Mechanical / Systems Engineer (Volunteer) — Sensor Enclosures & Field Hardware

About Freaking Aliens

The real challenge for AI isn't intelligence — it's context. Today's autonomous systems operate blind, building incomplete models of reality in isolation. We're changing that by creating a unified perception layer that any AI system can plug into.

This isn't consumer IoT that we're talking about. This is field-deployed, mission-critical hardware*at the intersection of aerospace engineering, edge AI, and real-world operations — infrastructure that will power the next generation of robotics, autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and defense systems.

We're a pre-seed startup building this company to last. Early team members who prove themselves will have the opportunity to grow into leadership roles with meaningful equity stakes.

We're at one of the most exciting stages of a startup — we have a near-functioning MVP and are raising our pre-seed round, but there's still unlimited room to shape the product, influence key technical decisions, and make an impact. You'll be joining early enough to define how this platform evolves while working with a foundation that's already proven.

If you're the kind of person who wants to build hardware that actually gets deployed, work with cutting-edge technology, and be part of a team building essential infrastructure for the autonomous world — we want to hear from you.

Let's build something incredible together.

This is a volunteer position with significant upside:

• Equity opportunity— Potential to become a paid employee with equity package as we scale beyond our pre-seed funding
• True ownership — You will shape the physical platform from the ground up
• Technically serious work— No fluff, no demo-ware — real hardware that gets deployed
• Skill development— Grow your expertise in ruggedized systems, edge AI hardware, and multi-sensor integration
• Meaningful impact— Build the physical infrastructure that will power the autonomous future
• Collaborative environment— Work alongside experienced engineers and scientists on a mission-driven team

The Role

We're looking for a Mechanical / Systems Engineer to take ownership of the physical embodiment of our intelligent sensor nodes — the nerve endings of our planetary-scale AI infrastructure.

This role is about turning high-level sensing concepts into real, deployable hardware:

• Enclosures that survive weather, heat, cold, vibration, and long deployments
• Clean, serviceable internal layouts for sensors, compute, power, and IO
• Proper grounding, shielding, sealing, and thermal management
• Hardware that looks credible to autonomous systems integrators, defense customers, and enterprise buyers

This platform lives or dies by its hardware credibility. The enclosure is not just a box — it's the physical trust boundary between AI and the real world. Getting it right enables everything else: sensing, autonomy, security, and scale.

This is not a narrow CAD role. It's a systems-level engineering role*with real autonomy and influence.

You will work directly with the founder and core engineering team to design, prototype, test, and iterate on the first production-grade sensor nodes.

What You'll Work On

• Enclosure design — Weatherproof, outdoor enclosures for multimodal sensor nodes
• Environmental hardening— Sealing, gasketing, ingress protection (IP-rated), thermal management
• Internal mechanical layout for compute modules (Jetson-class), cameras, RF modules, antennas, environmental sensors, power distribution, and cabling
• Thermal design — Passive and active cooling strategies for edge AI compute
• Mounting systems — Mechanical interfaces for poles, rooftops, tripods, maritime structures
• DFM/DFA— Design for manufacturability and assembly at scale
• Hands-on prototyping— Assembly, testing, and field validation
• Cross-functional integration— Collaboration with electrical and software teams

As the platform matures, this role naturally expands into hardware architecture leadership.

What We're Looking For

(Required)

• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals — You understand materials, tolerances, and real-world constraints
• CAD proficiency — SolidWorks or equivalent professional tools
• Linux/Ubuntu familiarity — Comfortable enough to interface with embedded systems
• Passion and drive — You're excited about building AI infrastructure and ready to dive in headfirst
• Self-starter mentality — You don't wait to be told what to do; you see problems and solve them
• Commitment— Flexible volunteer hours, early-stage startup cadence

(Strongly Preferred)

• Ruggedized hardware experience— Aerospace, defense, scientific instrumentation, or outdoor-deployed systems
• Full lifecycle ownership— Concept → CAD → fabrication → assembly → test
• Cross-disciplinary comfort— Working across mechanical, electrical, and systems boundaries
• Experience with: Composites, metals, and industrial fabrication methods; Environmental hardening and IP-rated enclosure design; Thermal management for electronics; Engineering drawings and GD&T

If you don't have all the "preferred" skills, that's okay. We're looking for smart, motivated engineers who are eager to learn. If you have strong fundamentals and genuine enthusiasm, we'll help you bridge the gaps.

Application Question(s):

• Do you understand that this is an unpaid, volunteer position and that paid employment may become an option later on?

Language:

• English (Required)

Location:

• United States (Required)

Work Location: Remote