Sphinx · 1 day ago
Mechanical Engineer
Palo Alto, CA
Contract
Onsite
Senior Level
5+ years expSphinx is building innovative smart feeders for wet cat food and is seeking a Founding Mechanical Engineer to lead the technical aspects of their hardware development. The role involves leading mechanical design, managing vendor relationships, and making critical engineering decisions while working hands-on in a startup environment.
Health CarePetVeterinary
Responsibilities
Lead mechanical design from prototype through mass production
Own thermal systems (refrigeration, warming), pod-based dispensing, and precision portioning mechanisms
Manage external vendors and design firm relationships
Make critical ME/EE architecture decisions
Work hands-on—this isn't a management-only role
Qualification
Required
ME degree + 5+ years experience shipping consumer hardware products
Prototype-to-production experience (not just R&D)
Thermal systems or food-grade appliance background strongly preferred
Comfortable with ambiguity and startup pace
Bay Area based (hands-on role requires proximity)
Preferred
EE experience or strong cross-functional fluency
Kitchen appliances, food tech, or pod-based systems (Keurig, Nespresso, sous vide, smart ovens)
Experience managing external design firms or contract manufacturers
Startup or small team background
Company
Sphinx
Through robotics and AI, Sphinx is offering a new level of health and convenience for pets and owners.
2-10 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageTotal Funding
$0.42M2025-06-05Product Crowdfunding· $0.42M
Leadership Team
Grant Barnekow
Founder
Company data provided by crunchbase