Founding Engineer (Stealth Startup)

Flexible, deformable materials are one of the last unsolved problems in physical automation. 7percent Ventures is working with an early-stage stealth startup building software-defined production systems leveraging intelligent material handling. The company is funded, building in London.We're looking for a hands-on founding engineer to design, instrument, and improve our first production cell from scratch.What the first year looks likeRather than a wish list, here's what you'd actually be measured on:First 90 days - instrument the full workflow yourself, then come back with a ranked list of automation targets scored on minutes saved × frequency × feasibility × cost. Build and test two prototypes against the top of it.By 6 months - two systems running in live production, each cutting handling time on its operation by 30% or more, without pushing defect rates up.By 12 months - one system through 1,000 production cycles with documented failure modes, MTBF and maintenance needs, written up so another engineer could rebuild it from your drawings without asking you anything.ResponsibilitiesDesign the layout and workflow of the first production cellInstrument machines with sensors, cameras, lighting and job trackingCapture real production data: cycle time, idle time, defects, rework, bottlenecksBuild jigs, fixtures, guides and operator-assist tools that make messy manual steps measurable and repeatablePrototype handling systems for flexible materials - alignment, feeding, positioning, gripping, transfer between operationsWire physical events into the software and data layerSource equipment, components, tools and fabrication partnersWhat we're looking for~3-8 years in mechatronics, automation, robotics, manufacturing systems or hardware prototyping. What you've built matters far more than how long you've been doing it.You've personally taken physical systems from design → build → commissioning → operation. Not simulated, not specified for someone else to build.Strong across mechanical, electrical and practical build work - comfortable with CAD, sensors, cameras, microcontrollers, edge devices and rapid prototypingEnough software to make hardware talk to data: scripts, APIs, logging, simple machine-control interfacesA real pull toward hard physical problems involving deformable or flexible materialsSide projects. Things you built because you wanted them to exist.Systems thinker, strong bias to build, comfortable in early-stage ambiguityThis is a founding role, not a graduate one. Mechatronics rewards generalists, and every generalist has gaps - we'd far rather hear about yours than watch you work around them.BonusFlexible-material or web handling, soft robotics, end-effectors, feeding or alignment systemsMachine vision, QC systems or test rigs in a production settingPhysics simulation, digital twins, or sim-to-real workflowsDetailsFull-time, London, hands-on in the production environment. Salary plus meaningful founding equity, reflecting experience and the founding nature of the role. Starting December 2026 (flexible).