Mechanical Engineer

**Andean Systems** Mechanical Engineer; $200K–$250K base + equity; Bay Area, CA (On-site)

**About Company** Andean Systems is building the next generation of critical-material manufacturing: decentralized, automation- and AI-driven "mini mills" that extract and refine rare earth and precious metals, positioning itself as "the next Nucor and Glencore." The first mill processes e-waste — riding the tailwind of a 2026 executive order banning e-waste export — with plans to expand into broader urban mining and eventually owned mineral deposits. The mini-mill model is designed to be roughly 5x faster and 80% cheaper to stand up than centralized competitors.

Pre-seed, backed by Cantos Ventures (a top-ranked early-stage deep-tech fund), with commercial offtake contracts already worth tens of millions of dollars. The founding team combines computer science, machine learning, and robotics backgrounds, and is opening one of the first new domestic critical-materials processing facilities in 20-30 years, in the Bay Area.

**About the Role** One of Andean's first senior hardware hires (informally the "Head of Hardware Engineering"), owning the build-out of the company's robotic systems and the manufacturing systems around them — not just individual components, but how the whole production system comes together and scales.

**Responsibilities** - Own end-to-end design, build, and integration of Andean's robotic systems, from individual components (e.g., sorters) through full subsystem integration. - Architect and scale entire production systems — controls, manufacturing systems, and the path from prototype to industrial scale. - Build out internal engineering processes (design cycles, reviews) as one of the company's first senior hardware hires. - Manage and grow a small team of hardware engineers. - Take on operational responsibilities as needed in a flat, fast-moving team. - Work day-to-day inside Andean's first live processing facility (opening within weeks).

**Required Skills** A. Either (senior track) 5-10+ years of hands-on mechanical/hardware engineering experience at an elite, high-velocity manufacturer — SpaceX, Tesla, Anduril, Relativity Space, or a comparable space/defense/advanced-manufacturing company — or (new-grad track) a recent graduate or undergraduate with substantial hands-on project experience (e.g., competition robotics/rocketry/build teams, significant independent builds) and demonstrated ability to execute without hand-holding. B. Senior track: a track record of taking a physical system from design through build to a working, scaled production line. New-grad track: a flagship project taken from concept to a working, demonstrable build. C. Mechatronics/robotics design and build experience — comfortable across mechanical design, controls, and manufacturing-systems integration. D. Senior track: demonstrated career "slope" — fast progression into greater scope, not multiple years stalled in the same role. New-grad track: evidence of independently driving a project to completion, not just contributing to a team effort.

**Bonus Skills** - Experience designing/building for a company manufacturing its own hardware at increasing scale (vs. pure R&D/prototype work). - Prior exposure to critical materials, mining, metals, or heavy-industrial manufacturing. - Notable competition or build-team experience (e.g., FSAE, rocketry club, robotics competitions) — strong signal for the new-grad track.

**Logistical Info** - Location: Bay Area, CA — full-time, fully in-person (no remote/hybrid). Six-day work week (Saturdays half-day); weekdays typically run 10-12 hours (~50-60 hrs/week). - Compensation: $200K–$250K base + meaningful equity. Client is leaning cash-heavy over equity right now. - Number of openings: 1-2. - **Other:** Backed by Cantos Ventures. Already has commercial offtake contracts worth tens of millions of dollars. Opening one of the first new domestic critical-materials processing facilities in 20-30 years within the next few weeks.

**Ideal Background** - Strongest signal: SpaceX, Tesla, Anduril, Relativity Space, or comparable space/defense/advanced-manufacturing companies — especially long-tenured employees who scaled systems from early stage. - Second archetype, explicitly requested by the client (8/5/26 feedback): recent grads (undergrad or grad) with strong, verifiable project experience — e.g., competition robotics/rocketry/build teams, significant personal or academic builds — who are willing to work at Andean's high-intensity pace. This is a parallel target track, not a fallback pool. - Also strong: engineers who've commissioned first-of-kind industrial facilities outside these companies (translates well given Andean is opening one of the first new domestic processing facilities in decades). - Targeting senior profiles (5-10+ YOE) for the experienced track; the new-grad track is explicitly in scope per the client and should be sourced in parallel, not treated as lower priority. - Comp note: confirmed $200K–$250K base (case-by-case above for standout pedigree) applies to the senior/experienced track. New-grad-track comp has NOT been confirmed by the client — do not quote a number to junior candidates; check with Zhining before setting expectations. - Comp note: the public careers page still lists $100K–$150K + equity — that's stale for the senior track. Don't quote the website figure to candidates. - Sourcing note: founder says the bottleneck so far is sourcing volume at the target bar, not comp rejection — prioritize pedigree-matched volume over raw applicant count. - Calibration note: client offered to hop on a calibration call (re: Henry/Mohammad, 8/5/26 feedback) — worth scheduling before the next batch goes out.

**Green Flags** - Has built something successfully end-to-end (e.g., helped stand up a plant or production line), not just contributed to one. - "Lead engineer" archetype — hands-on IC with some team leadership, neither pure IC nor pure manager. - History of fast promotion / increasing scope (senior track), or outsized ownership of a project relative to experience level (new-grad track). - High agency; comfortable owning multiple cross-disciplinary projects (chemistry, robotics, software) at once. - Genuinely motivated by rebuilding domestic critical-materials production.

**Red Flags** - "Technician" profile — has operated systems but hasn't designed/built them. - No track record of building/scaling something successfully to production (senior track) or no substantial hands-on project ownership (new-grad track). - Stalled career — multiple years in the same role/title without increasing scope. - Long tenure (5+ yrs) at a slow-moving legacy industrial, government, or research org (e.g. large industrial conglomerates, national labs) — soft flag even with strong technical background. - Credential inflation, e.g. listing a short online course as formal education — reads as posturing. - Not willing/able to work fully in-person, 6 days/week (Saturdays half-day), ~50-60 hrs/week. - Comp expectations meaningfully above $250K base without SpaceX/Tesla/Anduril-caliber tenure — case-by-case exception only for truly exceptional pedigree. - Large upfront cash asks — note: lost a SpaceX principal-engineer candidate over a ~$200K sign-on-bonus ask the company couldn't meet.

**Interview Process** 1. Behavioral/culture-fit conversation — mission alignment and fit with Andean's high-intensity, high-ownership culture. 2. Technical conversation — depth scales with seniority; very senior candidates get a lighter technical screen focused on validating past work. 3. On-site working session — a full day on-site working through a real problem with the team.