Technical Soft Goods Designer

About the Team

Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic real-world settings. Working across the entire model stack we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the constraints of physical systems to improve peoples lives.

About the Role

We are seeking a Technical Soft Goods Designer to lead the design prototyping and integration of soft goods for robotic this role you will work closely with mechanical electrical and robotics engineers to develop soft components that interface directly with hardwaresuch as covers protective elements wear surfaces cable management solutions and interaction-facing materials.

This is a highly hands-on role for someone who understands both materials and machines. You will source and evaluate fabrics elastomers foams and composites; prototype and test soft goods under real operational conditions; and iterate designs to meet functional durability and usability requirements. Your work will shape how robotic systems perform endure and interact with the world.

This role is based in San Francisco CA and requires in-person 4 days a week.

In this role you will

Design soft goods that integrate seamlessly with robotic hardware sensors and actuators.
Collaborate closely with mechanical electrical and robotics engineers to define requirements and interfaces.
Source evaluate and test materials for durability flexibility environmental resistance and manufacturability.
Prototype soft components using a range of fabrication methods (cut-and-sew lamination molding bonding etc.).
Build and iterate on prototypes to support testing in varied operating conditions.
Document designs material choices and test results to support iteration and handoff.
Provide technical feedback to engineering teams based on real-world performance and failure modes.

You might thrive in this role if you

Have experience designing and prototyping technical soft goods for hardware products or systems.
Are comfortable working closely with hardware and robotics engineers to solve interface and integration challenges.
Understand material properties and tradeoffs across textiles elastomers foams and flexible composites.
Enjoy hands-on prototyping and are energized by fast iteration cycles.
Can translate functional requirements into physical designs that perform under real-world constraints.
Are organized detail-oriented and thoughtful about documentation and repeatability.
Are curious experimental and excited to help define best practices in a still-emerging design space.

Preferred qualifications

Experience designing soft goods for robotics wearables medical devices or outdoor/industrial products.
Familiarity with environmental testing abrasion testing or durability validation.
Experience working with contract manufacturers or specialty fabricators.
Comfort iterating between early exploratory prototypes and more production-oriented designs.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core and to achieve our mission we must encompass and value the many different perspectives voices and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.

We are an equal opportunity employer and we do not discriminate on the basis of race religion color national origin sex sexual orientation age veteran status disability genetic information or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

For additional information please see OpenAIs Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.

Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary confidential and non-public addition job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

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At OpenAI we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.

Required Experience:

IC