manufacturing). Familiarity with advanced geometry kernels (Open Cascade, CGAL) or additional languages (MATLAB, Java). Exposure to AI or data-driven design tools, bridging parametric geometry with ML-based optimization. Experience with building Agentic AI systems using foundation models and domain specialized models with curated domain specialized data. Experience with digital twin development for industrial hardware and simulation frameworks. Personal Attributes

Detail-Oriented: You catch the small differences in version updates or import parameters that can break an entire automation pipeline.

Collaborative: Will coordinate with ML engineers, mechanical designers, and DevOps folks.

Self-Starter: Eager to test new APIs or write scripts from scratch, comfortable with fast iteration.

Mechanical Engineering Mindset: Able to appreciate design constraints (thickness, hole spacing, etc.) while coding.

Why Join Us

Pioneering: We’re at the intersection of AI and mechanical engineering, shaping the future of how products get designed.

Impactful Work: Your efforts will directly influence product adoption and how real engineers discover and use our solution.

Growth & Learning: Collaborate with an agile, innovative team, expand your skill set in both business development and advanced technology marketing.

Autonomy: We embrace a startup culture where you can take ownership, experiment with new campaigns, and see immediate results. How to Apply Please fill in the form linked at the top of the posting.

In your cover letter, highlight

  • How your background meets the qualifications listed above and how you see yourself performing the responsibilities listed.
  • Specific CAD/CAE software and API experience.
  • Examples of scripts or custom integrations you’ve built.
  • Any mechanical engineering or hardware design background, if relevant.

Equal Opportunity Employer We value diversity and encourage applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status. Compensation & Benefits

Base salary: USD 140,000 – USD 200,000

Equity (for full time exempt only): Upto 2.5% (base salary dependent – please check form above)

Benefits (for full time exempt only): Health insurance, 401(k) plan with company contributions, travel allowance to relevant conferences, PTO. Join Us in Bridging AI & Mechanical Automation If you’re excited to shape the next era of mechanical design—where scripts and APIs connect AI intelligence to real CAD/CAE processes—come aboard as our Hardware Design Automation Engineer. Let’s unlock the future of automated mechanical design together!

PythonVBACC++SolidWorksAutodesk Fusion 360ANSYSOnshapeOpenSCADFreeCADKiCADAPI DevelopmentGeometry ManipulationFEA SetupGitTroubleshootingmulti-location

Cookies & analytics consent

We serve candidates globally, so we only activate Google Tag Manager and other analytics after you opt in. This keeps us aligned with GDPR/UK DPA, ePrivacy, LGPD, and similar rules. Essential features still run without analytics cookies.

Read how we use data in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.