---
title: 'Staff Design Engineer at GrayMatter Robotics'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/staff-design-engineer-graymatter-robotics-los-angeles-2a34kh00a4ax'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Staff Design Engineer at GrayMatter Robotics

- **Company:** GrayMatter Robotics
- **Location:** Los Angeles, CA / HQ
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-07-14
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/graymatter-robotics/09a7a983-dab3-48f9-8a5d-f9b644ed2294

## Job description

Summary

GrayMatter Robotics is a well-capitalized Physical AI company headquartered in Los Angeles, building Factory SuperIntelligence (FSI) through systems that learn, adapt, and develop genuine process intelligence across every part they touch. Our robots take on the tedious, hazardous, and ergonomically demanding work that has kept manufacturing dependent on a shrinking skilled workforce, delivering superhuman performance. Robotics has a demo problem. GMR doesn't. Our systems are in active production today, adapting autonomously to real geometries, real materials, and real process variation without reprogramming. We deliver our system through a Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model that converts capital expenditure into an operating subscription, making Physical AI accessible to the manufacturers who need it most. We hire people who want to solve hard physical problems at an industrial scale.

We help manufacturers improve the quality of life for their workforce while increasing production capacity, and reducing scrap, repair, and rework costs. As a Senior Design Engineer, you will join our Design & Mechatronics team onsite in our Carson, CA office to explore, develop and test novel systems in house for implementation in the field.

## Role & Responsibilities

- Robotic Hardware Design: Design hardware and mechanisms for robotic systems, including system architectures, developing and reviewing new concepts with a primary focus on performance and reliability.
- EOAT Design & DFM Compliance: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive product improvements focusing on DFM (Design for Manufacturing) for End-of-Arm Tooling (EOAT) while ensuring compliance with ISO/TR 20218-1 safety guidelines.
- Advanced FEA & Simulation: Conduct complex Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and thermal simulations to validate structural integrity, predict failure modes, and optimize geometry before fabrication.
- Structural Analysis: Perform foundational structural analysis and simulation to validate design integrity.
- Rapid Prototyping: Prototype hardware considering Design for Manufacturability (DFM), utilizing tools such as 3D printers and CNC machines where appropriate.
- Hardware Selection: Own the selection process for distinct electrical, mechanical, and pneumatic hardware components.
- System Integration: Collaborate closely with Electrical and Software teams to ensure seamless integration of motors, sensors, and cabling within the mechanical assembly.
- System Troubleshooting & Optimization: Troubleshoot and test existing hardware and automation systems to identify opportunities for robustness and significant improvements.
- Root Cause Analysis: Lead formal root cause investigations (e.g., 8D, Fishbone, 5 Whys) for field failures or manufacturing defects to implement permanent corrective actions.
- Safety Compliance & Risk Assessment: Lead mechanical risk assessments (RA) and ensure system designs adhere to core industrial safety standards, including ISO 10218-1/-2 and ANSI/A3 R15.06.
- Design and Tolerance: Effectively implement GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing), Tolerance Analysis, Design for Manufacturing, Design for Assembly.
- Collaboration: Collaborate cross-functionally with internal and external teams to define customer requirements, validate project feasibility, and coordinate material procurement for in-house testing prior to deployment.
- BOM & Inventory Management: Organize part number allocation and review Bills of Materials (BOMs) for completeness to actively support inventory management and system deployment as well as maintaining an accurate BOM in PDM.
- Cost Reduction Initiatives: Execute Value Analysis/Value Engineering (VAVE) efforts to reduce Bill of Materials (BOM) costs without compromising system performance or reliability.
- Vendor Technical Management: Manage relationships with external machine shops and component suppliers to ensure part quality, lead time adherence, and cost-effectiveness.
- Validation Strategy: Make strategic recommendations for design validation and testing protocols.
- Lifecycle Management: Oversee the full mechanical product lifecycle from initial conceptualization through mass production and end-of-life support.
- Mentorship: Lead, mentor, and actively develop junior talent within the engineering team.

