---
title: 'Senior NPI Mechanical Engineer at Humanoid'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-npi-mechanical-engineer-humanoid-us-boston-z1b1gfr486hm'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-17'
---

# Senior NPI Mechanical Engineer at Humanoid

- **Company:** [Humanoid](https://feeny.ai/companies/humanoid)
- **Location:** US Boston, MA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-09-10
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-17
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/humanoid/537a8c12-2743-41d4-ad5f-3887600d4d7d

## Job description

Here at Humanoid, we believe in a future where robots amplify human potential. That’s why we’ve set out on a mission to build the world’s most capable, commercially-scalable, and safe humanoid robots. We’re bringing that mission to life with HMND‑01 - our rapidly developed humanoid platform being deployed in real industrial environments - and we’re growing the team to take it even further.

## About the Role

We are seeking a Senior NPI Mechanical Engineer to help establish our mechanical New Product Introduction (NPI) practices from the ground up, guiding hardware programs from concept through early production readiness. In this role, you will be the technical authority on manufacturability, working closely with design, quality, and supply chain teams to build the frameworks, processes, and discipline that let us scale from prototype and beta builds toward repeatable, larger-volume production. You will stand up quality processes and defect-reduction practices sized to where we are today, and own supplier relationships from sourcing through qualification and issue resolution. This is a hands-on, cross-functional role at the intersection of design, manufacturing, and quality, for an experienced mechanical engineer who thrives on creating structure out of ambiguity as much as executing within it.

## What You'll Do

New Product Introduction (NPI)

- Lead mechanical NPI activities across the full product lifecycle, from concept and early prototyping through pilot builds, ramp, and sustained production.
- Partner with design engineering to review designs for manufacturability, assembly, and testability (DFM/DFA/DFT), influencing decisions early enough to avoid costly late-stage changes.
- Help define and stand up a lightweight, right-sized gate process (EVT/DVT/PVT-equivalent) for our stage, then own the mechanical engineering deliverables (build plans, test protocols, readiness criteria) at each gate as it matures.
- Coordinate cross-functionally with electrical engineering, industrial design, quality, supply chain, and program management to keep NPI programs on schedule and within budget.

Manufacturing Scalability

- Evaluate and select manufacturing processes, tooling, and fixturing appropriate for our current build volumes, with an eye toward what will and won't scale as we grow from beta to production
- Identify and resolve bottlenecks in prototype and early pilot builds, laying the groundwork for the throughput and yield improvements we'll need as volume increases.
- Develop and validate assembly processes, work instructions, and line layouts in partnership with contract manufacturers and internal operations teams- largely from scratch, not by inheriting existing documentation.
- Lead design-for-scale reviews to anticipate and mitigate risks before they impact volume production.

Quality & Defect Reduction

- Lead defect triage and containment efforts during prototype and pilot builds, partnering with quality engineering — or building that partnership where it doesn't yet exist — to close the loop on recurring issues.
- Define and begin tracking foundational quality metrics appropriate to our build volumes (e.g., first-pass yield, defect rate per build, open issues by severity), evolving toward more statistically rigorous measures like DPPM and field return rates as volumes grow.
- Establish and drive quality processes across the NPI lifecycle, including FMEA, root cause analysis, and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) programs.
- Champion a culture of proactive quality, embedding lessons learned from prior programs into new product designs.

Supplier Management

- Lead supplier sourcing, qualification, and onboarding for mechanical components, subassemblies, and tooling.
- Conduct supplier audits and capability assessments to ensure suppliers can meet cost, quality, and volume requirements.
- Manage ongoing supplier relationships, including performance reviews, issue resolution, and escalation management.
- Negotiate and align on technical requirements, specifications, and quality agreements with suppliers and contract manufacturers.

## What We're Looking For

- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
- 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience, including significant time in NPI roles- ideally including experience both scaling hardware through high-volume manufacturing and standing up NPI processes from scratch in an early-stage or low-volume environment.
- Demonstrated track record of taking products from concept through mass production, ideally in robotics, consumer electronics, or complex electromechanical systems.
- Strong working knowledge of DFM/DFA/DFT principles, GD&T, and manufacturing processes (injection molding, sheet metal, machining, casting, etc.).
- Hands-on experience with quality methodologies such as FMEA, 8D, root cause analysis, and SPC.
- Proven experience managing supplier relationships, including sourcing, qualification, and issue resolution.
- Experience standing up or scaling manufacturing lines at contract manufacturers.
- Excellent cross-functional collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to influence design decisions and align diverse stakeholders.
- Willingness to travel to supplier and manufacturing sites as needed (domestic and/or international).

Preferred Qualifications:

- Experience in robotics, automation, or other complex mechatronic products.
- Familiarity with PLM/ERP systems and NPI program management tools.
- Six Sigma or equivalent quality certification.
- Experience with regulatory and safety compliance requirements relevant to robotics hardware (e.g., UL, CE, ISO).

## What We Offer

- Comprehensive health coverage for US‑based employees, including fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, with virtual care and employee assistance resources.
- Meaningful time off to rest and recharge: 23 days of PTO (accrued), separate sick leave, and paid company holidays.
- 401(k) retirement plan with 4% employer match.
- Competitive equity: stock options with meaningful upside as we scale.
- Free daily catered lunch, snacks, and drinks in‑office.
- Collaboration with top‑tier engineers, researchers, and product experts in AI and robotics.
- Freedom to influence the product and own key initiatives.

For this role in Massachusetts, the expected base salary range is $150K–$190K USD per year; your placement in that range depends on how your experience maps to our internal leveling.

