113 OPEN
SALARIES · MECHANICAL DESIGN
Mechanical Design [YoY +8%]
Median total compensation for mechanical design roles in robotics, AI, and autonomy. Open roles by salary, direct from each employer.
[ SENIOR COMPENSATION · ANNUAL · BASE ]
$170,000 – $215,000USD
§ 01Compensation by level
[ MID ]
$125K
[ SENIOR ]
$170K
[ STAFF ]
$215K
[ PRINCIPAL ]
$270K
§ 02Top-paid open roles
- 01Senior Manager, Avionics Mechanical Engineering (R4416)Shield AI·San Diego, California$185K–$278K
- 02Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering - Avionics (R4416)Shield AI·San Diego, California$185K–$278K
- 03
Sr. Mechanical EngineerReliable Robotics·Mountain View, CA$180K–$260K - 04
Staff Mechanical Engineer, OmenAnduril Industries·Costa Mesa, California, United States$191K–$253K - 05Mechanical Engineer, LeadAnduril Industries·Costa Mesa, California, United States$191K–$253K
- 061Senior to Staff Mechanical Engineer1X Technologies·San Carlos, CA$176K–$253K
- 07Senior Manager, Mechanical EngineeringAnduril Industries·Irvine, California, United States$191K–$253K
- 08Senior Staff Engineer, Mechanical Design (R4486)Shield AI·Dallas, Texas$167K–$250K
- 091Staff Mechanical Engineer, Robot Head1X Technologies·San Carlos, CA$110K–$240K
- 10
Staff Mechanical EngineerAgility Robotics·Hybrid- Fremont, CA$185K–$240K
§ 03Top employers hiring mechanical designs
| Employer | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Anduril Industries | 40 | $167K |
| Shield AI | 12 | $171K |
| Apptronik | 9 | — |
| Saronic | 6 | — |
| Rockwell Automation | 5 | $132K |
| Agility Robotics | 4 | $171K |
| 1X Technologies | 4 | $168K |
| Reliable Robotics | 4 | $144K |
§ 04Top cities hiring mechanical designs
| Metro | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Costa Mesa | 27 | $165K |
| Austin | 15 | — |
| Dallas | 7 | $171K |
| Mountain View | 5 | $144K |
| Irvine | 5 | $170K |
| Los Angeles | 4 | $133K |
| Hybrid- Fremont | 4 | $171K |
| Reno | 4 | $155K |
§ 05FAQ
- How much do mechanical designs make in the robotics industry?
- Senior mechanical designs in the robotics industry typically earn $170K base salary at top employers. Staff-level roles run $215K and principal-level reach $270K. Numbers are median base salary across 87 data points; total compensation including equity is typically 15-30% higher at private robotics employers.
- Who is hiring the most mechanical designs right now?
- Anduril Industries (40 open roles), Shield AI (12 open roles), and Apptronik (9 open roles) lead by open-role volume. Browse all 113 open mechanical design roles sorted by recency.
- Where are most mechanical design jobs located?
- The top robotics industry hubs for mechanical design roles right now are Costa Mesa, Austin, and Dallas. Defense robotics tends to concentrate in DC/Northern Virginia and Colorado Springs (clearance-required roles), while commercial launch is heaviest in LA basin and Florida's Space Coast.
- Do mechanical design roles in robotics, AI, and autonomy require security clearance?
- Many do. Defense robotics programs at Anduril, Shield AI, Saronic, and defense primes require Secret or TS/SCI clearance. Commercial robotics roles at Boston Dynamics, Apptronik, 1X, Skydio, and Wayve generally do not. ITAR registration is more common than clearance — many sensor, autonomy, and unmanned-systems roles require it.
§ 06See all open roles
Browse every mechanical design role