## Minimum Qualifications

- BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience
- Demonstrated experience with 3D solid modeling, analysis, and development of 2D manufacturing drawings
- Thorough understanding of manufacturing processes; manual machining, CNC machining, welding, sheet metal fabrication, plastic 3D prototyping
- Thorough understanding of materials for manufacturing
- 8+ years working proficiency with CAD programs, hands-on prototyping, fabrication or ability to design for 3D printing
- Proven track record of strong communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively across multiple teams and customers
- Willingness to work at early stage company with dynamic priorities
- Ability to conduct RCCAs and trade studies
- Ability to solve problems effectively in a collaborative environment

## Preferred Qualifications

- 8+ years working proficiency with SolidWorks
- Experience with industrial robots and 6 DOF robotic arms
- Experience machining, rapid prototyping and fabrication processes/materials to meet functional design requirements
- Experience with project management
- Experience with product deployment
- Familiar with industrial facilities and equipment

PLEASE NOTE: This is a Q3/Q4 2026 hire.

GrayMatter Robotics provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage and embrace applicants of all backgrounds to apply!

GrayMatter Robotics is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities. If you believe you require accommodations during the recruiting process, please contact accommodations@graymatter-robotics.com to submit your request.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Depending on the position and if listed, compensation may include the base salary range, bonus or commission, and equity. We also provide comprehensive benefits and perks which include but are not limited to medical, dental, vision, unlimited PTO, 401(k) plan + employer match, regular offsite events, a discretionary fund for enhancing productivity and so much more! The range listed on job postings reflect the minimum and maximum new hire salary across levels in Los Angeles, CA.

## About GrayMatter Robotics

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: GrayMatter Robotics builds AI-powered robotic solutions that automate complex surface finishing and treatment tasks for high-mix, high-variability manufacturers, using a Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) model to remove upfront capital barriers.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series B; $45M raised June 2024)
- **Headquarters**: Los Angeles, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2020
- **Founders**: Ariyan Kabir (CEO) and Brual Shah (CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Aerospace, marine, recreational equipment, specialty vehicles, general manufacturing, and government/defense.
- **Target customers**: B2B; mid-market to Fortune 100 manufacturers with high-mix, high-variability surface finishing needs (e.g., sanding, grinding, polishing, coating).
- **Mission statement**: “Enhance human productivity and improve the quality of life by letting robots empower people” (from LinkedIn) — also described as unlocking “The Manufacturing Frontier.”

## Products & Services
- **GMR-AI™ (Factory SuperIntelligence)**: Proprietary physics-informed AI that combines perception, planning, control, and learning to enable robots to make real-time decisions on complex parts. Adapts to any part, process, or environment and improves with each shift.
- **Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) Subscription**: A service model that bundles hardware, software, training, and 24/7 support for a monthly fee — eliminating large CapEx investments and letting manufacturers scale usage.
- **Smart Robotic Cells**: Turnkey robotic work cells designed for surface treatment and finishing, delivering 4–12x throughput vs. manual labor with guaranteed quality outcomes and 30–70% reduction in waste.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed.
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue: $53.0M (LinkedIn estimate) | Total Funding: ~$70.4M raised across 4 rounds.
- **Notable Investors**: Wellington Management (Series B lead), Bow Capital (Series A lead), Calibrate Ventures, Stage Venture Partners, National Science Foundation (grants).
- **Growth Signals**: 106 employees (+27.8% YoY); expanded presence into Mexico; serves Fortune 100 customers; recipient of the RBR50 Innovation Award (2022) recognizing top 50 robotics innovators globally; 9 active job postings (as of mid-2025).

