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Role description

Principal Mechanical Engineer / Systems Engineer

HA
Halo
Zero to one
TypeFull-time
WorkplaceOn-site
SeniorityPrincipal
LocationCambridge, MA
Posted10/20/2026
Engineering

Halo is a technology company building the future of haircare for all textures. We create category-defining products built for the complexities others overlook.

We're building HaloBraid, the world's first braid-assist device. It helps stylists finish braids five times faster, flawlessly and gently and empowers them to grow their business. This is one of the hardest unsolved problems in robotics, applied to a $270B salon services industry, and integrating computer vision, compliant fiber manipulation, and novel mechanisms.

Billions of hours are spent braiding hair each year; HaloBraid gives that time back. We're moving from R&D into deployment with salons, and we're backed by leading investors.

You will

  • Define product architecture: identify design, tolerance, assembly, and dependency issues, and drive them to resolution.

  • Deliver independent mechanical component design: own a subassembly through to production-ready parts.

  • Establish engineering standards, conduct design reviews, lead root-cause investigations, and implement design improvements for reliability, safety, and user experience

  • Use DFM/DFA principles to prepare for pilot builds, supplier engagement, and contract-manufacturer handoff.

  • Mentor engineers, set practical best practices and standards, and strengthen our engineering culture without becoming process-heavy.

  • Collaborate closely with industrial design, electrical engineering, and manufacturing partners

You have

  • Strong Mechanical Engineering foundation, including experience with mechanisms, motorised systems, and system-level design

  • 10+ years, or equivalent depth, in electromechanical product development

  • Proficiency in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools for 3D modeling, detailed drawings, and design for manufacturability.

  • A track record of delivering products or a major subsystem that made it through pilot or production.

  • An ability to review designs and identify design, assembly, and serviceability issues.

  • A strong experiment / test / decision-making framework

  • A desire to mentor other engineers

Desired skills (optional)

  • Product roadmap input

  • Production-transfer experience.

  • People-management experience.

  • Robotics experience.

  • BOM ownership

  • CM / supplier interface experience.

  • Consumer electronics experience, particularly hairstyling tools

Who You Are

  • User-centric. You want to build things people actually use and love.

  • Low ego, adaptable, collaborative.

  • A fast, honest iterator. You learn through testing and user feedback, and follow through on what you commit to.

  • Driven by the mission. A hard, unsolved robotics problem that gives hundreds of millions of people their time back is your idea of a good challenge.

  • A clear communicator

  • A systems-level thinker

Benefits of Working With Us

  • 100% medical premium coverage, comprehensive dental and vision benefits.

  • Meaningful equity.

  • 12 company holidays and unlimited PTO.

  • Free parking onsite.

Onsite Work

This is an onsite position at our office/lab in Cambridge, MA. You must have authorization to work in the US.

Don't Meet Every Requirement?

If you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align with every single line, we encourage you to apply anyway.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization.

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Company info

HA

Halo

Halo Braid (halobraid.com) is an innovative, patent-pending robotic hair braiding system designed to reduce braiding time from hours to mere minutes. Created by Harvard innovators Yinka Ogunbiyi and David Afolabi, it uses machine learning to assist stylists with protective styles, particularly targeting Black hair.

Seed
Funding
  • Seed · Jun 23, 2026

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