Mechanical Engineer, Data Collection Hardware

Persona is building humanoid robots for the most demanding environments in heavy industry — shipyards, steel mills, fabrication facilities, and offshore platforms — performing welding, grinding, maintenance, inspection, and material-handling work that is dangerous, physically demanding, and increasingly difficult to staff.

We are backed by leading strategic and financial investors and engaged with global industrial leaders across Korea, Japan, the United States, and Singapore. Korea is the center of gravity for our early commercial strategy, anchored by relationships with the world’s leading shipbuilders and steelmakers. Our work spans both the robot platform itself and the systems, partners, and playbooks required to deploy it at scale.

As a Mechanical Engineer focused on Data Collection Hardware, you will bridge the gap between human operators and humanoid kinematics. Your time will be spent in fast-paced rapid development of handheld UMI data-collection tools capable of capturing delicate contact dynamics. Later, there will be the opportunity for rigorous, precision engineering as you architect and build a hand and human exoskeletons.

To train robot foundation models at Persona, we will be relying on massive amounts of high-quality, human-demonstrated data, including rich force and tactile feedback. We are looking for a highly capable Mechanical Engineer to own the physical hardware our operators use to collect data. You will initially be responsible for rapidly iterating on agile, handheld Universal Manipulation Interface (UMI) devices.

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• Previous experience in teleop and data collection devices, such as surgical robotics (e.g., designing consoles or master controllers for systems like Da Vinci, Monarch, or Ottava).

• Experienced with implementing optics/cameras, such as:

  • Accommodating FOV estimates.

  • Choosing appropriate window materials.

• Background in mechanical haptics, force-feedback systems, and admittance/impedance control hardware.

• Experience designing flight simulators, driving rigs, or high-end VR hardware.

• Familiarity with mechatronics and integrating smart servos into mechanical assemblies.

• Experience with designing human wearables (watch/pedometer/glasses).

Persona is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.