## Competitive Advantages
- **Physics-inspired AI**: Combines real-world process knowledge with data-driven learning, enabling rapid deployment and reconfiguration across wildly different parts and materials.
- **Large proprietary manufacturing dataset**: Trained on the world’s largest multi-modal manufacturing process dataset, giving the system a unique ability to generalize.
- **Subscription model**: Lowers adoption risk for manufacturers, contrasting with traditional capital-intensive automation purchases.
- **Proven waste reduction**: Guarantees 30–70% reduction in scrap, repair, and rework costs, with superhuman precision and speed.

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling commercial operations with Fortune 100 customers and expanding into new verticals (government, defense).
- Deepening the AI stack (Factory SuperIntelligence) to handle an ever-wider range of geometries, materials, and applications.
- Growing the team (especially robotics engineers, AI engineers, and sales) to meet accelerating demand and build the next generation of adaptive manufacturing solutions.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as “audacious,” customer-first, first-principles thinking, transparent, trusting, and team-oriented. Employees tackle genuinely hard engineering problems while maintaining a fun, collaborative environment.
- **Recognition**: Voted one of the Top 50 Best Places to Work in LA (BuiltIn); won the RBR50 Innovation Award.
- **Engineering focus**: Opportunity to work at the intersection of AI, robotics, and manufacturing — building real-world systems that go from research to factory floor quickly.
- **Work model**: Likely on-site/hybrid in Los Angeles (based on office-centric culture described). Perks not explicitly detailed, but emphasis on impact, innovation, and growth trajectory.
- **Team composition**: Strong technical backbone (43% technical staff; 35% specialists; senior leadership includes CTO/co-founder deeply involved). Recent hires from top universities (USC, UCLA, Notre Dame) and companies (Apple, 3M).

## Sources
1. [graymatter-robotics.com](https://factory.graymatter-robotics.com/) (Homepage – product and mission)
2. [graymatter-robotics.com](https://factory.graymatter-robotics.com/about-us/) (About Us – detailed mission, technology, subscription model)
3. [graymatter-robotics.com](https://factory.graymatter-robotics.com/careers/) (Careers – culture, RBR50 award, funding, job listings)
4. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/graymatter-robotics) (LinkedIn – revenue, funding breakdown, headcount, executives, employee trends)
5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/graymatter-robotics) (Current open positions)

## Other roles at GrayMatter Robotics

- [Research Administrator](https://feeny.ai/job/research-administrator-graymatter-robotics-los-angeles-tqk49kfvaced) — Los Angeles, CA / HQ
- [AI Research Intern: Foundation Models](https://feeny.ai/job/ai-research-intern-foundation-models-graymatter-robotics-los-angeles-1mfjhpp08ywd) — Los Angeles, CA / HQ
- [Sr. Robotics Design Engineer: Government Projects](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-robotics-design-engineer-government-projects-graymatter-robotics-los-angeles-2kq4k02qycve) — Los Angeles, CA / HQ
- [Robotics Software Engineer: Government Projects](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-software-engineer-government-projects-graymatter-robotics-los-angeles-91b516vkhvg2) — Los Angeles, CA / HQ
- [Robotics Engineer (New Grad): Government Projects](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-engineer-new-grad-government-projects-graymatter-robotics-los-angeles-05q1k0y2yhkn) — Los Angeles, CA / HQ
- [Sales Development Representative](https://feeny.ai/job/sales-development-representative-graymatter-robotics-los-angeles-66w8ea1vbza6) — Los Angeles, CA / HQ
- [Financial Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/financial-analyst-graymatter-robotics-los-angeles-c6k94wq6v53d) — Los Angeles, CA / HQ
- [Supply Chain Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/supply-chain-manager-graymatter-robotics-los-angeles-8vaygxxz70nj) — Los Angeles, CA / HQ
- [Staff Mechatronics Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-mechatronics-engineer-graymatter-robotics-los-angeles-gh82kr1rv6c7) — Los Angeles, CA / HQ
- [Hardware Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/hardware-technician-graymatter-robotics-los-angeles-a0fwvwvd7z4a) — Los Angeles, CA / HQ