## About Humanoid

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Humanoid builds commercially scalable, safe, and reliable humanoid robots designed to automate labor-intensive industrial tasks across warehousing, logistics, manufacturing, and retail.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed stage)
- **Headquarters**: London, United Kingdom (HQ) with offices in Cambridge, MA, USA; Burnaby, BC, Canada; and additional presence in Germany, Georgia, and the UAE.
- **Founded**: 2024
- **Founders**: Artem Sokolov (CEO & Founder)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Robotics Engineering, Humanoid Robotics, Industrial Automation, Artificial Intelligence
- **Target customers**: B2B / Enterprise — industrial sectors including retail, e-commerce, third-party logistics (3PL), manufacturing, and automotive.
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “Empowering humanity by building the most reliable, safe, and helpful humanoid robots.” The company aims to free people from repetitive, dangerous, and tedious work, allowing them to engage in more creative and meaningful activities.

## Products & Services
- **HMND 01 Alpha Wheeled**: A robust industrial-grade wheeled humanoid robot designed for material handling, pick-and-place, and visual inspection in warehouses and factories. Prioritizes reliability, low total cost of ownership (TCO), and minimal maintenance.
- **HMND 01 Alpha Bipedal**: A bipedal humanoid robot for more complex environments requiring advanced locomotion, navigation of confined spaces, and higher dexterity. Features human-level manipulation speeds and walking speeds up to 1.5 m/s.
- **KinetIQ**: An AI framework for orchestrating fleets of humanoid robots across both wheeled and bipedal platforms, enabling centralized control and task optimization.
- **Modular Garments**: Exchangeable protective “garments” that allow HMND 01 robots to adapt to different use cases and environments, minimizing contamination and collision damage while enabling functional customization.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed.
- **Key Metric**: Total funding of **$50 million** (Seed round closed October 2025, with 1 lead investor).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Strategic partners include leading global companies in AI, cloud computing, and research. Specific partner names are not publicly listed on the website, but the company highlights collaboration with commercial partners to scale deployment.
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Headcount grew **139.2% YoY** to ~182 employees (as of mid-2026), with 65 active job postings.
  - Opened offices in London, Boston, and Vancouver within its first year.
  - Team includes talent recruited from major robotics and AI firms: Sanctuary AI, Boston Dynamics, Dyson, Arrival, Ocado Technology, 1X, Wayve, Apptronik, and Brain Corp.
  - Focus on initial target sectors representing a combined $12 trillion in annual payroll and 250 million workers.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Human-centric design**: The world is already designed for humans, so humanoids can seamlessly integrate into existing environments without costly redesign.
- **Modularity**: HMND 01’s hardware/software modularity enables multi-task performance and easy repurposing, reducing the need for specialized robots.
- **Reliability & low TCO**: Prioritizing hardware and software stability over raw performance to deliver industrial-grade robustness suitable for mass commercialization.
- **KinetIQ fleet orchestration AI**: Proprietary framework for managing mixed fleets of wheeled and bipedal robots, differentiating from competitors focused on single-form-factor robots.
- **Experienced leadership**: CEO Artem Sokolov previously scaled a family manufacturing business into a billion-dollar enterprise (EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2021). The CTO, Jarad Cannon, has extensive experience translating research into deployment-ready robotics systems.

## Strategic Focus
- **Near-term (2027)**: Deploy robots for physical tasks in manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, and retail — tackling repetitive, dangerous, and tedious manual work.
- **Medium-term (2029)**: Expand into the service sector, targeting the 70-80% of the global economy that will be services, with a focus on assisting an aging population (1.4B people over 60).
- **Long-term (2031+)**: Enter households as assistants and companions, potentially revolutionizing everyday life across 3.5 billion homes.
- **Core strategy**: Partner with leading global companies in AI, cloud, and research for technology development, and with commercial partners for scaled deployment. The company believes the humanoid TAM will reach $38 billion by 2035 and $1 trillion by 2050.

## Why Work Here
- **High-growth environment**: Company grew headcount by 139% in a single year, indicating rapid scaling and opportunity for career advancement. 65+ open roles suggest strong hiring momentum.
- **Talent from top robotics firms**: Team includes alumni from Boston Dynamics, Sanctuary AI, Dyson, Ocado Technology, Arrival, Wayve, and others — offering a deep learning and collaboration environment.
- **Technical focus**: Engineering and technical roles represent 38% of the workforce, with senior-level hires at 23% of the team. The company emphasizes hardware, AI, machine learning, and control systems.
- **Mission-driven**: Clear purpose to automate undesirable, unsafe, and repetitive work — appealing to candidates who want to make a tangible societal impact.
- **Global presence**: Offices in London (HQ), Cambridge (USA), and Burnaby (Canada), plus operations in 16 countries — offering potential for international mobility and remote collaboration.
- **Innovation culture**: Described as a place where engineers and researchers “move from demo to deployment” and “not just in the lab.” The CTO emphasizes building systems that perform in the real world from day one.
- **Office/Hybrid policy**: Not explicitly stated, but the company has physical offices in three countries and a distributed team across 16 nations — likely supports hybrid/remote with in-office collaboration for engineering roles.

## Sources
1. [thehumanoid.ai](https://thehumanoid.ai/)
2. [thehumanoid.ai/about-us/](https://thehumanoid.ai/about-us/)
3. [thehumanoid.ai/team/](https://thehumanoid.ai/team/)
4. [thehumanoid.ai/careers/](https://thehumanoid.ai/careers/)
5. [LinkedIn Company Page](https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanoidai)
6. [Jobs.ashbyhq.com/humanoid](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/humanoid)

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