Founding Engineer (Mechatronic)

About Ulysses

Ulysses is a technology company on a mission to steward the ocean for an abundant future. Our oceans are in trouble, we’ve neglected them and we allow bad actors to misuse them. Ulysses will manage them effectively, persistently, and cheaply. We're developing autonomous underwater drones, robotics, and AI systems to tackle critical challenges in ocean conservation and coastal security. Our innovative platform combines low-cost drones, advanced AI, high persistence, and robotics at a scale that matters to forever transform how we monitor and protect our oceans.

Our first product line is a suite of autonomous drones and attachments that makes restoring seagrass ecosystems cheaper and easier. We are currently working with governments in the US and Australia and leading environmental groups like The Nature Conservancy.

We are a seed-stage company backed by top VCs like Lowercarbon Capital, Superorganism and ReGen Ventures.

About the Role

As a founding Mechatronics Engineer at Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering, you will play a pivotal role in designing, prototyping, and bringing to production the integrated mechanical and electrical systems that power our advanced automated subsea robots. You will work within our superstar engineering team to develop robust, reliable hardware and control solutions that enable large-scale, active management of our oceans. Our team ships very fast; in just over a year, we’ve advanced from modifying off-the-shelf vessels to developing the 3rd generation of the Ulysses universal robotic platform. Join Ulysses and help us ship ships even faster.

Key Responsibilities

Mechatronic Systems Design:

• Conceptualise, develop and integrate mechanical and electrical subsystems for autonomous subsea robotic platforms.
• Focus on robust and scalable design, efficient power/thermal management, system reliability, and rapid & reliable actuation in marine environments.

Prototyping and Integration:

• Expect to take projects from early conceptual design through to fully functional prototypes - owning your own prototypes from start to finish.
• Work closely with the electronics team to ensure seamless integration of actuators and sensors.

Hardware Testing and Validation

• Validate integrated mechatronic systems both in the lab and in real-world subsea conditions.
• Identify and resolve mechanical or subsystem-level issues to ensure reliability and performance under dynamic marine environments.
• Bodging skills are a necessity, but always hopefully avoided.

About You

• You have hands-on experience working on mechatronic or electromechanical systems—ideally something impressive you can show us.
• You hold a Bachelor’s degree (or are a talented dropout) in Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• You’ve taken mechatronic systems from concept to production, overseeing prototyping, testing, and mechanical/electrical integration.
• You’re comfortable collaborating with electronics and firmware teams to ensure that mechanical designs interface smoothly with embedded hardware.
• You’re proficient in CAD/CAE tools (e.g., Onshape, NX, Solidworks) and version control.
• You have a solid understanding of sensor integration, actuator selection, and communication protocols, and you’re comfortable bridging mechanical and electrical domains.
• You’re a strong problem solver who thrives on working independently in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
• You will be travelling with your prototypes and products to location for testing. As such, you will need to have the availability to travel outside and inside the USA.
  • This includes locations such as Australia, the EU and East Coast USA.

Nice to Haves

• Experience with the development of marine robotics / marine vessels
• Experience scaling production from prototype to mass manufacture
• Familiarity with digital signal processing (DSP) techniques for mechatronicsystems
• Exposure to high-power electromechanical setups, power pack design, or BMS integration
• Knowledge of CAM systems and experience with CNC machines

The job is on-site and in-person in San Francisco, CA.